MPTF Launches ‘Back To Work’ Fundraiser To Help Hollywood Crew Members Following Strikes
deadline.comMPTF is launching the “Back to Work” campaign, a fundraiser to assist crew members impacted financially by the Hollywood strikes. “While the agreement between the WGA and AMPTP and the tentative agreement between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP are certainly encouraging, our crews will continue to struggle for many months to come,” Bob Beitcher, MPTF President & CEO, said in a statement. “The financial and emotional pain will not be flipped off like a light switch but will require months or longer to heal.” Filmmakers and Hollywood executives have provided lead gifts to the fund like Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan and his wife Emma Thomas. “We are thrilled that SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP have tentatively agreed to a new contract, but it will be a while before most of our industry colleagues are back at work, and the MPTF is going to play a vital part in supporting crews as they return to set,” Oppenheimer producer Emma Thomas said.
Also contributing to the fund were Dune director Denis Villeneuve, John Wells, Casey Wasserman, Peter Rice, Karen Rosenfelt, John Goldwyn, Kevin McCormick, Betsy Beers, Susan and Gary Martin, among others. “We must come together to invest in the future of our entertainment community andworkforce,” John Wells said. “We’ve been working with the many talented members of our long-time crew to help us get through this difficult period and wanted to extend a hand to the entire crew community.” MPTF is currently providing financial assistance at a rate of $500,000 per week to crew members whose financial condition has been ravaged by many months without work.
Beitcher added, “This organization was built by Hollywood to take care of our own in times of need. And the need is great now and will be for some time
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