Why The VFX industry is on The Decline

The word is over 100 years old, and unionization is what made for multiple generations forget it ever existed. That word is "sweatshop."

Why is there no union for these companies !?. It's their own goddamn fault for working overtime without compensation.
Create a union and set rules for overtime and limit the amount of hours for legal overtime - problem solved.

Because VFX houses with underpaid workers that crank out mediocre work on the cheap is infinitely more competitive than high quality focused VFX houses.

The VFX industry and the game industry both have the same problem, which is unpaid labor. If you’re asked to work overtime, you should get paid for overtime. That way, whoever is bankrolling the studio gets an accurate & fair estimate of the actual work being performed as well as the cost. Then they can judge if it’s really worth the considerable price they’ll have to pay for a ton of overtime. Two other side effects come from that: (1) it feels very different doing 100 hour weeks when you’re getting paid for your 100 weeks, and (2) 100 hour weeks will become much more rare, because it’s a lot easier to demand long hours when they’re free.

There are problems with the above: mainly with how to stop someone from taking advantage of the system to work extra hours whether his employer wants him to or not. Sometimes it’s a cynical person working the system, but sometimes it’s a less-productive artist who feels he needs the extra time to do something of the same quality as a more talented peer. But I think forbidding unpaid overtime would solve most of the problems in this video and in some game-industry exposés I’ve read.

Mavies are bad in any case, so it is good if this industry collapse.

Yes, and imagine this: you've already worked 55 -60+ hours a week, and then one day, you decide to make reservations that evening to have dinner with friends. You think (finally, just maybe I'll get out on time tonight) , BUT think twice!! Because they'll come around each night, (the studio assistants) with a clipboard to ask EVERYONE whether you'll be staying overtime tonight, (70+ people) ...and what's your 'food choice' for the catered dinner? If you say, 'sorry, not tonight I've already got plans' ....well, you've automatically "soft-labeled" yourself as "unreliable" and "not a team player". Your co-workers will talk behind your back for being selfish and leaving 'on-time'.... and for leaving others with 'extra work' that night....the list goes on: duck out early and you basically, blacklist yourself.

If you want to be comfortable in this industry be born to rich parents, 😂…fact.

The spectacle of big vfx is no longer a sure fire success financially, so studios are now looking to cut costs and work on smaller budgeted films, I actually think this a great move that could help inject some originality into the industry instead of banking on remakes of films from a more golden age of cinema.

I had more fun working on smaller productions than bigger ones, and also it not just that people love it as a passion, some kids working on the show have trust funds and could literally work for free, but I’ve also seen guys with whole family’s to support living paycheque to paycheque, and some productions have been great and some have been hell, my advice, if it feels like a sinking ship, get out before the crunch

i been applying to jobs for 6 years .. had to start my own agency . hard profession x

In the 60s and 70s alot of major studios got rid of their in house departments due to economics at the time. As a result a lot of smaller independent special effects houses arose in that absence; especially after the profitable of SFX films like Star Wars were observed. Arguably it might be better if major studios bought and brought in their own VFX departments again. That way they don't have to worry about managing their own finances and studios can tell directors no on their excrement.

They are overworking employees, but they are still going out of business. This just means that there is a massive oversupply of VFX artists. There is so much competition that no one can make any money. It sounds just like the music industry. So many people people want to be musicians, that most will do it for free. This turns your industry into a hobby with a few short-lived pop-stars who can earn a decent living during a very short career.

There are many areas of the economy like this. Usually any part of the economy that draws massive numbers of dreamers: sports, music, acting, comedy and apparently VFX. So if you're interested in any of these things, you better treat it as a hobby.

Sounds like AI is gonna come in handy for the studios

Sir, as a student in class 12th with SCIENCE group (PCM) I wanna ask you that what is the future of VFX and ANIMATION in future in late 2027 or 2028 will the A.I. will automate the JOBs this Industry or Gaming Industry is good means Game design, game art, game animation, and game programming as I know that one should have Creativity and imagination.
A logical approach to problem-solving. but as the trend with A.I. will it effect VFX and ANIMATION industry. thank you for your reading I hope you reply soon.

messed up. sad reality

that's why AI is here to help I guess

NVIZ in London has closed due to writers and actors strike... This is the new world we artists are now facing...

AI is definitely speeding things up in VFX work.
Is this the final nail in the coffin of VFX as a business, a cheaper way to make films or a invitation to a healthier work/life balance?

ai felt like the answer to this... but artist hate it?

A lot of the talent ends up working on web animations, doco and general animation stuff. By doing this they can live a great life! Good pay, normal hours and short projects. I've been doing this for 20 years. I left the industry in 2003 when this sort of thing started. I've been a 3d generalist for 28 years. I still really love my job. I take on anything 3d.

people need to shut up and work hard and realize that they are working on something great! They are a part of making movies!!!!! STOP COMPLAINING!!!

I was working 16 years in animation industry. I did many big projects and I don’t want to continue anymore.
It’s just slaving industry and everything comes to stupid actors, owners, directors who doesn’t do anything, just talking!!! They don’t deserve all of that money! they just use you for their benefits.

I left the VFX industry in 2017. There is still no solution in sight. My advice to you....RUN!!!!!, get the hell out of this slaving industry. Not worth it.

If they are overworked, they just aren't good at their job.

Some plumbers charge $100 for 20 minutes work, but you aren't truly paying for their direct physical labour, you are paying for their knowledge and skill.

Another plumber might need to do research for a repair, or hasn't had the practise necessary to do a task in 20 minutes, and he spends 3 hours to fix the same problem.

It's not that the second plumber is underpaid bc he only made $34/hour vs $300/hour, it's that he isn't a good enough plumber to do the job in 20 minutes. He has to take the hit in hourly wage to produce the same work, due to his inadequacies. If it takes you longer to achieve the same end product, that's on you.

The good thing is that by putting in the overtime or gaining the extra knowledge to do a task, it eventually puts you in the category of plumber that does the job in 20 minutes. If you can do the job and make $300/hour, that's also on you because you've earned it through gained skill and experience.

The worst part of the final nail in the coffin for R&H was the Oscars. As they were standing there graciously accepting what they earned, they tried to explain what was going on in the industry. The Oscars? Well, you can hear it for yourself, they started playing the Jaws theme and shut off their mikes. Go figure. Now their viewership is in the toilet over the last several viewings from what I understand, especially after the Will Smith slap; but that's a Jada Pinkett story in and of itself just adding to the fire. Keep classy Hollywood.

Thé market is saturated, too many companies and too many workers.

The real problem is vfx industry is too big for the market. If they don’t bid low, there will be no work for them.

In the softwre world, we called this "scope creep". Everchanging requirements, but the deadline never changes. That's why when I started my consulting company, it was paid by the hour only. I never bid a job again. If the change is rerally iportant to a customer, they will pay for it. Otherwise, its usually just "some guy" with no budget authority and no clue that his "ask" is going to derail the project timeline, just spouting off.

I worked in this industry for ~15 years. Now I do freelance animation.
People working in this environment and not standing up for themselves and unionizing are idiots and deserve this.

Why does this man end every sentence so intensely? “All of the studiOOOOOS! have been under lots of strESSSSS!!! due to the demAANNDDDD!!”. Once I noticed it I couldn’t concentrate because it was so annoying.

All because of Multinational Corporate Capitalism. If government regulated this and overruled Corporation rights' to Personhood: we would not have to deal with this ticking timebomb of a VFX industry.

Like a teacher I had one time put it, he said game and VFX artists need to unionise.

Unpopular opinion: Don’t turn your passion into a career. Keep your passions as hobbies and find a career with good work/life balance.

Really sh.... industry.

R.I.P. Rhythm & Hues

some german dude told: they treat us like baggers. dont. get another job. get a life. this is nuts.

I guess the problem is more on the pipeline design for the production of the movie itself at the executive level. I guess they ran a big-budget project but do know not the slightest about the production pipeline. This in a way creates a waste of money and more importantly, precious production time for the talents as they need to redo it all over. I think if the industry wants to get better they need to start putting 3D artists at the executive levels of production so they can set the rules of engagement in the planning phase instead of breaking down things in the middle of production.

Executives should not only decide good or bad after everything is done rendered. Instead, they should dive deeper into the project's planning phase in the sense of workflow and time slot allocation. I also sense that a lot of assets need to be re-developed since they in a way spread the workloads into several studios. I think there are some assets that can be shared more efficiently if the workflow is designed thoughtfully.

Aw hell nah

Hope so AI would increase the quality of work and reduce the working hours in this industry.

Not just the 3d industry also the music production, im a music producer/engineer. I started doing 3d because I thought there was more work and opportunity but now I see this video I’m a 🤡 my whole life is a lie 😂, you can’t win anywhere I tell you. I already work 50+ on a strawberry farm in my real job I don’t think it be that bad sitting at a desk can it? Then again I’m Mexican I’ve been working long hours all my life it’s in our culture I’m real Mexican not that “Chicano”bs were thought too grind till death kinda like the Japanese.

Studios need to unionize and create bylaws. If they all play by the same rules, no way do they get low balled.

This is common across all creative industries that have a desirable job positions. Th combination of people’s passion for a job, greed, bad faith negotiations and incompetent project management is the cause of this. Because everyone underbids for a project hoping that will get paid more once the client is used to it, proved that the lower cost became the norm, and now what clients willing to pay doesn’t match the actual cost, and while there are people willing to take on projects for a loss or a low profit this won’t get fixed.

Also studios rarely share in the profit with the actual studios doing the work, they get paid no matter how well or poorly a movie does. The reward comes to being able to charge more if your reputation is good, but a lot of companies just want to pay bottom dollar. And the need for cash flow usually brings your price down.

What is a realistic income for a VFX Artist living in LA for instance?

I suspect biggest problem is the dominance of Disney, who bought Marvel, Pixar, etc. Disney has got a lot of executives who apparently know and care little about the production process. Enter the MBA culture of squeeze every dollar out of production since producers have no where else to go. First get a monopoly or near monopoly, then squeeze.

A friend worked in the VFX industry until he had a nervous breakdown. Now he works in a different industry.

I definitely have no regrets staying away from that industry's offers. A lot of artists don't know that there are many industries to use their skills that give a much better work life balance. I definitely cherish my family time and personal project time OVER the crunch. That's not to say I have no crunch time at all....but it's not part of the culture.

That is why we should all appreciate indie/small studios more because they value making an simple entertaining films more than making... well, endgame. Meaning that no one is as overworked or pressured.

Unionization is long overdue for the VFX guys.
Luckily the IATSE has finally noticed this and is trying to do something about it.

Do you think AI will make things better for VFX artists?