Dear Hollywood: If We Don’t Speak Up Now, The Industry As We Know It Will Never Be The Same (It’s Gut Check Time)

09/22/21 • 19 min

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One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received from a friend & mentor is the following:

“Don’t let others determine your value. Only you can determine your value.”

Unfortunately the idea that we as creative professionals are undervalued for the unique contributions we bring to the entertainment industry is not a new one. For decades we have been considered replaceable widgets that are expendable.

As legendary editor Walter Murch explained in our podcast together, several decades ago when approaching a studio executive to address the extreme working conditions, relentless stress, and impossible deadlines on a big budget tentpole film he was editing, he described the situation as:

“People are dropping like flies.”

The studio executive simply replied with: “Then get more flies.”

We’ve now reached an impasse where decades worth of delivering miracles has become today’s expectation, and how we function as a collective industry is no longer sustainable.

Finally....FINALLY we have the opportunity to change how we live and work in the entertainment industry. But the only way things will change is if there are simply “no more flies” because we’ve all collectively decided to advocate for our needs and say ‘NO’ to the impossible expectations asked of us every single day.

Unfortunately as much as I want to believe we finally have the power to affect positive change, my greatest fear is those of us who value our work-life balance and our lives beyond our paychecks are still the vocal minority fighting against a much larger majority clutching their “golden time” in their cold, (nearly) dead hands.

The only way for us to become the majority is to share with everyone who will listen – union, non-union, above the line, below the line, or otherwise – why we are fighting, how we ended up here, and why we deserve respect.

But first...

It’s Gut Check Time

I don’t care what anyone has told you in the past about the brutal realities of what it really takes to “make it” in Hollywood or the necessity to “pay your dues” at the expense of your own life (figuratively or literally), the truth is:

We deserve to love what we do for a living...but not at the expense of our health, our relationships, or our sanity.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a PA getting coffee or if you’re a department head with decades of experience, you as a human being deserve to be respected for your contribution to a project and valued accordingly.

You are not obligated to show gratitude for the meal penalties and the endless 6th & 7th days in your paycheck earned at the expense of skipping lunches, sleeping on a couch or on apple boxes at hour 18 of the day/night, having to pee in bottles because you can’t leave your post, or the countless missed medical appointments because there simply “isn’t time in the schedule.”

You don’t have to consider yourself “lucky” for the opportunity to work in Tinsel Town at the expense of not being able to start a family or missing countless once-in-a-lifetime memories like weddings, funerals, birthday parties, and kids’ recitals simply because whoever manages the budgets is completely incapable of building a schedule designed to set everyone up for success instead of failure.

You don’t need to sacrifice sleep, recovery time, and throw away entire relationships just so you can “suck it up” and wear your burnout badge of honor proudly alongside your colleagues who are literally shaving years off their lives simply to maintain a lifestyle they couldn’t afford if they worked more humane hours.

I’ve been saying for years that I don’t believe work-life balance is a union issue, it’s a human issue. But guess what – right now it’s a union issue. And for those of you in the union like me, here comes the gut check:

Are you willing to speak up for the respect you deserve?

Because if you’re not willing to speak up right now and advocate for more reasonable working conditions and compensation commensurate with your contributions, the way things are at this moment is the best it’s ever going to be again. The current version of Hollywood and the entertainment industry as we know it will be dead.

Here’s Why We Are Fighting

» Continue Reading & Share the full article HERE

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zackarnold/exclusive-content

» Read & Share the full article HERE

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received from a friend & mentor is the following:

“Don’t let others determine your value. Only you can determine your value.”

“People are dropping like flies.”

The studio executive simply replied with: “Then get more flies.”

We’ve now reached an impasse where decades worth of delivering miracles has become today’s expectation, and how we function as a collective industry is no longer sustainable.

But first...

It’s Gut Check Time

We deserve to love what we do for a living...but not at the expense of our health, our relationships, or our sanity.

Are you willing to speak up for the respect you deserve?

Here’s Why We Are Fighting

» Continue Reading & Share the full article HERE

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zackarnold/exclusive-content

Previous Episode

Stop Waiting For Permission to Make Sh*t Happen | with Mark Gantt

“I want to make sh*t happen, but it can't happen at the cost of the people around me.”- Mark Gantt

Working in Hollywood as a creative professional can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand the freedom to express yourself and tell stories that motivate, inspire, and entertain others can be a dream come true. But on the other hand the pressure of having to create on a grueling daily schedule can lead to doubts, insecurities, imposter syndrome and perfectionism (especially the days when you’re just not feeling it), all of which lead to feeling out of balance and out of control. (Been there. Done that. Still living it.)

There is no one who knows this dichotomy better than my guest today, Mark Gantt. Mark is a multi-medium visual and performance artist who has worked in the industry as a graphic artist, a painter, a prop master, a photographer, an actor, a producer, and a director. He is best known for co-creating, writing, producing, and starring in Crackle’s groundbreaking, Streamy award-winning series The Bannen Way. (And if you are a long time listener, you may recognize that title because it is where I got my start in editing scripted television.)

But it wasn't an easy ride to success by any means (and if you ask Mark, he still struggles to call himself “successful”). There were many moments he wanted to give up on his passions and quit. And there were more moments when he wasn't even sure what his passion was after veering so far off the path (a path which includes countless drinking benders and cocaine). This episode is a conversation about persevering in times of doubt and failure. We candidly discuss how it really feels to fail and what it takes to dig deep, forge ahead, and make sh#t happen in your career - no matter the obstacles - and most importantly without sacrificing the most important people in your life along the way.

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One?

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Here's What You'll Learn:

How Mark answers the question, "What do you do for a living?"
How he came to have a multi-hyphenate career.
The reason behind Mark's drive to do all the different jobs he does.
Mark has been sober for 33 years.
The story of how Mark and I met.
What the "woo woo" factor is and the significance of The Secret.
How Mark wrestled with limiting beliefs in his acting career.
What fears come from imposter syndrome and how to confront them.
My story of why I failed in my first season of American Ninja Warrior.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Failure is just a bump on the road to success.
How saying yes to an uncomfortable opportunity saved Mark’s career and led to new doors opening.
Mark's battle of negative thinking goes back to his childhood.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Letting go of fear allows space for better decision making to happen.
The dark story behind Mark's drinking and deceptions.
Mark learned that drinking was only a symptom of his real problems.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Sometimes getting out of balance is necessary to appreciate being in balance.
The phone call that changed my life and how I'm still trying to make it happen again.
Mark's pivotal moment when he knew he had what it took to be successful in Hollywood.
Why perfectionism leads to unhappiness and burnout.
The importance of learning to enjoy the process so you can bring your full talents to the project you're working on.

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Ep161: Managing Limiting Beliefs, Imposter Syndrome, and all the “Chatter” In Our Heads | with Ethan Kross

Mark Gantt - Writer | Director | Producer

The Bannen Way (2010) - IMDb

Continue to Listen & Learn

Ep113: The Importance of Setting Boundaries, Advocating For Yourself, and Asking For Help | with Janace Tashjian

Dear Hollywood...We Create Entertainment For a Living. We’re Not Curing Cancer.

Dear Hollywood: We Don’t Want t...

Next Episode

Understanding What’s At Stake With the IATSE Strike Authorization Vote | Mastermind Q&A

I created Optimize Yourself so that I could provide the resources to help creative professionals find fulfillment in their work and love what they do...but not at the expense of their health, their relationships, or their sanity. A natural extension of this is that we must be valued & respected for the work that we do. Without respect, no matter how much we love our jobs, our careers won't be sustainable and our passion will eventually become indifference (and sometimes even hatred). We become overworked, disrespected, and burned out.

This is unfortunately what’s happening right now to tens-of-thousands of below the line workers in the entertainment industry as clearly portrayed by the meteoric rise of the @IA_Stories Instagram account. In part because of the horror stories this account has amplified, The IATSE union and the AMPTP have come to a standstill in contract negotiations and the union is asking its members to vote and authorize a strike. This is a historic moment in the union's history, and it's important that all of us understand what is truly at stake beyond the deal points and the percentages. That's why I decided to have an “All-hands-on-deck” call with my Optimizer coaching & mentorship community to provide an open forum where union and non-union members alike could ask their questions, voice their opinions, and gain a better understanding of the true impact this pending vote (and strike) can have on our industry for decades to come.

Whether you are in the union or you work freelance outside the union, this conversation will (hopefully) answer your questions and paint a clear picture of why you need to be paying attention to this issue.

If you haven’t yet read my latest article, Dear Hollywood: If We Don’t Speak Up Now, The Industry As We Know It Will Never Be The Same (It’s Gut Check Time), I encourage you to check it out as it provides even more context to this timely and important conversation.

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One?

» Click here to subscribe and never miss another episode

Here's What You'll Learn:

How does the current IATSE contract dispute impact non-union workers?
This negotiation outcome will be a sea change in the way we advocate for ourselves.
Why we need to band together and present a united front.
What does is mean if we vote yes to authorize a strike?
What exactly is IATSE and who are the members involved?
The red ant- black ant analogy and what we should really be focused on.
KEY TAKEAWAY: We need our message to reach the other IATSE locals so they understand what is at stake and can make an informed vote.
When we talk about producers in this context, we are talking about the studios and the producers at AMPTP.
To support our cause, union and non-union members can sign this petition on Action Network.
How do we address the issue that working less hours = less pay?
What ‘lifestyle creep’ is and how it cripples us.
One way to help alleviate fears is to create a fund to help people pay their bills. If such a fund is created, I pledge to personally put $1000 into it.
Why it's important to understand the problems of the people above you and the people we are negotiating with.
The only thing that will make it change is if we no longer meet those unreasonable expectations.
How voting works within the guilds to vote for a strike authorization.
Director Sam Lavin weighs in about the situation and gives a director's perspective.
Canceling our streaming services is not the way to fight back.
It comes down to how willing we are to set boundaries to protect ourselves.
Ricardo is seeing younger generation of workers stepping up and setting boundaries for themselves so there is hope for the future.
Please vote with your heart and do what you feel is right as long as you have all the information you need.
If you can't vote, please spread the word to the right people so they understand what the conversation is about.