It’s a classic holiday film tale: small towns, snowflakes, and star-crossed lovers. However, this year’s lineup of beloved holiday movies may be significantly smaller due to the worldwide shutdown of productions caused by the current Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes.
Glitch SPFX, an Ottawa-based special effects company, is responsible for simulating most of the artificial snow in holiday films produced in the province over the past five years, primarily for American studios and networks. Unfortunately, Glitch SPFX has now run out of work.
Ben Belanger, the founder of Glitch SPFX, mentioned in an interview with Global News that the company was working on three films simultaneously in June. However, with the writers’ strike and the actors’ strike on top of that, the future is becoming more uncertain for Glitch SPFX.
Over the past five years, Glitch has had a lucrative partnership with American networks like the Hallmark Channel, known for producing popular holiday films each year. Many of these films have been produced in Canada, with small-town locations in Ontario, British Columbia, and Ottawa. However, this year, experts predict a significant reduction in the number of holiday films produced in Canada for networks like Hallmark, primarily due to the lack of American actors.
1Development Entertainment Services, an Ottawa-based production company specializing in holiday made-for-TV movies, also collaborates with American unions and networks. Founder Shane Boucher explained that having at least one American star is crucial for networks when it comes to holiday films. As a result, many companies are likely to wait out the actors’ strike rather than working on new projects with an entirely Canadian cast.
Canadian studios often hire domestic crews for tax credit reasons, as it is more cost-effective. Boucher mentioned that 1Development will not be waiting out the strike and will instead focus on developing their own intellectual property (IP) in collaboration with networks. Boucher sees this shift as an opportunity to explore different projects and keep everyone working.
Alistair Hepburn, the executive director of ACTRA Toronto, stated that there is a small chance some holiday film productions may be able to secure American actors. SAG-AFTRA is working on an agreement that would allow independent producers to engage the services of a SAG member during the strike through a waiver system. However, films featuring SAG-AFTRA actors cannot be distributed by major companies like Netflix or Disney, but rather to unaffiliated networks like Hallmark.
Belanger expressed concern for his employees and their financial security during this uncertain time. He mentioned that the situation is similar to the strain felt in the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was a widespread shutdown. Some Glitch employees had to find supplemental income elsewhere, and not all of them returned.
Overall, the strikes are expected to have a significant impact on the industry for months to come, affecting not only performance but the entire entertainment industry as a whole.