Netflix boosts relief to $150m

Netflix has extended financial relief to productions impacted by the COVID-19 shutdown.

The streamer initially pledged US$100m to the global production community but has increased it to US$150 million.

Most of the fund will go towards support for the hardest-hit workers on Netflix productions around the world, in addition to the two weeks of pay for suspended cast and crew.

Netflix drama Clickbait suspended production in Melbourne last month.

Separately, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and his wife Patty Quillin donated US$30 million to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a nonprofit organisation started by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The company has already given US$1 million each to SAG-AFTRA, the Actors Fund and the Television Fund in the U.S. Netflix has also given to AFC and Fondation des Artistes in Canada; the British Film Institute in England; the Italian Film Commission in Italy; the Brazilian Institute of Audiovisual Contents in Brazil; Audiens in France; the Producers Guild of India; the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas in Mexico; and The Spanish Film Academy, Acción Cultural Española and ICAA in Spain.

Source: Hollywood Reporter