Dear Hollywood: If We Don’t Speak Up Now, The Industry As We Know It Will Never Be The Same (It’s Gut Check Time)

<h2><a href= "https://optimizeyourself.me/dear-hollywood-speak-up-now-industry-gutcheck/"> » Read & Share the full article HERE</a></h2> <p>One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received from a friend & mentor is the following:</p> <blockquote> <p>“Don’t let others determine your value. Only you can determine your value.”</p> </blockquote> <p>Unfortunately the idea that we as creative professionals are undervalued for the unique contributions we bring to the entertainment industry is not a new one. For decades we have been considered replaceable widgets that are expendable.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://optimizeyourself.me/60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As legendary editor Walter Murch explained in our podcast together</a></strong>, several decades ago when approaching a studio executive to address the extreme working conditions, relentless stress, and impossible deadlines on a big budget tentpole film he was editing, he described the situation as:</p> <p><em>“People are dropping like flies.”</em></p> <p>The studio executive simply replied with: <em>“Then get more flies.”</em></p> <p>We’ve now reached an impasse where decades worth of delivering miracles has become today’s expectation, and how we function as a collective industry is no longer sustainable.</p> <p>Finally….FINALLY we have the opportunity to change how we live and work in the entertainment industry. But the only way things will change is if there are simply<em> “no more flies” </em>because we’ve all collectively decided to advocate for our needs and say ‘NO’ to the impossible expectations asked of us every single day.</p> <p>Unfortunately as much as I want to believe we finally have the power to affect positive change, my greatest fear is those of us who value our work-life balance and our lives beyond our paychecks are still the vocal minority fighting against a much larger majority clutching their “golden time” in their cold, (nearly) dead hands.</p> <p>The only way for us to become the majority is to share with everyone who will listen