#PayUpHollywood, the organization founded in 2019 to promote pay equity for Hollywood assistants, said Wednesday that it has rebranded its Hollywood Support Staff Relief Fund as a permanent emergency fund to assist film and TV support staff. is launched, affected by the Writers Guild strike and another. In future, the work of the industry stops.
in association with – formerly the Actors Fund of America – and women in filmThe relief fund, which is led by WGA West board member Liz Hsiao Lan Alper and support staff Alex Rubin, will provide lifetime grants to assistants and support staff who have less than three years of industry experience and an industry job record. Due to lost employment. stay.
Beginning its relaunch with a $10,000 donation from WIF, the relief fund was originally created in March 2020 in response to the COVID pandemic and has provided over $500,000 in assistance to employees in need .
The film comes as the writers’ strike against the studios enters its 37th day, affecting production and day-to-day work across the industry. on MondaysAG-AFTRA members vote overwhelmingly to authorize strike As the actors’ union prepares to begin its negotiations for a new TV/Theatrical contract. That contract expires on June 30.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Entertainment Community Fund for collaborating with us once again to support the most vulnerable workers in our industry,” Alper said. “Support workers are indispensable, yet they are undervalued and underpaid. These workers are the most affected when unforeseen events shut down the entertainment industry. Creating the Hollywood Support Staff Relief Fund a permanent emergency fund will help these workers gets a much needed resource that was not available before.
“Support staff jobs are a fundamental stepping stone to careers in film and television, and the first three years are incredibly important,” Rubin said. “They are times of learning, connections, and growing as a member of the industry, but those years also include low pay, long hours, and sacrifice. Work stagnation disrupts a new professional’s trajectory and can be difficult when support and resources are not available.” Coupled with the daily shortage of , it could mean the end of a career. The Hollywood Support Staff Relief Fund isn’t just a resource; it’s a lifeline.
“Once again, we find ourselves in difficult, unpredictable times where the need for a safety net is critical for many of our industry colleagues,” said Joe Benincasa, President and CEO of the Entertainment Community Fund. “Thanks to #PayUpHollywood and WIF, we will be able to help support staff so they can continue to make their living in the arts.”
“In times of economic struggle, women and low-wage workers are often the hardest hit,” said Kirsten Schaefer, CEO of WIF. “Many of Hollywood’s support staff are women and people of underrepresented genders, WIF is committed to supporting the next generation of these storytellers through our partnership with #PayUpHollywood and a $10,000 investment in the Hollywood Support Staff Relief Fund. We applaud #PayUpHollywood and the Entertainment Community Fund for offering these much-needed resources to help sustain the industry’s already cost-burdened support staff.
Applicants can apply for one-time grant Here, Tax-deductible donations can be made Here,