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The amount of work going on behind the scenes in Hollywood has more than doubled during the past 10 years, according to the Motion Picture Industry Health Plan, a group that handles pension and health benefits for Hollywood craft unions.

“These are all the people behind the camera from set designers down to camera operators,” said Harley Blankenship, executive administrative director of the MPIHP. “They report these numbers to us when compiling information for their health and pension plans.”

During the first six months of 1997, members of Hollywood’s craft unions reported working 35.2 million hours. That is nearly as much as the 35.4 million hours they worked in all of 1987.

What does it mean for Hollywood?

“This is good news because it means the industry is expanding, and the number of union employees are increasing to meet demand, ” he said.

At the current pace, behind-the-scenes Hollywood workers will log about 70 million hours this year a 12 percent increase over 1996, he said.

The reason for the jump in hours is an increasing demand for more movies, television shows and commercials, he said. In addition, Blankenship said the growth of new production companies and cable networks is contributing to the increase.

Most of the work is being performed by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees which accounted for 70 percent of the hours reported to the MPIHP, he said. Other Hollywood craft unions include the American Federation of Musicians, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Producers Guild of America.

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