Hollywood strike having big impact on Utah economy
Jul 19, 2023, 9:00 PM
The Hollywood sign is seen as it is repainted in preparation for its 100th anniversary in 2023, in Hollywood on Sept. 28, 2022. The Hollywood strike is nearly a week old and it's already being felt in Utah. Photo credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images/FILE
SALT LAKE CITY — The strike in Hollywood is nearly a week old. It could be in excess of $3 billion before it’s over, according to Forbes.
Will the strike have implications in Utah?
Virigina Pearce, director of the Utah Film Commission, tells KSL NewsRadio that the Beehive State is already feeling the impacts of the strike.
“We’re for sure gonna see an impact here,” she said. “We do get a fair amount of production here and the summer is typically our busiest season.”
Pearce says the state had 12 films or series that were set to begin production in July and August. She says all 12 productions have been pushed back until further notice.
In financial terms, Pearce says that is roughly $64 million in economic impact to the state and 3,000 jobs.
Pearce says the $64 million comes from anything that goes into a film or series production, such as construction costs, equipment rentals and transportation.
A Utah position on the Hollywood strike
KSL NewsRadio’s Dave Noriega asked, “Is the Utah Film Commission taking a position on this strike?”
Pearce says that it is not.
“It’s about the streaming changes in the industry,” she said. “It’s about AI, I mean, all of those are new issues coming up really for all of us, but also in the film industry. And I think it’s important that both sides sit down and just figure out what makes the most sense.”
Pearce says there were some big productions with big names that were scheduled to shoot in Utah. However, she wasn’t able to provide KSL NewsRadio with any details.
“I’m hopeful things can get resolved and they’ll still shoot,” she said. “I think our worry is everything gets resolved by the end of August, the end of September. And then everyone if frantically trying to shoot before the weather changes, which will be tricky.”
This is the first time actors and writers have been on strike at the same time since 1960.
Dave & Dujanovic can be heard weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Play.
