The U.S. film industry is one of the most influential and lucrative sectors of the American economy and culture. It supports millions of jobs, pays out billions of dollars in wages, and generates billions of dollars in revenue from domestic and international markets. However, the industry has also faced significant challenges and changes in recent years, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of streaming platforms. In this article, we will provide a snapshot of the U.S. film industry employment statistics as of 2023, based on the latest data and reports available.
Employment in the Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the motion picture and sound recording industries employed 452,800 people as of January 2023. This is an increase of 2.3% from the previous year when the employment figure was 443,100. However, this is still lower than the pre-pandemic level of 434,800 in January 2020. The pandemic caused a sharp decline in employment in these industries, reaching a low of 313,200 in January 2021.
The BLS data includes workers in the following categories: producers and directors, actors, writers and authors, editors, camera operators, sound engineering technicians, and other technical and creative occupations. It also includes workers in the distribution, exhibition, and post-production sectors of the film industry.
The average annual wage for workers in the motion picture and sound recording industries was $97,270 in 2020, which is higher than the average annual wage for all occupations in the U.S. ($56,310). However, the wage distribution is highly skewed, with some workers earning much more than others. For example, the median annual wage for producers and directors was $76,400 in 2020, while the median annual wage for actors was $20,950.
Employment in the Movie Theater Industry
Another sector of the film industry that was severely affected by the pandemic is the movie theater industry. According to the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), the movie theater industry employed 125,000 people in 2019. However, nearly all of these workers were either laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic, as theaters were forced to close or operate at reduced capacity for most of 2020 and 2021.
The movie theater industry is also facing increased competition from streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, which have gained more subscribers and viewers during the pandemic. According to a report by PwC, the global streaming market is expected to grow by 10.4% annually from 2021 to 2025, reaching $94.6 billion in revenue by 2025. In contrast, the global theatrical market is expected to grow by only 2.4% annually over the same period, reaching $46.1 billion in revenue by 2025.
The average annual wage for workers in the movie theater industry was $25,308 in 2020, which is lower than the average annual wage for all occupations in the U.S. ($56,310). The movie theater industry mainly employs workers in the following categories: managers, ticket sellers, ushers, concession workers, projectionists, and janitors.
Employment in the Film Production Industry
The film production industry is the sector of the film industry that is responsible for creating and financing films. It includes workers in the following categories: producers, directors, actors, writers, editors, cinematographers, composers, production designers, costume designers, makeup artists, special effects technicians, and other crew members. The film production industry is also the most dynamic and diverse sector of the film industry, as it involves a variety of genres, formats, budgets, and locations.
According to the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the film production industry supported 2.4 million jobs in 2019, which includes direct, indirect, and induced jobs. Direct jobs are those that are directly involved in the production of films, such as actors and directors. Indirect jobs are those that are supported by the spending of the film production industry, such as suppliers and vendors. Induced jobs are those that are supported by the spending of the workers in the direct and indirect jobs, such as restaurant and retail workers.
The film production industry also paid out $186 billion in total wages in 2019, which includes wages for direct, indirect, and induced jobs. The average annual wage for direct jobs in the film production industry was $101,000 in 2019, which is higher than the average annual wage for all occupations in the U.S. ($56,310).
The film production industry is also a major contributor to the U.S. economy, as it generates billions of dollars in revenue from domestic and international markets. According to the MPA, the U.S. film industry generated $42.5 billion in revenue in 2019, which includes box office, home entertainment, and licensing revenue. The U.S. film industry also exported $16.5 billion worth of films to foreign markets in 2019, which is more than any other U.S. industry.
Conclusion
The U.S. film industry is one of the most influential and lucrative sectors of the American economy and culture. It supports millions of jobs, pays out billions of dollars in wages, and generates billions of dollars in revenue from domestic and international markets. However, the industry has also faced significant challenges and changes in recent years, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of streaming platforms. The U.S. film industry employment statistics provide a snapshot of the current state and trends of the industry, as well as its potential for future growth and recovery.
