With TV and film productions on hold in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Netflix has established a $100 million fund to help those in the creative community whose jobs have been impacted.

Although most of the fund will support staffers from Netflix’s own productions, $15 million will aid third parties and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work crew and cast in the countries where the company has a large production base.

Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief creative officer, says hundreds of thousands of crew and cast are without jobs, including electricians, carpenters, drivers, hair and makeup artists, many of whom are paid hourly wages and work on a project-to-project basis.

“This community has supported Netflix through the good times, and we want to help them through these hard times, especially while governments are still figuring out what economic support they will provide,” Sarandos said in a statement.

In the U.S. and Canada, Netflix will donate $1 million each to the SAG-AFTRA COVID-19 Disaster Fund, the Motion Picture and Television Fund and the Actors Fund Emergency Assistance, and $1 million between the AFC and Fondation des Artistes.

The company plans to work with existing industry organizations to create similar relief efforts in Europe, Latin America and Asia, where the company has a big production presence. Details will be announced at a later time, Sarandos said.

“What’s happening is unprecedented. We are only as strong as the people we work with and Netflix is fortunate to be able to help those hardest hit in our industry through this challenging time,” Sarandos concluded.

Tags: coronavirus netflix


  Save as PDF