Possible writers strike in U.S. would have big impact on B.C. film business

According to Creative B.C., the provincial film industry had a $3.6 billion impact on the B.C. economy in 2022. 

Whether it will match that number in 2023 may depend on a possible Writers Guild strike in Hollywood on May 1. 

“It’s a de facto strike here, effectively, because it would shut down the majority or all of the studio-based television that shoots in Vancouver,” said Shawn Williamson, local producer of series like The Good Doctor and Lucky Hank. “Anything that engages Writers Guild of America writers would effectively shut down, as soon as they’re out of scripts. Which would be very quickly.” 

Williamson said there already is a “natural slowdown” in the “standard network prime-time schedule” at this time of year, because TV shows have wrapped. 

But, with the looming strike, studios are holding off on setting up new productions.