As Hollywood’s double strikes stretch into the late summer days, Greg Berlanti is stepping up to offer financial relief to support employees and below-the-line workers.
Berlanti, who long held the title of Hollywood’s most prolific TV series producer through his Greg Berlanti Prods, is donating $500,000 to a strike relief fund to benefit those who worked on his company’s projects. Separately, he is matching his $150,000 donations to the Entertainment Community Fund and the Motion Picture & Television Fund, “two great organizations that I am incredibly proud to be associated with and that represent the best qualities of our business.” represent.”
As part of the donation to these organizations, Berlanti has asked that the money be “set aside for support staff and below-the-line workers,” and is also calling to action those fortunate enough to give what they can to support the ECF support MPTF.
Berlanti disclosed details of his new financial commitments in a letter sent to employees and obtained by . He begins by admitting a little déjà vu because he sent a similar letter during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Berlanti offered $1 million to those who were unemployed at the time due to production shutdowns.
“I never thought I would have to write a note of a similar nature within three years, but with the WGA strike stretching into its fourth month and SAG joining the picket line in July, I wanted to reach out again and get involved “Offer as much emergency aid as possible,” writes Berlanti. “As I have said during the pandemic, I recognize that not knowing when work might return is placing significant financial and emotional strain on many. I also know that many of our colleagues have struggled financially since then. It is very important to me and everyone at Berlanti Productions that we do everything we can to help you during this time.”
News of Berlanti’s donations follows a similar $500,000 strike relief fund set up by Ryan Murphy to support those who worked on his company’s shows. And it comes in a week when reports emerge that Berlanti’s overall contract with Warner Bros. Television Group has been suspended due to the ongoing strikes. Those in the same boat as Berlanti include JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot, Chuck Lorre, Bill Lawrence, John Wells and Mindy Kaling.
Berlanti’s full letter can be found below.
“Dear Colleagues,
I hope that you and your family or loved ones, wherever you are, are safe and healthy. Clearly we are living in an unprecedented moment in modern history. The COVID-19 pandemic is destroying lives, nations and businesses around the world, including here.”
So I started my last email of this kind three years ago in the middle of the pandemic to let everyone know what our company was doing to help people. I never thought I would have to write a note of a similar nature within three years, but with the WGA strike dragging into its fourth month and SAG joining the picket line in July, I wanted to reach out again and make an offer as much emergency help as we can.
As I said during the pandemic, I recognize that not knowing when work will be available again is placing significant financial and emotional strain on many. I also know that many of our colleagues have struggled financially since then. It is very important to me and everyone at Berlanti Productions that we do everything we can to help you during this time. At the beginning of the strike, like many others in my position, I made a donation to the Entertainment Community Fund. I will donate an additional 150,000 to this fund and the same amount to the Motion Picture & Television Fund – two great organizations that I am incredibly proud to be associated with and that represent the best qualities of our company. I will ask that this money be earmarked for support staff and workers below the line. I beg other fortunate industrial workers to give these organizations their best today.
Additionally, we are launching a strike relief fund of an additional $500,000 for support staff and below-the-line workers at our own shows. If you receive this email, it means you have worked in this capacity on one of our shows in the past few years. If you worked on one of our shows and for some reason didn’t receive this email and heard about it somewhere else, that’s okay too.
Either way, if you are in need, please email my staff member Carl Ogawa at [email protected] and let him know what show you worked on, what your position was, and what your phone number was are best reached. He coordinates the rest directly with you. As during the pandemic, we will not disclose your personal circumstances or wishes to third parties. Please note that it takes approximately ten days for the money to reach you. We will also do our best to distribute these funds to as many people as possible, in denominations ranging from $500 to $1,500.
I am a proud member of the WGA and support a fair deal that continues to provide sustainable lifelong careers for all the incredible talent entering this business. I also know how vulnerable so many are right now, and I want to make sure we do everything we can to help others as these two strikes continue. If you have any other ideas about how we can help or assist you or the most vulnerable members of our production families during this time, please let us know. We will give our best. Until then, we look forward to the time when we all work together again.
The warmest,
Greg Berlanti