By the late 1940s, bankers became intensely concerned with “audience decline” and a related “unexpected phenomenon, the failure of a number of films produced with bank loans to return sufficient funds sufficient to repay those debts.” The “eight studios released 388 films in 1939, but only 252 in 1946.” This fall in production inevitably stalled hiring, further undermining CSU; employment in craft unions fell from 22,100 in 1946 to 13,500 in 1949. This drop influenced the kinds of films that could be made; “for a while certain kinds of film were eschewed—such as epics requiring large crowds, massive and costly sets, and intricate costumes. Films which emphasized contemporary realism were favored, and many of them were shot on location.”23 The ubiquitous market forces proved to be a potent auteur. More than this, the fall in craft union employment made CSU even more nervous about what was taking place in the industry and helped to spawn the feeling that this radical decline in numbers had to be met with a radical response.