Hollywood drone operator faces eviction amid industry slowdown

Michael Fortin, once a key player in Hollywood’s golden age of streaming, is now facing homelessness. In 2012, the actor and aerial cinematographer turned his passion for drone flying into a profitable business, capturing sweeping aerial shots for top productions on Netflix, Amazon, and Disney. But today, after being evicted from his Huntington Beach home, Fortin and his family are now being forced out of their Las Vegas apartment as well.

“We were saving for a house, we had money, we were doing everything right,” Fortin said. “Two years ago, I didn’t worry about a $200 dinner with my family. Now, I hesitate to spend $5 on a McDonald’s value meal.”

Fortin’s fortunes mirrored Hollywood’s own booming years as studios raced to catch up with streaming giants like Netflix. But everything changed in May 2023, when Hollywood’s writers went on strike, marking the first joint strike of writers and actors since the 1960s. Although the strikes ended months ago, production has yet to fully recover. Jobs have dried up, and studio layoffs, like the recent cuts at Paramount, have become common.

Fortin, who used to be on set almost daily, has barely found work. “It was a great wave, and it crashed,” he said. Before the strikes, his drone company was operating regularly, but in the year since, he’s only worked 22 days. As an actor, he’s only booked 10 days of work, often in roles as a tough guy. But even background acting, which used to fill gaps, now barely covers his gas money to travel from Las Vegas to Los Angeles.

Hollywood’s production slowdown has affected thousands. Unemployment in the industry was officially 12.5% in August, but experts say it’s likely much higher due to ineligible or exhausted benefits. US film and TV production in the second quarter of 2024 was down 40% compared to 2022, and globally, there was a 20% decline.

The once-overheated content market, fueled by streaming’s rapid rise, is struggling. Matthew Belloni, founder of Puck News, says, “The air has come out of the content bubble.” While some companies, like Netflix, have rebounded, others continue to grapple with profitability. For Fortin, Hollywood’s downturn is personal. “Hollywood gave me everything,” he said, “but it feels like the industry has turned its back on people like me.”