Sony Pictures financial troubles have been widely public this year: after summer box-office failures After Earth and White House Down, Sony investor Daniel Loeb publicly slammed the company's overspending on weak projects. Just last week, the company hired Bain & Company to help cut over $100 million in costs. One of the first to go? Co-chairman Amy Pascal's assistant, who earns over a quarter of a million per year.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, the assistant Pascal let go is "one of her assistants"—likely, not even her first assistant. Sources tell THR that said assistant, who was let go over the summer, was making "well over $250,000 a year." Given that most assistant salaries in this industry fluctuate between $25,000 - $35,000 a year, Pascal's assistant's hand at finding a new job that meets her salary requirements may be more than a little difficult.

Aside from axing grossly overpaid assistants (and don't get me wrong, $35,000 is an absolutely depressing salary, but $250,000 is ridiculous for the job at hand), Sony will be cutting down the number of pictures they produce, reining in film budgets, and focusing far more on television.