The entertainment industry is plagued with human communication errors; this is no trade secret. For years, many have known about systemic issues and have either ignored the issue entirely or normalized it from within. Issues like the blockbuster bubble affect Hollywood and the entertainment industry creatively but sexual misconduct affects it socially and politically; even financially to a certain extent. We've seen a reconciliation of sorts after the arrest of mogul Harvey Weinstein but scandals much like his are still prevalent news stories and have a lasting impact.
Following the Kevin Spacey scandal, for example, most of the projects he was a part of were shut down or suffered from massive overhauls. Production of Spacey's "House of Cards" Netflix series had been halted for months before it resumed in late January. However, it's been revealed that this will be the show's final season. Whether this decision is a result of Spacey's actions or not is pure speculation but Netflix executives have stated their displeasure with the actor.
Ridley Scott's "All the Money in the World" undertook massive reshoots last year after Scott chose to replace Spacey with Christopher Plummer, an action that cost more money but garnered the film positive press. Films and television shows that haven't even entered production yet have also been affected. Louis C.K.'s upcoming "I Love You Daddy" film has been cancelled and his popular FX series "Louie" is in production limbo with little chance of a network renewal. Sexual misconduct is an issue that greatly affects the industry on almost every level. In order to maintain a positive public image, studios will need to distance themselves from certain projects which is a substantial loss of projected income. The actions performed by the men accused, especially those with more clout and power within the industry, ultimately makes the industry look bad which leads to future financial loss.
I would like to work in the entertainment industry in any capacity, whether it be as an attorney, producer, director, writer, and so on. My love of film, television, and media has drawn me to this profession but with the current political climate, I'll likely be entering a much different Hollywood. These scandals have led to a paradigm shift through which the desires of those working within the industry have changed significantly. As a result, audiences are looking for a new kind of entertainment that appeals to their sensibilities. Entertainment has always had one purpose above all else: to entertain. However, these scandals have created a different context for audiences. A film like "Revenge of the Nerds," for example, would be considered sexist and misogynistic by today's critics and as a result, it will no longer entertain a modern audience. If audiences are no longer entertained then they won't be as willing to spend money on a movie ticket or watch a new TV show.
Other films starring Kevin Spacey or projects produced by Harvey Weinstein have shown to have the same effect. Movies like "The Usual Suspects" or "American Beauty" are still considered to be great works of cinema but their inclusion of Kevin Spacey will likely leave them lost to time. The rise of the Me Too movement and other initiatives of its kind have been great for social change but now leave Hollywood in a precarious place moving forward. Ridley Scott's choice to replace Kevin Spacey in his film was a genius marketing move but it almost derailed the entire project. In fact, it cost an extra $10 million to fund the reshoots over a period of nine days. If this is the precedent filmmakers need to follow moving forward who's to say that the next "All the Money" won't fail completely as a result of last-minute editing for the sake of appealing to a wider audience?
This is an issue I'd likely have to deal with throughout my entire career because of how much of an impact these scandals have had on Hollywood's image and the potential for future projects in general. There's no telling if a project I could take on will lead to future scandal down the road because of inappropriate actions from someone involved. However, there are studies that can help those within the industry understand the dynamic and learn to change it. Researchers have stated that superiors within the workplace will likely target a subordinate sexually through their authority. This can mainly be attributed to the fact that some superiors are unable to differentiate between the professional and the sexual.
By educating individuals looking to enter the industry, which is something many initiatives have aimed to do, the industry can prevent another Weinstein from rising to prominence. If anything, the headlines speak for themselves as a prospective cog in the entertainment industry likely won't want to face the same public scrutiny and criticism as Weinstein or Spacey. This issue really puts the issue of sexual misconduct, and misconduct in general, in a different light for me. While there are some men who enter the industry as a desperate bid to gain power over the people around them, there are others who are solely in the industry to entertain. Aziz Ansari faced an allegation of misconduct when the Hollywood scandal trend was at an all-time high. However, the allegation proved to be a misunderstanding on his part as he'd read his sexual situation in a different light than the woman involved.
In the end, this situation serves to show that even good-intentioned men can still be accused of sexual misconduct. Some of these allegations come from the way one party viewed a scenario. This shows me that I'll need to be mindful of what I say or how I act around certain people within the industry, especially if I were to become a more public figure. However, different scenarios vary depending on what career path I take. If I were to become an agent, I'd need to be more mindful of how I treat my clients. It'd be important to treat them more like a friend or associate than a subordinate, allow them to trust me rather than fear me. Of course, this is what any manager hopes to be like but given the recent series of events, I feel this is the best course of action for me. However, implementation of kindness and cooperation won't be enough to solve the issue.
