Working on demand

The (de)regulation of the audiovisual labour in Brazil and the challenges of cultural policies

Abstract

This article examines labour relations in Brazil’s audiovisual sector within a context shaped by cultural policies and the rise of streaming platforms. It focuses on employment conditions of those working “behind the camera”, especially “below-the-line” workers in subordinate production and post-production roles. The analysis argues that workforce structuring is simultaneously driven by public investment and market dynamics, particularly the logic of intermittent production. Methodologically, the study adopts a mixed approach, combining quantitative and statistical data with qualitative insights drawn from semi-structured interviews. Three main dimensions are investigated: (i) the role of cultural policies in shaping the audiovisual labour market in Brazil over the past two decades; (ii) the legal and institutional dilemmas raised by informal and precarious forms of hiring; and (iii) the social consequences produced by the absence of robust regulation and labour protections. Findings indicate that cultural policies have expanded employment opportunities within the national audiovisual industry. However, they have also coexisted with persistent contractual flexibilisation and diffuse employment boundaries. At the same time, critical perceptions and emerging practices of resistance reveal that labour regulation remains a central issue in the contemporary Brazilian audiovisual market.