Backed by tens of thousands of below-the-line film and TV workers, IATSE has set the countdown clock on talks with Hollywood studios. If a deal isn’t reached on a new bargaining agreement by Sunday evening at midnight, the union will begin its first-ever Hollywood strike, shutting down almost every film and TV project currently shooting or in postproduction.
Dozens, if not hundreds, of film and TV productions will come to a sudden halt if the union walks out — but there are two major exceptions, thanks to separate agreements that IATSE has made for certain productions. The first is for shows and movies being produced specifically for pay TV channels like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz.