As film and television production remains uneven, many skilled crew members are being forced to look beyond studio lots for their next paycheck. That reality is driving interest in Between Gigs, a new platform launched by producer Peter Lenkov to help out-of-work Hollywood professionals connect with people and businesses that can use their highly practical talents.
The new site is aimed at below-the-line workers including set carpenters, makeup artists, hairstylists, costumers and other experienced crew. Rather than focusing only on traditional entertainment jobs, Between Gigs is designed to match those professionals with a broader client base seeking project-based help, specialized services and short-term skilled work.
What Is Between Gigs?
Between Gigs is being positioned as a marketplace for entertainment workers whose expertise can be applied well beyond film and TV sets. Its pitch is simple: Hollywood craftspeople bring elite, deadline-driven skills, and many clients outside the industry can benefit from that experience.
According to Lenkov, the platform is still in its early phase, but the initial response suggests there is real demand. After quietly sharing the site on social media, he said sign-ups came in quickly, reinforcing the idea that a service like Between Gigs may fill a growing gap for freelancers and crew facing long stretches without production work.
Who the platform is for
- Set carpenters and builders
- Makeup artists and hairstylists
- Costumers and wardrobe specialists
- Other below-the-line film and TV workers
- Clients seeking project-based creative or technical help
The core idea is that these workers are not just entertainment hires. They are seasoned professionals with real-world problem-solving skills, craftsmanship and adaptability.
Why Between Gigs Matters in Today’s Hollywood Economy
The timing of Between Gigs is significant. Hollywood’s ongoing contraction has left many talented professionals navigating delayed productions, shrinking slates, relocations and fewer stable opportunities. For workers who once moved from one set to the next, a gap of several months can become financially disruptive very quickly.
Lenkov said the idea took shape after hearing from an editor whose show was leaving the state, a reminder of how fragile production employment can be. That conversation highlighted a larger issue across the entertainment workforce: world-class talent often sits idle not because it lacks value, but because the pipeline has slowed.
In that context, Between Gigs reflects a broader shift in the creator economy and freelance labor market. Film crew members increasingly need flexible income streams, and many clients outside Hollywood need exactly the type of hands-on expertise these workers already possess.
Why Hollywood crew skills translate so well
Entertainment professionals are trained to deliver under pressure, often with limited time and changing demands. That makes them uniquely versatile in other settings. Their skills can translate into:
- Home and office improvement projects
- Event styling and wardrobe support
- Beauty services for shoots, weddings or brand campaigns
- Custom builds, fabrication and design work
- Short-term consulting for creative productions
While side jobs and weekend work are nothing new for crew members, Between Gigs attempts to formalize what has long existed informally across the business.
Peter Lenkov’s Role and the Platform’s Mission
Lenkov, known for reboot-era procedural hits including Hawaii Five-0, MacGyver and Magnum P.I., says the site is not being built as a profit-first venture. Instead, he describes it as a mission-driven effort intended to create value for workers struggling through unpredictable employment cycles.
That framing is notable given Lenkov’s own complicated public history in television. He exited CBS TV Studios in 2020 following an investigation into workplace culture on MacGyver. Since then, he has said he has focused on independent films, advisory work and nonprofit board service. The launch of Between Gigs appears to be part of that next chapter, one centered on service, reinvention and practical support.
Whether audiences embrace Lenkov’s involvement or view the project more cautiously, the underlying need the site addresses is hard to ignore. The entertainment labor force has been under pressure for years, and many crew workers are looking for reliable ways to monetize their expertise between productions.
What Between Gigs Could Mean for TV and Video Workers
For readers in the Tv & Video space, Between Gigs is more than a launch announcement. It is a sign of where the industry may be headed. Traditional entertainment career paths are becoming less linear, and support systems for freelance workers may increasingly come from startup-style platforms rather than studios or networks.
If the site gains traction, it could offer several benefits:
- Faster access to short-term paid work
- Greater visibility for below-the-line professionals
- Diversified income beyond production calendars
- A wider appreciation for the transferable value of entertainment labor
There are still open questions, of course. The long-term success of Between Gigs will likely depend on client quality, fair rates, worker protections and whether enough non-industry demand can be sustained. But as an idea, it taps directly into a real pain point in Hollywood today.
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The Bottom Line on Between Gigs
Between Gigs arrives at a moment when Hollywood workers need flexibility, visibility and new ways to stay financially afloat. By trying to connect elite film and television crew members with everyday clients, the platform turns a harsh industry reality into a potentially useful opportunity.
Its future will depend on execution, trust and sustained demand, but the concept behind Between Gigs is compelling: highly trained entertainment professionals should not have to wait for the next greenlight to put their skills to work. In a changing media economy, that may be one of the most practical ideas to emerge from the TV business this year.
