According to a Film and TV Charity (FTVC) survey, more than half of its UK freelancers are struggling financially. With opportunities seemingly drying up in the industry, most are worried that their financial situation can easily tank.
The FTVC surveyed about 2,000 freelancers to determine how well they survive on film and television sets. The final results revealed that 40% believed that they wouldn’t be able to survive in less than a month with their salary. That amount dropped by 5% when those who didn’t have enough money every month “most of the time” over the past year were brought onto the survey.
With declining standards and a lack of disability care, it’s no wonder that about 70% are pessimistic about their financial future. According to FTVC research, the strikes in the US affected job availability as many projects were shit down or put on hiatus. This was preceded by a prior survey highlighting an 800% rise in applications for the Stop-Gap Grant to help those struggling to stay afloat.
The FTVC CEO, Marcus Ryder, responded with shock and horror when presented with the data. At the same time, he called it a sobering wake-up call, especially regarding how “behind the scenes workers are asked to navigate an industry prone to boom and bust cycles…and pivot to meet the needs of changing business models.” Whether or not this will lead to a plan of action remains to be seen.
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