VFX Artists On Working Conditions in the Film Industry

VFX artists have been one of the most demanded jobs in the film industry, especially when it comes to big-budget movies. However, it's no longer a secret that the working conditions for many VFX specialists are often far from ideal.

At the end of January, GQ released a report proving some insights into the work of VFX artists in the film industry. The outlet conducted interviews with various specialists who worked on Cats, Suicide Squad, Godzilla, Life of Pi, and more to discuss their experiences and problems faced by VFX artists, including underbidding, inadequate staffing, and poor understanding of the VFX process from film studios.

GQ recalled that work on Cats, for example, which was criticized for its visual effects, was reported to be "almost slavery" with sources alleging that the VFX workload on the film was excessive and that the director, Tom Hooper, was criticized for not understanding the VFX process which made working conditions nearly unbearable.

"Cats was one of [Mill Film's] first jobs," said VFX artist Yves McCrae. "They underbid and crewed up a junior-heavy studio to do thousands of shots that would be incredibly hard even for an established studio with a proven pipeline. That apparent hubris was ultimately paid for by the artists."

Another artist who preferred to stay anonymous additionally told GQ about other instances of demanding and often stressful conditions that VFX artists face. They spoke about situations where studio executives made last-minute changes to films such as Suicide Squad and an unnamed Marvel movie that required extensive and time-consuming VFX work highlighting the long hours that VFX artists must work to meet these demands.

The outlet also recalled other challenging conditions that VFX artists face which led to burnout, mental health problems, and even suicide. It also drew attention to the fact that VFX artists are often underappreciated and blamed for poor-quality work when the real cause is a lack of time and resources.

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