As the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes continue into Fall, the effects have spread far beyond Hollywood, according to Campus Services Coordinator Nicole Sullivan. It is a reality that Occidental — which has been a filming site for multiple movies and TV shows including “Clueless” and “The Kids Are All Right” — is not immune to.
Sullivan has been the program coordinator in Campus Services and Campus Filming Office for the past 13 years. She said she has seen a lot of on-campus filming in that time and has worked with production companies, such as those behind “Criminal Minds” and “NCIS.”
According to Sullivan, it is not just the current strike that has forced Occidental to change their on-campus filming practices. The pandemic also forced the college to reevaluate their process.
“During the pandemic everything shut down, but then filming kind of picked up a little bit. Our pricing might have been set up a little bit differently because [we] were spending a lot of money having to deal with managing COVID requirements and stuff. So we changed,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said that all the money earned from external filming goes back into the college.
“It just goes into the general fund and the college makes the determination when they do the budgeting and stuff. It funds anything from clubs to sports to electricity,” Sullivan said. “Everything we do goes to the college. I think that’s a good thing to ask because I don’t think most people probably know that.”
According to Sullivan, the process to film on campus involves many different points of communication. Sullivan said it is up to her and Director of Conference Services Jonathan Steiner to make revenue for the college and also be the mediators between the college and the company — Unreel Locations — which represents Occidental and brings production companies under the school’s radar.
“Usually what happens with the film industry is that there’s a location scout that will reach out to our people at Unreel Locations and they will say ‘I’m looking for a certain scene, a certain look,’” Sullivan said. “[Unreel Locations] will give them a list of options and then they’ll come here and scout them. Once they get here, if they’re interested, then we start that contract process.”
According to Sullivan, it is only when all the paperwork and a non-disclosure agreement are signed, that filming can proceed. But this can only happen if the production company agrees to the set fee structure already negotiated with Unreel Locations, Sullivan said.
“The basic charge starts after like five or six locations and then if they exceed that, then it costs a little bit more,” Sullivan said. “I can’t remember the price now off the top of my head. To be honest, it’s been a while since we’ve done filming.”
Sullivan and Steiner said that they handle only external filming, as a separate division manages internal filming.
“External filming includes commercials, television shows and movies, among other filmography,” Sullivan said, “Public broadcasting like news channels goes through the Office of Communications.
Filming at Occidental was not always this way in the past, Steiner said. In recent years, the process has become more strict because of the impact of production on campus, staff and students.
According to Steiner, by limiting the time companies and individuals can film on campus, the College prioritizes student experiences and also keeps their staff employed for 12 months instead of nine.
In the past, big productions like “Clueless” were filmed on campus during class sessions, but after a few years the College decided to change their filming process so that most filming takes place over the summer when there are less students and more space for production crews to utilize, Sullivan said.
“When we’re using spaces we’re also utilizing staff, we’re utilizing Campus Safety, to block off parking,” Sullivan said. “We know that Facilities are going to be busy. We try to avoid doing certain things because of that, so we take that into account as well.”
According to Sullivan, although filming on campus is a significant part of the Occidental and LA experience, the school does not rely on funds from production companies.
“Most of what we focus on [is] the summer camps, because those are usually more consistent where filming is just a little extra, like the cherry on top. So it’s not something that the college really fully depends on,” Sullivan said.
According to Steiner, there is more concern when it comes to the financial stability of individuals or companies like Unreel Locations that rely heavily on Hollywood to make money, and less so on an institution like Occidental.
Media Arts and Culture Professor Amanda Tasse said she has personally seen the impact of the strikes on individuals in the industry.
“I have many colleagues whose careers are on hold or in limbo as a result of the strikes, and I sincerely hope that a workable outcome will be reached sooner rather than later that sets positive precedents going forward for writer work conditions,” Tasse said.
From businesses like Unreel Locations to individuals, Sullivan said the strike has had widespread effects throughout the city.
“When you start to really get down to the nitty gritty of the strike, it’s not just the writers, or the actors or anybody, it’s a lot of people,” Sullivan said. “You know, it’s pretty much the city of LA that’s been impacted by filming.”
Contact Sela Dingpontsawa at dingpontsawa@oxy.edu.
