Where are the people who work?

Official labor data in the national audiovisual sector

Abstract

With the aim of understanding the Brazilian audiovisual sector through its workers, this study provides an initial survey of official data made available by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MTE) on audiovisual work in the country in the base year of 2022. Combined with the data, it presents a contextualisation of productive structures based on networks and projects, which tend towards temporary contracts, constant adaptation, renewal of exchanges and the people involved, according to the specialities of the functions and jobs involved, typical factors in the creative sectors. With excerpts from the economic activities (CNAE) linked to the sector, there is a mapping of the situation of film production, distribution and exhibition, as well as broadcasters, programmers and television operators through data on companies, employed personnel, salaried employees and individual microentrepreneurs. As a result, the study confirms what recent studies and empirical knowledge point to, regarding the predominance of legal personalities, “pejotização”, in a sector that has very few jobs, the vast majority of which require workers to be self-managed and self-employed. Finally, questions arise about the possibilities of care and guarantee of rights by cultural public policies and other actors involved.