CAA’s Roeg Sutherland Talks Independent Film Recovery Post-WGA Strike: “We’re Going To Have To Be Very Careful” — Zurich Summit Studio

As Hollywood writers head back to work after 148 days on strike, there is hope that there will be recovery in the marketplace but it’s still a “sensitive time” for the independent film business according to CAA’s Roeg Sutherland. 

Stepping into Deadline’s Zurich Summit Studio on Saturday, the CAA Media Finance exec said the impact the dual labor strikes have had on the film and television communities was vast.

“In terms of the media finance business, a lot of it falls back on independent films, getting IAs and selling movies and for that there was a very healthy market for it,” he said. “You’ve never seen a bigger appetite from buyers and distributors to be involved with productions as early as possible so there’s a lot of opportunity there. That being said, we’d rather be in world in which there is a much healthier ecosystem, which we haven’t had for quite some time.”

He continued: “I think the hope is, coming out the writers’ strike, there’s going to be a lot of recovery and we’re going to have to be very careful about that because we have to bring back a lot of productions, we have to bring back a lot of people to work and I think we’re in a very sensitive time to do that.”

Sutherland said he felt encouraged that there is money in the market to get productions going again but in the film business, between the pandemic and the strikes, “it’s been a very fragile and difficult moment for a lot of people.” 

When questioned about the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike he said he felt optimistic that there would be a resolution soon. “I have a feeling we’re over the hill. We’re closer to the end than the beginning which feels better, but it’s not done until the papers are signed.” 

The overall health of the independent business “changes on a weekly basis,” he said, pointing to foreign sales challenges, a troubled UK distribution sector and Russia’s war in Ukraine as some of the issues that are affecting the film industry at the moment.

“You’re always figuring out solutions for every single film,” said Sutherland. “I think that the solutions you find are really on a case-by-case basis. The good thing across the board is there is more money in the marketplace than there ever has been and part of that has to do with people having success in making independent films – that’s part of it. Also, a diversification in investments is part of why we’re seeing more money in the media space.” 

Noting stock market volatility and a decline in real estate investment, Sutherland said, “There’s almost more certainty to film than a lot of other businesses.” 

Check out the video above.