The Art Directors Guild (ADG) has made the difficult decision to suspend its Production Design Initiative (PDI) program, a training and job placement initiative aimed at aspiring professionals in the field. The decision was communicated to prospective applicants via email and has raised concerns about the future pipeline of talent in the industry.
Citing a staggering 75 percent unemployment rate among its members, the guild expressed reluctance to encourage individuals to pursue a career in production design while so many members remain without work. “Given this situation, we cannot in good conscience encourage you to pursue our profession while so many of our members remain unemployed,” the guild said in a message to its members.
This move underscores the challenges facing the industry, including the impact of the pandemic, labor strikes, and the ongoing shift of production overseas. Indiewire, who first reported the news, received an official statement:
Dear PDI Applicants,
Due to historic and unprecedented circumstances within the entertainment industry we must suspend the review of all PDI applications for the 2024 calendar year. We realize this decision will come as a surprise and disappointment to many.
Since Covid our industry has been in a state of historic change and evolution. The reason for our decision to suspend the 2024 PD Initiative is due to the serious downturn in current employment opportunities for our membership, both in North America and globally. Currently more than 75% of our members are unemployed and many have not been working for 18 months or more.
Because of these circumstances there is even less of an opportunity for employment within the entertainment industry at this time.
Given this situation we cannot in good conscience encourage you to pursue our profession while so many of our members remain unemployed. This is due to multiple reasons, the 2023 strikes, the on-going 2024 labor negotiations, and a once in a generation change within the entertainment
industry as it searches for new business models to govern its content creation and distribution. We hope that this is a temporary condition, and we intend to resume the PD Initiative in 2025. At that time, you may reapply should you still be interested.
In the meantime, we encourage you to work on your portfolios and work-skills training. Also, this decision does not preclude you from making a direct outreach to current and future productions and their designers should you see an opportunity for employment as a Production Assistant within their art departments.
Most importantly, stay informed and continue to build your personal networks. We are discussing the hosting of a webinar for our PDI community and for you as well to review our current situation and its future trends. We will update you once we have a confirmed plan, date, and designer panelists.
Sincerely yours,
The ADG PDI Leadership Team
REELated:
The ADG, one of the largest locals within the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), represents a diverse range of art department professions. The suspension of the PDI program is seen as a significant setback for aspiring professionals hoping to gain hands-on experience and job opportunities in the field.
The decision comes amidst ongoing negotiations between IATSE and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to avoid a potential strike. One of the key issues in these negotiations is the funding of health and pension benefits, with concerns raised about a projected shortfall over the next three years.
The suspension of the PDI program is a blow to efforts to cultivate future talent within the industry. The program, which had seen participation from dozens of individuals in previous years, offered valuable training and exposure to various art department roles, including production designers, art directors, set designers, and more.
As the industry grapples with ongoing challenges and uncertainties, the decision to suspend the PDI program reflects the broader struggles facing professionals in the field. It remains to be seen how the industry will address these issues and support the next generation of talent in production design and related fields.
For Reel 360 News’ full negotiating coverage, click here.
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