Some Inconvenient VFX Industry Truths
For years the visual effects community has been muttering to itself that we should be unionized. The major hurdle with the unionization of visual effects artists is that we would need to gain support within the walls of the studios. Unfortunately the studios have long since written off our welfare. Instead they have agreed that it is better for them to spend the money to train foreign workers than to support American level lifestyles for digital artists. Expanding on this - corporations in general have decided that it is high time for the American middle class to compete on the global labor market with China, India, Mexico, Sri Lanka and a myriad of other countries whose workers struggle by (or not) on bare subsistence wages. Ross Perot was opposed to NAFTA saying the treaty was “the sound of American jobs being sucked away.” He looks like a prophet today.
Lee Stranahan in his blog (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lee-stranahan/open-letter-to-james-came_b_451922.html) writes an open letter to James Cameron asking him to step in and help the visual effects community recoup some economic foothold in these times. All Lee seemed to be asking for was “please sir…more gruel…” Unfortunately I don’t believe that anything that Mr. Cameron might say could reverse a trend so broadly ensconced within American business or indeed global business. It is simply good business to take vast quantities of work offshore. Beyond the financial motives is the simple fact that many of these offshore companies produce excellent work. If the American worker could put forth the defense that WETA is incompetent we may be able to strengthen our position. However WETA, The Moving Picture Company and dozens of others are terrific talents and show no signs of flagging. I see no need to hold Mr. Cameron’s feet to the fire more than any other director or producer.
This goes way beyond the world of visual effects. Any idea of sentimentality on the part of large corporations is a complete folly. Lest we continue to delude ourselves any longer - corporations are comprised of individuals that make decisions that strengthen and further solidify their positions. There is no other master other than the bottom line. The only gain or loss is measured within their own personal lives and profit columns. They use a variety of tactics – lobbies, contributions to politicians, whatever necessary, etc. I wonder how much the health insurance industry paid Joe Lieberman to numb his conscience. Joe is looking out for Joe. Joe loves Joe. Self-serving politicians, financiers and “leaders of industry” coat their actions with patriotism and wrap them in religion to give it all a better smell but fundamentally they do not see themselves as middle-class Americans but world citizens. They can afford to live anywhere they wish. Going out for dinner or buying a new home or car doesn’t impact their lifestyle one iota.
They do not believe in compassion for the workers that labor for them or the people whose money they mishandle. Instead they gut and trim whatever they can from those under their auspices and build buildings with their own names on them. They fund charities with their names in the titles. They head charities dedicated to the welfare of unknown strangers at the expense of those to whom they are the most beholding. These too have their names on them. How did Michael Milken amass the fortune that allows for him to maintain a foundation in his name in Santa Monica? He simply decimated the retirement funds of thousands of families. Now that he has served his time (22 months) he generously gives the money stolen from thousands of individuals to different individuals from a building that has his name on it. With checks that have his name on them.
I’m probably not long in the world of journalism because the only way for a journalist in this environment to have access to heads of state is to avoid any inconvenient truths. It’s best to deny all the little stories that reach my ears so I don’t piss off some major player who keeps a Blackwater-sized army of lawyers with dagger-pointed fountain pens at the ready. Brooks Brothers Bullies. Recently a well-known visual effects group cut loose of one of its internal departments. Within the terms of the separation there was an agreed upon figure that each employee was to receive based on the duration of his or her service to the company. The figure that I’ve heard repeated many times was three thousand dollars per annum of service. This would have been a substantial boost to these guys who like all of us wonder where their next job will come from. Whatever you may think very few visual effects people are set for life. When the day came to sign the final separation contracts and the checks were to be handed over the company’s lawyers showed up with checks equal to one-tenth the agreed upon figure. So for example if you were expecting thirty thousand dollars for ten years of service, instead you were handed a check for three thousand dollars. The checks were affixed to the contracts that released the corporation from further exposure. The workers were essentially told to “take it or leave it” and “sign here.” Ball-point pens were extended. Paper marked. Dreams flattened. I don’t know how far this went up the chain. Perhaps the attorneys were exhibiting incentive. Perhaps management in whose name this deed was perpetrated has no idea this injustice occurred. Someday in the not so distant future all these reliable workers will be under the ground. Their struggles and fears extinguished and forgotten, but the buildings with the names on them will remain.
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As a younger guy who is from the Advertising side of 3d work and wants to enter the world of VFX, this is terrifying me. It's almost as if many of the commentators were in my position now, with the knowledge they have - they would run screaming.
To the guy or girl above me who mentioned the show regarding the bosses working normal jobs. I doubt it would change anything. Probably for the people in close proximity, but once it is all done the higher up could go back to a life of anonymity while at the same time looking like a hero for helping one of the countless people in the same situation.
I decided to leave the life of advertising because of the simple fact that I was putting money in the pockets of people who had no idea the project even existed. While nothing positively changed for me. The disheartening part is it seems no matter where you go it's the same situation.
Maybe it's the way I was raised, but in my mind it should be about the work and the people who make it within a company. If the company does good, so should everyone in the company. I just finished reading James Cameron's Biography, end although I'm new to the world of VFX, one thing was pretty blatent - when he started out, it was literally about how innovative you were that garnered attention. Whereas now it just seems more about politics more so than work.
Looks like it's an uphill battle for me.
got tell it on the mountain,brother! i'm with you 100%. corporations are the "bad guys" in this piss poor movie we seem to be co-starring in.it is the definitive "stink" which is symptomatic of the rot of humanity's spirit. the concept of the dollar has defeated us.willing slaves for the master,corporate "people" in a game of meta-survivor,with "winning" the only important thing.just be careful,your sounding like an Old School Weatherman,and i don't know what there is to be done.i mean, nobody wants to be the 1st one to be run over by the tank,i.e. tienamen square style.the government will not change anything.they are the tools of control.just look at barack obama,i mean,the guy is endorsing nuclear powers plants for "america's energy future"!? wtf? you can't change from the inside,because the inside will change you.and plus what geo said too.keep the faith.
I want to assure you that you’re not “the enemy”. Although VFX artists are in competition worldwide we all share common artistic goals and humanity. A rabid quality enters these discussions founded in fear. I apologize for that. Conflict is more interesting than harmony to watch. Fundamentally we’re all in the same boat. It’s easy to direct this fear at corporations because corporations are in point of fact legally people. They’re people that live for a hundred years and more. There is no death for these people because when they do “move on” as flesh and blood they are quickly replaced by a fresh new set of young vital bodies. Fresh legs. We are left with our own bodies. While we gain some sort of compassion as we age corporations’ souls are replaced. Corporate souls are unknown to us. The only thing we all seem to be sure of is that they’re not all that concerned in our welfare. They seem to look up to all the great industrial bandits of the past and try to outdo them. Each generation seems more de-evolved in its motives.
The people at large are viewing a government in Washington that is more involved in petty bickering than with the welfare of the American people. I can’t recall a more obviously dysfunctional government than what we have now in place. They seem to think they’re bigger than the job that needs to be done. What is wrong with these guys?
What you’re hearing from Los Angeles is a collective gasp from folks that saw this coming and started making noises years ago. This is no surprise. It’s one of the slowest train wrecks in history. You’re hearing a raging against “the dying of the light”. I don’t think that anyone seriously thinks this trend is going to reverse. Certainly not without governmental action. The government doesn’t seem to be interested in involving itself or I am missing something?
We here in Los Angeles are either uncomfortable, in fear of being uncomfortable or oblivious. Uncertainty has entered the equation. On a metaphysical level we can convince ourselves that it will all work itself out. On a practical level who knows what the ride might be?
I'm probably the "enemy" here. I left Colorado and Chicago to live in Los Angeles because of work. I was happy to leave California for Vancouver, I prefer seasons to neverending summer. In Canada, (and, I hear, New Zealand, London, Australia, etc...) most good positions in large companies employ a good %20 to %40 American staff. In America I found virtually every shop to employ %40 to %60 foreigners. I am really not hung up on this "keep SoCal as the only place for CGI work"
however, I am very concerned with the treatment of artists everywhere. I think it is safe to say that the lowest-level artists in India are likely the lowest paid, and most likely to be fired. That lowers the bar globally.
And the jobs being offered everywhere are declining in quality.
Thanks for commenting on the blog. There MAY be an “enormous difference” between VFX work heading to WETA vs. Mumbai but not to the California VFX professional. Gone is gone. Although the workers in New Zealand, London and other VFX centers may be undergoing the same trials and tribulations as US workers do when it comes to actually attaining the work those companies have a leg up. Their businesses are often subsidized by their respective countries. Californian companies are not government subsidized. Although these monies are called “incentives” the uglier version of the word is “kickbacks”. It has been repeated to me several times by several sources that the “incentives” offered by Canada are illegal under the NAFTA agreement. This has apparently been brought up to many US officials in various letter campaigns but a blind eye has been turned. I can only present this information as “rumor” but the people that expressed this to me seemed dead sure of their facts. Hopefully they will comment here. Your last question asking “how can we stop that?” is indeed the central question. Despite all our kvetching we can’t demand this work as a “right”. The corporations are in charge of their own destinies in this regard and we’d have to be O.J. stupid to think that their positions will change without some sort of outside pressure. I doubt that the film going public will boycott a film because it is not “Made in America”. That position did not work for the automotive industry and it won’t work for the entertainment business. How do we stop this free-fall?
I think there are many solid truths in this piece, but it misses on several points.
I see an ENOURMOUS difference between jobs going to Weta versus Mumbai. New Zealand, Canada, England, Germany- these countries have similar economies and are faced with the same challenges as american VFX companies; in order to treat their employees like humans, they would have to raise their prices and lose the bids. From everything I've heard, being an artist in any of these nations is virtually identical; roughly the same pay, similar benefits, etc., in other words artists are being universally mistreated, competition has made it so.
"There is no other master other than the bottom line. The only gain or loss is measured within their own personal lives and profit columns."
so well stated- this is the big problem. The studios want to maximize their stock values, they don't care about the workers no matter where they are from. The top down seems to want to change the career of a VFX artist from what it has been to more like the manufacture of tennis shoes. That's the way to manufacture "Avatar" level immersive worlds as cheaply as possible.
regardless of where the jobs go, they will be unpleasant. You want the jobs to stay in the California? no problem, just ask Arnold to drop minimum wage to 3 dollars an hour. Keeping the jobs in California won't keep the jobs tolerable.
it will move to India and China. If an artist there only produces a fifth of the work in a given day, but is 20 times cheaper, just get more of 'em. The population of Chinese honor students is larger than the population of ALL U.S. students. Using third-world labor maximizes a companies ROI- how can we stop that?
Amen, Rick! I believe that if we drill deeper into this issue we will discover what the prophets and saints of old railed against: The sin of greed, or as we might refer to it today in America," Capitalism at it's finest". We find ourselves scolding the people who want a bigger piece of the pie, while we are asking for the same thing. Like it or not, I think that what we in the vfx community are experiencing is the rush toward globalization. We are feeling the birth pangs of John Lennon's "Imagine"...one world. The American dream and it's rewards are being diluted and reconstituted into a world economy...and it may be great for the world, but not for us (especially for the hard-working "middle class"...or not- working "middle class"). Unions may offer some balance in power, but then they demand their slice (dues) claiming that they provide you with employment security. I'm probably not long in the world of blogging, but if we do not repent of this greed and learn to share from the heart (not enforced socialism nor marxist wealthy class hating), we will continue to see the rich getting richer and the poor getting more resentful.
O.K. you can start stoning me now.
Geo
Sorry...what I meant to say is "incentives" rather than "tariffs". I don't believe tariffs are the answer at all. Incentives to do the work in California rather than another state or country.
I get a lot of emails on this subject outside of the blog. The discussion is constant. Your point is well taken. Unions in and of themselves don't seem to be the answer. Tariffs and other protective barriers for the American worker seem to be more to the point. Unionizing will not change the global climate but it may give the visual effects community a common voice thereby increasing its political influence. VFX people are all independent in their thinking but an organization would allow us focus our concerns. This focus could be brought to bear on the politicians. The unionization idea always pops up because of all the trades ours is the most unprotected and one with the lowest cost of entry. If we are to reclaim our position as valued workers within the business we need to have help making working in California in the best interest of the financial sector. When it makes complete business sense for the studios to complete their projects in California the work will follow.
The issue is NOT limited to the movie industry.
There's no way a company can compete in a global market if the unions are involved.
Because of the unions the workers get higher wages, benefits and retirement packages - solely based on seniority, not on quality of work. All of this drives the cost of doing business up.
If there were no unions in the automaker's industry then perhaps the workers would be paid a 'normal' wage and the Detroit companies could compete with Eastern manufacturers.
Unionizing the VFX industry will only drive up costs and drive more work out of North America.
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