Pay Up Hollywood : Assistants in the Writer's Room

The latest trending topic to shake up the entertainment industry establishment is #PayUpHollywood. Created by writer Liz Alper, this hashtag (and larger movement) is meant to address the financial concerns of the most vulnerable players in the Hollywood system — the assistants.

The Hollywood machine encourages new creatives to take low-paying assistant positions at agencies and studios, or support staff roles in writers’ rooms with the promise that these jobs will eventually lead to dream fulfillment. In the past, budding screenwriters would hold these entry-level positions for a year or two, allowing them to learn and hone their craft before being promoted to a staff writer on a television show. But the system is broken. Assistants are often expected to work 60 hours a week for less than a living wage and no healthcare. Many feel trapped in these positions with little to no chance for advancement.

On November 24, 2019, a town hall organized to address the situation took place, with over 120 assistants in attendance. The event began with a panel of speakers, including: Alper, screenwriter John August, who initiated the recent conversation around assistant pay when the issue was brought up on the “Scriptnotes” podcast which he co-hosts; Jamarah Hayner, a consultant brought on to work with #PayUpHollywood; and Young Entertainment Activists founder and CEO Allison Begalman.

Alper surveyed a group of assistants and shared a few key kindings. 47% of the 1,100 surveyed have been assistants for three or more years, while 21% have been assistants for more than five years. And over two-thirds — 67.17% of assistants — currently or previously have had to take on an additional job in order to survive. Many assistants also report verbally and/or emotionally abusive employers, with 91.54% reporting high levels of anxiety associated with their position.

There is clearly a problem with this model, but what is the solution? Some applaud the recent unionization of writer’s assistant and script coordinator roles as a positive, while others claim that step is not far enough. PAs and showrunner’s assistants are not eligible to join the union. And does creating a union for transitory positions that are supposed to be a stepping stone to a career make sense? High union costs ($1,200-$1,500 initiation fee + quarterly dues) can deeply impact people who already financially strained. With low pay, high stress, and little room for advancement, some may wonder if the well-worn assistant pathway is still a valid option to achieve their goal of writing for television.

I was the writer’s assistant for the upcoming Shondaland/Netflix production, “Bridgerton” and currently work as the script coordinator on “The Witcher.” Fortunately, I’ve worked with gracious and supportive showrunners who respected my time and contributions to their shows. I’ve never felt overworked or undervalued, and my time in the writer’s room has improved my craft tremendously. Watching seasoned professionals pitch and break stories each day made me re-evaluate my approach to structure and character. The relationships I’ve built with professional writers are invaluable to me, both in terms of advice and mentoring, and finding work. The writers I’ve met have supported my web series, recommended me for jobs, and given me a wealth of knowledge and resources. Despite flaws in the assistant to staff writer pipeline, I still encourage people to find work in the writer’s room. Your most important tool in this industry is your network. Finding a support staff position will allow you to expand your network to include the people that can help you the most: other writers. I believe that a show is only as strong as its showrunner and it’s important to work for individuals that you can grow with. You are not only support staff, you should be supported as well.

But how do people find a job in the writer’s room? If you are completely new to the industry, learning about support staff positions can be difficult. That’s why we organized In the Cut: I'm in LA Now What? a workshop and networking event with current and former assistants. At our event you will meet writers who have worked with industry heavyweights like Shonda Rhimes, Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, and more. Click the button to learn more. You can also watch the live stream of the #PayUpHollywood Event below.