There are no veterans of this industry we all toil in that don’t know extreme lows with the occasional accolade.
We find ourselves, me specifically as Publisher, in the unfortunate position of being caught short on the other side a devastating 6-9 month strike that was a follow on to, if not a sequel to the COVID pandemic. To make matters worse, for everyone, all the studios are in flux (that’s a very nice word for turmoil). There are no good set of books out there for any industry Company right this moment.
And now, after a very profitable couple years, we are short and in-want of a way out, or at least through.
I am to blame for disgruntled writers and editors that are behind on getting paid. I’m to blame for not seeing the then looming strike going from saber rattling to a defacto strike then a full blown, picket-line 6 mo. work stoppage. I failed to forecast the full fall out of the strike and the real but almost never discussed pending collapse of the streaming model and all those that spent recklessly in that endeavor.
I should have stopped expanding and hiring when I wasn’t sure of the path ahead. My hubris believed I could make it work. I was wrong. I should have saved some of the reserves we had sitting in our accounts Mar, April, May of last year… I take full responsibility for every action I’ve taken.
My outstanding debt to the dedicated and talented writers and staff, both leaving and staying on to fight on, will be paid. For the short term, I’ll probably bring Above the Line down. As for Below the Line, thank you to all those that continue to believe the crew, the working crew, the voting crew deserve their own dedicated trade publication in the industry.
I will do everything in my power to right this ship and continue to celebrate the tireless accomplishments of those at the heart of the industry and the Unions that stand by their side.
Patrick
Patrick Graham
Publisher
[email protected]
