Cape Town is nervously eyeing the coming film and TV production season, as an ongoing writers and actors strike in the US could affect planned international shoots in the Mother City if a deal is not reached soon. One or two international planned film shoots being cancelled in Cape Town might not seem like a big deal, but there are knock-on effects that mean a strike thousands of kilometres away could cost the local economy millions, if not billions of rands.

Film industry in Cape Town brings money, jobs to local economy

Between July 2022 and July 2023, the City of Cape Town’s film office issued more than 3,900 permits for shoots and productions in the city – more than 100 of these were for large feature film productions and 499 were for TV series. They also processed 7,400 location bookings over the 2020-21 financial year. Earlier this month, mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith announced that the film industry in Cape Town was finally again on the up, following the Covid downturn: According to a 2017 study commissioned by the City of Cape town, the film industry contributes about R5-billion to the local economy annually – and is the source of more than 35,000 jobs. 

Actor, Sean Penn smokes a cigarette while working on set for his new film ‘The Last Face’ at Oude Molen Eco Village in Cape Town on 27 July 2015. (Photo: Gallo Images / The Times / Adrian de Kock)

South Africa and especially Cape Town are attractive and sought-after film location destinations for many international productions, for both film and TV series. Like the film Beast starring well-known British actor Idris Elba, co-starring South Africa’s own Sharlto Copley and with most of the supporting cast members also being South African. Beast was shot in Limpopo, the Northern Cape and Cape Town and released in theatres in August 2022, then video on demand in September.  

Film genres that favour South Africa as a backdrop cover the spectrum from horror to romance and include sci-fi TV series such as Raised by Wolves which was loved by fans despite being cancelled after two seasons. Raised by Wolves was shot in Stellenbosch, Somerset West and Cape Town and included a raft of South African actors, with Capetonian Kim Engelbrecht (Reyka) in a key role.

Backstage crew rig lighting on the set of the new ‘Spud’ movie on in Cape Town on 27 May 2013. (Photo: Gallo Images / The Times / Halden Krog)

What is seen on the screen is, however, supported by a few layers of people other than the actors, without whom the end product would not be possible – they include scriptwriters, location supervisors, set builders, set decorators, make-up artists, electricians, caterers, waiters, waste workers, drivers, medics, extras, equipment hire and many more. This adds to the City’s ability to bring job opportunities and salaries to all involved in the gig or seasonal economy, including local artists and artisans, as well as related industries – car hire, hotels, tour guides, restaurants and more. South Africa is well respected internationally for the standard of its artists and artisans, so international productions are comfortable booking locations and making good use of the quality talent and film industry-related support the country offers.

International productions mean local work

South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) chairperson Jack Devnarain tells Daily Maverick that at least one streaming-service production in Cape Town has already been put on hold and it is unclear if they will be able to start up – it depends on how long the US strike drags on. He adds:

“While there may only be a handful of (South African/local) actors who are negatively impacted, there may be two or three times that number of technical crew and support services that may have lost out.”

Actors hold up their SAG-AFTRA membership cards during the ‘Rock the City for a Fair Contract’ rally in New York’s Times Square on 25 July 2023. (Photo: Charles Sykes / Invision/AP)

Daily Maverick has learnt that as many as three productions have already been affected – non-disclosure agreements mean they cannot give more details and this also explains why it takes a while for such news to filter out.

While international productions and co-productions usually slow down significantly during winter in South Africa – the City’s JP Smith told Daily Maverick that at the moment “there are no international feature films or productions being monitored by the City of Cape Town’s film permit office… winter always sees a downturn in productions in Cape Town.”

He would not, however, comment on how the US strike could affect the city’s film industry. The reality is that a new season is around the corner and should the strike continue, last year’s billions may well not be seen for a while as productions play catch-up and try to move actors and seasons and even locations to fit into budget deadlines. 

In 2022, Smith froze safety and security tariffs for filming within the city, saying:

“The film industry has been severely impacted by Covid-19 and the subsequent restrictions. The City intends on providing support to this industry which creates thousands of jobs across a broad cross-section of the local economy.”

The Writers Guild of America (WGA), began striking on 2 May. The guild, which represents about 11,500 screenwriters, was engaged in a dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The issues include wage increases, AI use agreements, benefits and streaming – which has shortened seasons – as well as payment of residuals to writers (when shows are re-run, writers want to be included in the profits derived).

Actor Wendell Pierce speaks during the SAG-AFTRA ‘Rock the City for a Fair Contract’ rally in Times Square, New York, on 25 July 2023. (Photo: Charles Sykes / Invision/AP)

The American actors union, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), went on strike on 14 July. SAG-AFTRA is engaged in an ongoing labour dispute with the AMPTP. Similarly to the WGA, actors want regulation around the use of AI, health and retirement benefits and residual benefits. SAG-AFTRA says on its website:

“SAG-AFTRA negotiated in good faith with the AMPTP.
We said we need a modern contract that addresses modern issues.
They countered with business as usual: Income erosion. AI exploitation. Abusive self-tape demands. Read the details HERE.
Our careers as performers are now in jeopardy. 
This is why we’re striking.”

“We said we need a modern contract that addresses modern issues. They countered with business as usual: income erosion. AI exploitation. Abusive self-tape demands.”

Jack Devnarain, who chairs the South African Guild of Actors. (Photo: Supplied)

In South Africa, Devnarain agrees that the AI issue is especially concerning for all artists, and notes:

“SAGA is aware that South African producers have recently introduced provisions into actor contracts that cede all rights of use of the actor’s image, likeness, voice and performance to the producer, for the producer’s exclusive use in any future production, on any medium, in perpetuity, and for no further compensation to the actor.”

The strikes in the US have already seen big studios including Marvel, Disney and Warner’s DC having to delay projects – such as Deadpool. Big studios are feeling the pinch as big names like Daniel Radcliffe, Brendan Fraser, Christine Baranski, Bryan Cranston – who led an actors’ strike rally in New York on Tuesday, with Chloe Grace Moretz and Susan Sarandon also supporting. In London, Succession’s Brian Cox came out in solidarity during a rally in Leicester, UK, on 21 July.

Union members are only allowed to participate in game shows, reality shows, talk shows, commercials and work related to video games – irrespective of where in the world the production takes place. DM