Thousands of jobs on the line as Georgia film industry braces for possible strike

ATLANTA — Thousands of workers in Georgia’s film industry may not have jobs to go to on Tuesday. A possible Hollywood writers’ strike could shut down productions from coast to coast.

Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen spoke with locals in the business who are bracing themselves.

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Plaza Theatre owner, Chris Escobar, says almost everyone in the business has a knot in their stomachs. Escobar is also the executive director of the Atlanta Film Festival.

“Anything that can put a halt to people being able to work, and to the businesses that supply it, that obviously is a huge concern for all of us,” Escobar explained.

Escobar says a possible Hollywood writers’ strike would hit Georgia hard. Most of the productions in the state would stop. The hundreds of businesses the film industry spends money with would suffer right alongside.

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He says the festival just wrapped up the most successful event in its 47-year history. Ten-thousand submissions from filmmakers all over the world made the festival more diverse and inclusive than ever. But what’s looming in Hollywood could take the wind out of the industry’s sails.

“Georgia is a leader in the world. We’re top three in productions. We’re going to feel it more than most other markets and feel it just as much as New York or L.A. would,” Escobar said.

The two sides in this are the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. As of Monday evening, they’re still negotiating.

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