Schiff Ties 168,000 Film Workers to U.S. Soft Power and National Security
Updated
Updated · Jacobin magazine · Sep 11
Schiff Ties 168,000 Film Workers to U.S. Soft Power and National Security
1 articles · Updated · Jacobin magazine · Sep 11
Summary
Adam Schiff argued U.S. film and television are a national-security asset, saying American screen exports help sustain U.S. influence abroad through soft power.
That case centers on the industry's economic survival as production strains deepen, with offshoring accelerating after the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes and theaters still recovering from COVID-19.
The report says labor groups such as IATSE, which represents more than 168,000 behind-the-scenes workers, have largely framed the crisis around jobs, conditions and industry reform rather than artistic quality.
By linking Hollywood to geopolitics, Schiff's argument broadens the industry's troubles beyond business and labor, casting cinema as part of America's wider cultural reach.