The Government Shutdown Impacts Hollywood, Too

I don’t know what it’s like in your town right now, but here in Washington, D.C., all anyone is talking about is the government shutdown. Local news outlets have moved past the political stories; these days, I’m reading about bars that are offering “shutdown specials” and furloughed employees who are having a beard-growing contest. These attempts at levity may be well-intentioned, but they can’t obscure the real depression that’s setting in over a government that has completely lost its ability to function.

The movies are supposed to take us away from all of this, but did you know that the shutdown is also impacting Hollywood? Productions are having a lot of trouble filming in D.C. since the national monuments, White House, U.S. Capitol Building, and many other memorable locations are part of the U.S. National Park System, which is closed due to the shutdown. There are only a few Hollywood movies that shoot in D.C. every year (Captain America: Winter Soldier, for example), but there are many television shows set here, including Veep, Scandal, House of Cards, and Homeland. The shutdown could put a serious delay in their shooting schedules, or at least create a major headache for their location managers.

But even beyond the closing of a few key shooting locations, the federal government has always had a unique ability to impact Hollywood. There’s a reason that the past three chairmen of the Motion Picture Association of America (Jack Valenti, Dan Glickman, and Chris Dodd) are either former administration officials or members of Congress; unlike most industries, Hollywood has largely avoided regulation from the federal government, and they aim to keep it that way. Still, the Obama administration is considering a new policy that could drastically impact our moviegoing experience, and Congress – even amidst the shutdown – may try to stop it.

The Department of Justice will soon be issuing a proposal to require most movie theaters to offer technology for the blind and deaf in all their theaters. This technology already exists, and most multiplexes offer it in at least one theater, but it’s not offered where. More from The Hill:

The draft rule, which is part of a decades-long effort by advocates for people with disabilities, would likely require thousands of movie theaters across the country to offer devices that display closed captioning and provide audio narration of what’s happening onscreen.

Disability associations say that the new regulation will make sure that blind and deaf people can appreciate the latest blockbuster just like everyone else. But theater owners worry that a federal mandate will force small, rural and struggling theaters to close given the costs associated with the rule.

There are real arguments to be made on both sides of this issue, and I honestly find myself a little torn. As a supporter of equal rights, I would feel awful opposing this rule. The blind and deaf are already discriminated against in several other ways, and every step towards rectifying that is worth taking.

However, some cinephiles will find the regulation a bitter pill to swallow if it does indeed create an undue burden on independent, locally-owned theaters and force them to close down. For years, we have loathed the rise of the multiplex and cherished the theaters that managed to stay afloat. I don’t know if it’s true that these small, quirky theaters would really have to close their doors rather than pay for the installation of this new technology – it sounds suspiciously like the same stubborn logic conservatives use every single time someone proposes any new regulation or tax – but if it is true, it will lead to the further homogenization of movie theaters, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a movie buff anywhere who wants that.

So the National Association of Theater Owners are pushing back against the proposed regulation. They had planned a lobbying day for October 1, in which more than 30 theater owners would storm Capitol Hill and talk to their members of Congress about this and other concerns (they also hate Obamacare). Of course, October 1 was the first day of the shutdown, and while there was some concern that the meetings could be canceled, they went forward as planned. Members of Congress and staffers deemed “essential” by their bosses are still in the office, and meetings that are considered “high-priority” don’t get canceled. Given the impact of the movie business on local economies, it is understandable that Congress would make every effort to hear their concerns.

This story is far from over. When the government shutdown ends, Congress may try to pass legislation that would amend the proposed regulation. They may simply send a strongly-worded letter to Obama, but given the animus between Congress and the White House these days, I would not expect such a letter to have much of an impact. Either way, I suppose it’s nice to see the government doing something.