Working in a New World

More than any other part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the San Fernando Valley takes in the whole spectrum of the entertainment industry, from major studios financing big blockbuster films to post-production houses to small, independent vendors providing needed services and products for filming. But for the past year, it has hardly been business as usual for the industry as labor turmoil of the Writers Guild of America strike and the stalled Screen Actors Guild contract talks have captured headlines alongside with who won an Academy Award or the latest box office numbers. The following Business Journal special report takes a look at the factors contributing to Hollywood finding itself in the middle of labor problems; what writers have done to strike out on their own to get a share of online audiences; a follow up on how businesspeople and screenwriters have fared since the end of the strike; and finally, how young filmmakers view the current labor situation. Mark R. Madler