Hollywood film shootings in Hungary halted – here is why

The making of many Hungarian films is put on pause due to the Hollywood strike. It is still uncertain when these projects and pre-productions will restart. According to the marketing manager of Origó Studio, over 20,000 people work in the film industry in Hungary. Therefore, the strike affects many people. The current situation might carry on for months.

Hungarian productions affected

According to RTL, the project of a Hungarian film production team is also put on pause. They were currently working on a film about the Nuremberg trials. The producer, István Major, said that he is trying his best to communicate and find a solution with his team. However, he also added:

This situation cannot carry on forever. If the members of the production team find a more secure job, they will leave for it.

For the time of the production halt, the team is trying to do useful things. For example, visiting the sites where the film will be shot and do some pre-works. Although, the studio has been rented already, so it remains empty for the time being. Everything is so uncertain that the team cannot start working on the film set yet.

US actors’ union

Some production teams try to make agreements with the US actors’ union. It would make it easier for the teams if they could start working on the films with one or two of the main actors. In May, many Hollywood screenwriters went on strike. Now, over 160,000 US actors’ unions have joined. They aim to ensure that the world’s leading streaming providers share profits more fairly. Until an agreement is reached, their members cannot work in the USA or in Hungary. The producer of Hero Squared, Dániel Kresméry, told RTL that they are lucky because only one of their on-going projects were affected by the strike. Even that one project was able to carry on, as the US actors’ union allowed the actors to work.

People working in the film industry

There are over 20,000 people working in the film industry in Hungary. Most of them are hired workers, meaning that they work on productions when the shooting of a big film comes to the country. According to the marketing manager of Origó Studio, Mihály Tóth, these Hungarian hired workers are vulnerable. They cannot be part of any union; therefore, they are less protected in situations like this. Now, Hungarian film production workers are desperate, they cannot work, and they do not know for how long the unfortunate situation will carry on. Experts say that the strike could go on for weeks, months, even years.