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Hollywood studio to lay off dozens as filmmakers continue LA exodus
Roundabout Entertainment plans to lay off 81 employees at its Burbank post-production studio from 29 December, as new owners restructure the company. The cuts add to wider concern about shrinking employment in Hollywood, where studio mergers and cost-cutting plans are putting film and television jobs at risk.
Founded in 1992, Roundabout provides finishing services such as colour correction and subtitling, with locations in Santa Monica and Atlanta. The article also cites Disney cost-saving efforts and Paramount’s planned $6 billion in annual savings after its Warner Bros. Discovery merger; an impact report estimates 4,500 direct film and television jobs could be at risk.
In short
- Roundabout plans to cut 81 jobs from 29 December.
- New ownership is restructuring the post-production studio.
- Wider industry cuts and merger savings plans add to job fears.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The restructuring may be necessary to keep Roundabout financially viable as its new owners adapt to a changing market. Cost savings across the industry could help studios and service firms remain competitive and preserve some jobs over the longer term.
The case against
The layoffs add to mounting losses of skilled work in Los Angeles, weakening the local production network and the communities that depend on it. Industry-wide mergers and savings targets may improve companies’ finances while shifting the costs onto workers and reducing the capacity to make films and television in the region.
Explained simply
Post-production companies handle work on films and television programmes after filming, including adjusting colour and preparing subtitles. Roundabout Entertainment, founded in 1992, provides these services and has sites in California and Atlanta.
The job cuts come amid changes across the entertainment industry. Mergers and cost-saving plans at large companies such as Disney and Paramount are affecting how studios organise their businesses, while estimates suggest thousands of film and television jobs could be at risk.
The issue matters to workers and to the communities that depend on film and television production. Some filmmakers and businesses have also moved work away from Los Angeles, raising concerns about the region’s long-standing role as a centre of the industry.