Will Hollywood strikes leave cinema in a sticky situation?

If anyone was still under the impression that strikes are an inherently British institution, they’ve no doubt had their eyes opened by Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and company ‘downing tools’ at the recent Oppenheimer UK premiere. As with any industrial action, their intentions may be well-meaning in one sense but will be detrimental in another, and for cinemas the scars may take time to heal.

It’s been reported that those eagerly anticipating Dune: Part 2 may have to wait until next year for it’s release. As successful as Barbie and the aforementioned Oppenheimer are proving at the box office, there’s going to be one hell of a hole to plug once the dust settles. Does any hope shine through the ensuing crisis?

Over the last year-and-a-half, I’ve been to see a West End musical at the Haymarket Theatre, ballet at the Hungarian Opera House and, most recently, a gig at Nottingham’s smallest music venue, the Bodega Social. This isn’t some lame attempt to show off how much I get around, but to say that this trio pretty much represents the whole spectrum of live performances, and the fact that they were all sellouts suggests that the public’s appetite is always there provided there’s stuff worth watching. U.S. cinema ticket sales in 2023 so far are reportedly more than 20% down on 2019’s takings, so clearly the quality was already lacking way before the first picket line had even been sketched.

The finger points firmly at Hollywood…

Of course it’s true to say that cinema’s definitely not live performing, but that’s no excuse. Point being, a fair chunk of it simply isn’t worth watching. There might be a number of successful blockbusters this year, but the industry still needs decent mid-to low budget offerings, not to mention diversity in the respective genres. The finger points firmly at Hollywood and its obsession with churning out sequel after sequel, reboot after reboot. Would it really hurt Paramount, for example, to take a punt on a brand-new rookie script now and again? Any box office losses would be a drop in the ocean, but at least fresh talent would be given a chance, in turn breathing new life into the business, rather than running a permanently closed shop. Did Creation Records know they were onto a sure thing when they signed Oasis? Well, probably, but you get the point.

This is why the music industry’s facing no such criticism: it recognises the need for new blood and to take a gamble once in a while. From there, an artist can go as far as their talent carries them. In essence, music takes out but definitely puts back in. With film, newcomers have more chance of swimming the Atlantic unaided than cracking Tinseltown. It’s easy-peasy to counter these arguments with the exponential rise of AI, but any form of art needs soul. Besides anything else, surely it’s morally and ethically bankrupt.

And that’s without even a single mention for the little guys and girls. What about cinema staff? If the supply of movies dries up they could well find themselves obsolete, and even if this is temporary there’s no telling what the future might hold. Less flicks also mean less reviews – can you imagine a world without Roobla? Unthinkable. On the other hand, when all this is over every studio and network will be looking to get back to work, all at the same time. If they all want to make their mark then there could be a need for tonnes of extra folk in all walks of the industry.

“Cinema is becoming a more and more distant dream for small producers.”

But don’t take my word for it, let’s see what an actual film producer has to say. Enrico Tessarin, of Pinch Media, is hopeful but admits the movie business is only going to get harder to get into. “Cinema is becoming a more and more distant dream for small producers like me, and even bigger than me,” he says. “Increasingly, the successful films are produced on a level of budget that most of us can only dream of, and everything else is straight to Amazon where nobody is ever going to watch it.”

With so much untapped talent going unnoticed therefore, the passion and drive for that elusive big break are going to be even more important. Filmmakers like Enrico will, as he puts it, “have to work with the determination to make our own kind of films, knowing fully that if it’s a low-budget feature it might never see the light of day in a cinema and take it from there.”

On the other hand, if demand outstrips supply then more hopefuls than ever before could be given the chance they’ve been waiting for – we shall see! To have your say, Enrico’s very own Shorts 2 Features are hosting a forum on their Facebook page. Meanwhile, you can comment on these latest trying times for cinema below.