2023-07-22 11:56:32
In the US, actors and screenwriters are on strike for better pay and rules in dealing with artificial intelligence. What effects does this have on the German film industry?
Berlin.
According to experts, fans of German films and series do not have to worry about the actors’ strike. In the German film industry, the effects have so far been limited.
Individual international projects with German participation are currently on hold. According to associations, which see an opportunity for the German and European market at the same time, concrete consequences are not yet foreseeable.
No effects on film and series starts yet
“First of all, I don’t think anyone in Germany has to wait for a series or a film,” says Martin Moszkowicz, head of Constantin Film, who also sits on the board of the Alliance of German Producers – Film & Television, the dpa. “One mustn’t forget: everything that will be on the platforms, in the cinema or on television in the next six to eight months has already been produced.” The strike affects productions that should appear in 2024 or later.
Film releases by Constantin would not have to be postponed this year, according to Moszkowicz. But: “We shoot three to five English-language productions every year and they are definitely affected. To what extent is very difficult to say at the moment.” Moszkowicz does not name specific projects.
Effects on the cinema industry in Germany cannot be precisely predicted at this point in time, explains the chairwoman of HDF Kino eV, Christine Berg. You haven’t noticed any consequences in the cinema yet, “but everyone has noticed that stars have not come to premieres. However, this advertising is extremely important for us.”
This is also the opinion of the managing director of the association of film distributors, Peter Schauerte. In the cinema you don’t feel any effects at the moment, he says – except for cancellations by stars. Actors Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling canceled their participation in the German premiere of “Barbie” last week.
No faltering negotiations in Germany
The members of the US actors’ union SAG-AFTRA have been on strike for a week for better remuneration and rules for dealing with artificial intelligence. The US screenwriters have also stopped working for some time.
German actresses or actors who also work internationally may be affected. For example, Nina Hoss, who said in an interview with “Zeit”: “I’m also on strike, my current project in the USA has been postponed.”
Moszkowicz shows understanding for the demands of the strikers. The German counterpart to SAG-AFTRA – the Bundesverband Schauspiel – is also showing solidarity. Association spokesman and actor Hans-Werner Meyer explains at the same time that the situation in Germany is partly different, since there are no stagnant negotiations in this country. Moszkowicz describes it similarly: “So far we have always managed to clarify our positions in negotiations.”
Independence of German film as an opportunity?
In view of the strike, cinema operators in Germany are emphasizing the importance of having a strong in-house film landscape. “As in the pandemic, it is becoming clear how important German cinema is for us,” says HDF CEO Berg.
“It gives us independence from American films. We therefore appeal to Ms. Roth to definitely strengthen German cinema films with strong audiences when reorganizing funding.”
In Germany, film companies can apply for financial support for their projects. There are pots in the federal states and at the federal level – so a part is the responsibility of Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth. The Greens politician wants to reform film funding.
If the strike lasts longer, it could also be an opportunity for European or German production companies, says Moszkowicz. “If the American studios and distributors aren’t getting enough product to fill their platforms, there’s a good chance they’ll turn to indie productions that come out of Europe that just got filmed.”
Moszkowicz emphasizes that he would “much, much prefer it” if there was no need for a strike. “But if it comes to the point that there is a greater need for European products, then of course that’s something that will also have an impact on our business.”
The managing director of the Association of Film Distributors makes a similar statement. “The hope is clear that the differences can be settled quickly,” says Schauerte. “As in the pandemic, there is now another chance for German cinema films to help compensate for the loss of studio productions.” (dpa)
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