Fifth Season cuts workforce by 12% amid ongoing strikes, 30 jobs to go

Fifth Season is a producer on Severance for Apple TV+

US-headquartered studio Fifth Season is eliminating around 12% of its workforce, the equivalent of about 30 positions, citing the ongoing impact of the dual strikes in the US.

The jobs cuts are being made across both executive and administrative positions and come as the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and actors’ union SAG-AFTRA continue to strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the US studios in labour matters.

“Today we made the difficult decision to reduce Fifth Season’s headcount due to the impact on our business operations as a result of the ongoing dispute between the AMPTP and WGA and SAG-AFTRA,” said a representative for the company. “Our team is extraordinary and the reduction of staff by even one individual, let alone many, is heartbreaking.”

Fifth Season, which has personnel placed throughout the US, UK and other international markets, did not specify where the cuts are being made. Fifth Season is a producer on series including The Lost Flower of Alice Hart (Prime Video), Life & Beth (Hulu), Severance (Apple TV+) and Tokyo Vice (Max).

The CJ ENM-backed firm is among a growing number of companies implementing lay-offs as the strike continues. The WGA, which has been on strike since May 2, has re-entered negotiations with the AMPTP over the past two weeks but the two sides remain at an impasse on deal terms. Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP have not met since the actors union went on strike on July 14.

As the strike has continued, more and more shows run the risk of cancellation, with Amazon last week confirming that both Peripheral and A League of Their Own have been cancelled, reversing renewal decisions made earlier in the year.

The news comes soon after Fifth Season’s minority owner Endeavor said the US media giant’s revenue is taking a US$25m hit each month as a result of Hollywood’s dual strikes, which CEO Ari Emanuel believes will take “months not days” to resolve.

“We are hopeful the growing financial, creative and emotional toll of these strikes can be curtailed with a swift resolution and that every person in our industry can return to the business we are all passionate about: storytelling,” said Fifth Season. “We will emerge from this period well-positioned and ready to return to producing great films and television series.”