Gendered scenes: Conceptualising the negotiation of paid work and child care among performers in film, television and theatre production

The pervasiveness of gender inequality in the media and entertainment industry has become an issue of growing public interest, debate and agitation. Whether it is the gender pay gap, the ongoing presence of the casting couch, the absence of women film directors, the experiences for women and men are strikingly different. Drawing on the findings of a case study of how performers manage care and precarious paid work in film, television and theatre production in Australia, this article provides a context in which work and care regimes can be analysed. Individualised negotiations with agents and producers are buttressed by individualised arrangements with family and extended networks to accommodate complex and changing needs. Despite high unionisation among performers, the key finding is that the overwhelming tendency was to deal with issues individually or as a couple, without reference to the union or through collective avenues.