The Year from Hell

After the tumultuous events of September 11, it seems almost triteto examine the plight of the many vocations that, together, make up theentertainment industry. What is entertainment, after all, but adiversion from, currently, a painful reality?

On the other hand, this industry not only entertains and diverts, itmirrors the society it serves, helps to build global culture (forbetter or worse), and provides a livelihood for many, many people. Inthat sense, is it any less important than any other profession, as adifficult 2001 dissolves into an unknown 2002?

Thus, Millimeter asked representatives of many of the majorHollywood labor guilds and trade organizations to contribute theirmusings, opinions, and predictions about the state of their particulardisciplines and the entertainment business in general. The followingessays, which reflect only the opinions of the authors and theorganizations they represent, indicate concern about the economy'sdownturn, and about specific issues, such as runaway production andlabor conflicts — issues that were complicating the economiclandscape even before September 11.

The essays (which can be accessed from the home page of our website)also indicate a general need to remake, or evolve, such disciplines ascinematography, editing, visual effects, the equipment rental business,and so on, for a new economy in a new year and century.

The thousands of executives, artists, engineers, and below-the-lineworkers represented by these organizations are the foundation of one ofour nation's most vibrant and unique industries. These professionals,like most, have endured a relentlessly difficult year and face morehurdles to come. Millimeter hopes that the opinions expressedhere will contribute to the ongoing dialogue about the proper role ofthe entertainment industry in a suddenly somber world and become ayearly tradition within these pages each December.