What Disney Doesn't Want You to Know About Visual Effects
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- Опубліковано 7 чер 2024
- When George Lucas first created Star Wars, he used non-union workers to make the VFX-heavy film quickly. But decades later, visual effects workers are still non-union, leading to rampant abuse and turnover. That’s about to change.
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Greed is not the desire for more, it's the desire for more at the expense of others.
Interesting. The difference seems simple, yet is quite profound.
Lib take
@@onlyusernameleft2
BASED take
You know what I am so sick of hearing this called greed. This isnt a result of greed. The premise of all value (read: profit) is gain after the exploitation of the labor of others. That's right, that means the root to any profit is some sort of exploitation.
Like Ebenezer Scrooge or Mr Potter from It's a Wonderful Life.
Or Bill Gates from real time.
Disney's animation industry has the lowest pay out of all of the major studios. They get away with it because a lot of people want to work for Disney. Also, people will take you more seriously if you have Disney in your resume, even if it's a job that requires less skill.
Sooo disappointing in Disney and Company! Hearing they work people in sound effects overtime and often(!) 7 days per week is so disappointing! What gives people?!
This is so wrong and I hope most of them unionize
Now is a good time to unionize, on the tail of the other strikes. It will really make the studios desperate
the sentiment is felt across every industry where labor is the most important factor of production... An entitled corporate class of (wealthier-than-you) people feel entitled to your time, your body, ultimately your ability to produce, and if they can squeeze more out of you they will. And that's disgusting.
They just want to brag how many times they went on a vacation while the working class can barely struggle to get food and gas.
@@fabiosuccess2895 I've recently heard that's what being in the 1% is all about. Among each other, the object of life is to compete for the biggest yacht, private jet, supercar, and supermansion collection, with room for only one top (censored) to outshine them all.
We need more work co-ops. Cooperatives are run by and for members, and so they take care of their members better. Worker cooperatives also share profits so money is distributed more equally throughout society instead of having to be so heavily redistributed through government welfare and programs. Worker cooperatives don't want to sit around and wait for governments to raise the minimum wage they want to raise their own wages, and they often put a pay ratio cap in place.
This is the solution
This works when it's not a corporate conglomerate who outsources to the company most willing to abuse their workers. In this environment unions are the only way forward.
That doesn’t really work in this context. As the person above me already mentioned, studios don’t hire VFX production staff, but rather farm out this kind of work to other companies who are competing for these contracts with their reputations, pre-existing relationships, and most crucially: prices. In a field as competitive as film/TV production, there are always going to be plenty of people willing to exploit another to get ahead, and sadly American style laissez faire economics has made profitability something of a demigod while simultaneously hollowing out all legal and regulatory protections that might get in the way of that.
What the wider American population needs to realize is that cutting into the profits of, let’s say Disney, doesn’t necessarily translate into fewer Disney productions or worse quality-quite the opposite, if those profits are instead spent on nurturing a better workplace for production workers and hiring more of them. There’s nothing at all that would/should materially affect Disney’s motivation to produce more content if the shareholders are paid dividends at 6% or 7%. But in that latter case, the last percentage point inevitably came from the most indefensible, desperate, dishonest, and harmful strategies for squeezing the maximum amount of profit from the balance sheets with creative accounting, exploitative labor practices, tax dodging, and corner cutting. If we collectively decided as a society that we valued humanity, dignity, and a higher quality of life for every person in America, *more* than we did that last percent of profit, then we could enforce strong regulatory frameworks and an equitable tax code that fostered healthy growth _and_ sustainable, healthy lives for the people responsible for generating that growth.
Unions are a vital and necessary step towards clawing that 1% back from the oligarchs and bankers. They aren’t going to _give it to us_ so _it must be taken_ back from them. If we want it done peacefully and legally, that means drawing on our collective power to negotiate. It’s our most powerful resource.
I think a CO-OP model could work as the firm that provides the VFX labor. Of course, there are tons of structural forces that stand in the way of that happening.
Still Unions now, Co-op long term would be amazing.
@@silverXnoise Don't you realize they wouldn't farm it out if they were cooperative? Don't tell me it doesn't work in this context... You're literally just saying Disney is a corporation so it can't be a cooperative 🤦🏼 I was literally saying you wouldn't have the same problems if it was a cooperative. You need to stop thinking within the capitalist system and start thinking above the capitalist system.
PS cooperatives aren't anti-union, cooperatives can coexist with unions
If Disney has to plan out their shots instead of trying to fix everything in post on the cheap, maybe the stories will actually be better.
Nah, that’s why modern “comedy” is just letting the actors adlib and then cutting together footage in post to make the funniest reads rather than write it properly.
This is where The Creator is a great case study. Gareth Edwards comes from the VFX world himself and made sure to plan the whole production around its needs. Even reintroducing "picture lock" to make sure no money was wasted.
Whatever can be said about the script and storytelling (I wasn't that blown away), it did come in at a much lower cost than pretty much any other blockbuster since the birth of MCU. So even though it wasn't that much better to watch, it cost much less to make. Which should make executives take notice. They generally don't care about the quality of the story anyways.
I do not know much about how the actual working conditions were on The Creator for VFX artists. But at least there was a plan and a set list of shots to bid and work on as far as I have heard.
I surprised at the lack of American workers rights. Sick days, holidays, etc.. Just to hear what the average "cost" of giving birth is disgusting.
Elite greed is only going to get worse with the elites replacement of the human labour force.
The greedy are only that way cause humans are not capable of true compassion.
it's always refreshing to hear perspectives from outside of this country. here we are so used to it it's easy to be grateful when your employer just follows the law.
@@mr.x2567myth perpetuated by those without compassion to normalize their trash behavior detected
@@mr.x2567nope. The greedy few on top ruin it for the hardworking, kind average joe.
@@mr.x2567 open source projects, volunteers (food banks, fire fighter, after school programs, etc) would disagree. People as a whole are caring and compassionate than some individuals think they are. Hate, greed, racism, etc etc are taught things; that’s why you see kids act different than adults when it comes to interactions with others.
Another big factor is loneliness in America, the system is designed in a way to encourage loneliness. Nuclear families, the automobile, spread out housing with no third places. Vs large families who work together, walking/biking/public-transport and seeing a familiar face over and over and talking to them, and having third places to go like family owned neighborhood pubs, community gardens, etc. and not being surrounded with people who provide you with their perspective can cause one to not think about others.
Loneliness is reported at 61% in Americans. (Pre pandemic 58% and pandemic 64%, post 61%)
Those VFX artists who create such meticulous yet subdued VFX that people don't even notice deserve the billions that their CEOs steal from them!
I would love to see an episode about how big chain stores like Walmart and target keep saying they're closing stores because of an increase in theft but it's really because they can't compete with e-commerce and it's far easier to blame theft as it doesn't look like failure as much. Also how those same companies have been guilty of far worse theft than any of their customers when wage theft is brought into consideration.
A few other outlets are already reporting on how big retailers are exploiting the fear of shoplifters to cover up for some failure or another, but one would think the brick-and-mortar retail industry would've lobbied the government for regulations on online shopping just tight enough to allow them to coexist. If you need something the next day, it would cost a lot of extra for next-day air shipping than one would pay out at the brick-and-mortar store.
@@dominicfucinari1942 but wage theft is never ok. Big online retailers are among the worst offenders.
@@andrewredbeard5500except what they're using is "reported" theft. We all know that in many areas like New York and San Francisco and LA they don't even bother to report it, especially if it's small because the police don't even bother to show up in many instances.
So is it theft? Yes. Also the areas aren't "gentrified" enough to offset that theft. So many of them are building stores a few miles away where the demographics are different and crime is lower.
Most brick & mortar stores have robust online sites. Walmart is literally competing against Walmart in this.
I really love this channel. The production quality is amazing. I usually don't like music tracks over interviews, but this music does not distract from the voices. Perfectly balanced audio. Great video quality. I'm so impressed.
No days off? These people should be making 200k+ a year
Collectively we bargain, alone we BEG.
In solidarity with all Workers and Unions. ❤❤️👍👏🥳🥳🔥🔥
This. If we don't stand up together, the more we individually are gonna get screwed over by an uncaring system.
Wait a minute, so they’re paid a flat weekly rate and are worked to the bone each week they are paid? Excuse me for being naïve, but what kind of labor law allows this practice?
Every studio executive is a narcissist who feels threatened by people who have real talents.
Hopefully no trolls get mad at this comment and are like "you try running a business" or something. I've never heard that one before. 🙄
All human beings are technically narcissists
@@mr.x2567nice cop out there
Now we just need the videogame industry to do the same thing with everyone from lead designers to the last few remaining play testers. Who knows - we might get back to the days before "release now, fix maybe."
I feel you! Having worked on the fringes of Hollywood productions, I'm familiar with procedures, atmosphere, etc. I know that many, many of the production crew get short-changed as a matter of course. Standing with you!
thanks to George Lucas. Lucas famously left DGA and doesn't like unions. Disney the corporate monster hates unions.
When the wealthy become too arrogant, take their money and throw them out on the streets. Then see if they're still cocky and full of themselves.
Really, Lucas hates unions?
I watched this after seeing Once Upon A Studio so I can still be grounded to reality and not be fooled by the illusions of “Happiness” or “Wonder”. After all, those emotions are just lies companies make you feel just so they can exploit you.
I’m amazed that things like sane work hours is not regulated by law
Govern me harder daddy
I'm amazed that people who don't like their job don't go get another job
@@socrazybmxthey love the job, they don't love to be slaves.
@@Plan73 They're free to start their own company and offer a more competitive wage.
They're not forced to work that job.
@@JohnnyD1993Because it's totally feasible for every individual worker in that industry to have their own private company
Interestingly, behind every VFX horror story is an incompetent director. The mirror scene in Moon Knight, for example - the best way to shoot that (from a vfx standpoint) would be with 3 cameras and no mirror (key it out), then composite the shots to create the infinity mirror effect, or still key the mirror and make the whole set and double in cg. If the cg supervisors were included more in production and the directors knew, really, anything about the vfx pipeline, they wouldn't treat us like magicians.
I am a unemployed graphic artist. Would love to join a union.
Im sure part of it is that because they can 'dump it on the VFX' people, they don't really take care during shots to make editing less tedious like the very start example, really couldn't they just not have the camera man that close? or him wear a solid color/ green screen it out?
geez...
The fact that it took ten months to edit out the incompetency is outrageous. Even though these workers are paid (a pittance) for it, that's months out of someone's life! They're missing out on social events and taking care of their health for ... that?!
and really, movies dont need THAT much vfx, we need better stories and journeys sold with better directing. VFX is polished worked. if the main core of the movie isn't good, no amount of extra flashes will distract me.
VFX is a great addition to a great story, it wont save a poorly written modern story.
…and healthcare. Lol what’s that? Sounds fancy.
I worked in film and vfx. The amount of work you have to do to just be in a film union (like editor union) is sad. Compared to other jobs, you are in automatically the first day you work and pay your dues. When I worked as an editor and vfx artist, I couldn’t get in the union for editor (because of the amount of accomplishments you needed) and the vfx union didn’t exist at the time I was working, so I was constantly overworked, never given overtime, and so forth. It’s a sad industry and that’s why I left and now work in education. Many of my fellow teachers at the school I work at also worked in film and left because of the awful working conditions.
People always think working film is glamorous, but if they knew of the working conditions, they wouldn’t want to work in film.
It's just crazy that no fucking business apparently will treat their employees well unless it has to or they don't want them to work for competitors (tech)
We need laws precisely because of this - we can't rely on people's goodwill. Especially when 1% of the population or so is sociopathic.
Thank you for video as always. I would love if you covered the abuse in the seed industry. 99% of seed production is controlled by 3 big corporations, who farm their product in countries with poor labor laws, effectively colonizing areas like Coca Cola or Dole, and it's led to an immense loss of biodiversity in our food supply. (Both in terms of genetic diversity (most crops except some are inbred now) and food diversity (we have lost many domesticated crops))
Power to the people! These companies take their people for granted! They only care about $$ not their workers
It certainly didn't help that the VFX industry matured after Reagan.
tbh after Independence Day is when we really started heading in this direction, i think would be a more precise time of where we shifted how visual effects and film is produced.
@@ORLY911 That counts as "after Reagan". Worsening conditions while having the culture of unionization completely decimated.
@@ORLY911 Did things *naturally* get worse after Independence Day drove up the demand for special effects? Or did people like Charles and, when he was alive, David Koch send it down this path through their machinations?
Footnote: Out of some 250 movies made that year, Independence Day opened up the countdown of the Retro Top 40 Movies of '996, right at the 40th rank.
Good for you in highlighting this! I have been interested in VFX work, but decided not to pursue it because I heard stories about the terrible hours and working conditions.
YES, YES, YES! Union Membership is the only answer for a Professional Class of VFX workers who can work past 42! Once Unionized, VFX Professionals will find that they will work far less overtime [as it's too expensive for the production] but will have worker protections, healthcare and a Pension Plan! Beware, over the next few years, before there is a VFX Union, today's VFX Worker will be told that, once Unionized, all the VFX work will go overseas and other scare tactics, be strong & keep your eyes on the Prize!
This system is simply nothing more than a modern day from of slavery. Healthcare, in this day and age, is a human right. A fair work week is a human right. If you want to work more than 40 hours a week than good on you, but you should be compensated for that overtime and make it worth your while and your well being. Not exploited and forced to work your life away just to make ends meet and to make some billionaire more money that they would consider chump change. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
More unions pls.
I think the way investors work really needs to be changed, the demand for infinite growth no matter what is not sustainable and will inevitably crash the economy. I mean it basically already has, but it can crash way harder and we seem to be heading in that direction.
Although not related to Disney, go watch the Corridor Crew's observation on the vfx in The Flash- as vfx artists themselves, they explain what most likely was the cause the the weird vfxs that are seen all throughout the movie- and it's not the artists' fault. It probably scales over to Disney as well.
I have always wondered about this. Thank you.
100% Unions are needed here...
honestly unions are pretty much needed EVERYWHERE
Does this apply when working out of county? In Canada, if i work in a different province my company has to following the rules of that province not the home province.
Nice video, though I would have liked more about the current union drive, and what the response of management has been. Will they just try to move more of their VFX work offshore? Can they do that?
You know how most of these things have a point of redemption, like a time when if approvingly getting to work to make these changes will become a major factor in public perception going forward. *This* is that moment for execs over VFX.
When the people who have the list of solutions prepared, are speaking calmly (and not without levity, even if dark), are done making their case, the moment begins. It ends with the opening offer - not first 'real offer' - the opening offer. The parameters of operating in good or bad faith are declared and should be believed. Spinning "just business doing business"/expectations that initial offers are to start the conversation not be means to the end itself" is a self report -- believe when someone takes the chance to reveal themself.
These insanely talented artists absolutely deserve a union!
Unionize, it's the only hope regular people have. Look at the history of Union busting past and present. Corporations are terrified unions are going to ramp up again.
I hope more VFX companies join the union. I think the publicity of the unionization at marvel/disney will help convince more people to join
People need to worry more about retail because every1 strikes for themselves, never as one giant collective.
Teaching assistants at schools and the custodial staff.
Their lack of pay and benefits often get overlooked
So So SOOOO happy this is finally happening. The abuse has gone on too long by multi-billion dollar corporations that know exactly what they are doing to these people. Thank you for sharing.
Great Video.
Hope these workers get what they need!!!! Times are changing and we are going to see more and more workers from all different sectors unionizing. Solidarity to workers!!!
I get the sense that the woman's migraines may be caused by or aggravated by her working conditions 😢 Of course I don't know her situation, but I used to get headaches repeatedly when I was subjecting myself to something similar. I hope she's able to reduce her stress.
If the film entire industry has to unionize, thats a sign that the film industry is ran by exploiters
good shit MPU
Why would the business of creating films be any different from any other business? They mesmerise us with their celebrity movie stars, but behind the facade it's just the same ol same ol.
Ask a teacher who loves their work if they are happy unions exist, the answer is usually “”no. I can’t *insert here* because of the Teachers Union”.
I hear there been a resurgence of discussions over Medicare4All possibly being attempted again. I'd like to see all there is about that.
So you want VA quality Healthcare run by uncaring unfirable federal employees? Just ask a veteran how great the VA is, some veterans won't even bother with the VA to slow to bureaucratic to get anything done.
Plus Medicare doesn't cover full costs that doctors and hospitals incur treating people.
@@jonathanjones3126 Well, let's see... 10% of our country's population has no insurance (or underinsured). Having the federal government give everyone healthcare means no more spending our incomes on lackluster care, and with everyone on the same 'plan', we can all go to the same place to bitch about a common issue. Federal paying for the pharmacy price means it would get lowered automatically since it's public tax money. Yeah, it would be LOADS better.
@@jonathanjones3126 BTW, VA is a subsection, so probably not the actual Medicare used.
@PaulADAigle and no one but those who can pay cash prices will get anything other then generic meds and nothing new on the market. Their will be waiting lists for everything that is easily treated, no one will be corrective eye surgery but those that can pay in cash. If your burden on society you will no care
@@PaulADAigle the government would probably use the VA model for universal Healthcare. The VA model has been killing veterans to reduce its costs.
I was supposed to have credit on this slide, and of course it got cut out. Another reason we need unions. CREDIT! 3:39
👏🏼👏🏼✊
Now if we can get more sectors of the economy to unionize... Like retail workers and restraunt workers
Wow just wow 😢
Maybe if companies where treating their staff better we wouldn't have the need for unions!
dont worry, disney has vowed to stop abusing their artists, just as soon as they can replace them all with AI
Girl who stares at computer screen 12 hours a day has migrane problems..... got it.
great step forward
Stay strong and push hard. ✊
Where are they working that they're on a weekly rate with no overtime? I've been in the vfx industry in Southern California for the last 15 years and have always been paid overtime and sometimes golden time. In insurance issue is true. The amount of hours is true. But working on essentially a salaried wage I've never heard of. This has to be Canada or outside of California.
special effects people have all the power. every dam movies needs the special effects. they walk, the movies don't get made...
I mean they're arguably THE most important part of movie production? The people behind the curtain if you will..
I stand with labor
I 100% support these guys, but (off topic) I’m pretty sure the Life of Pi VFX Oscar winners weren’t just intentionally silenced… The Jaws music started playing before they even began discussing that they were going out of business and it’s just a way to warn speakers that they’ve gone over their allotted time of 45-seconds, a rule that was imposed all the way back in 2001.
I may be wrong because I’m not an Oscar’s expert, but I don’t think it was done maliciously, but something that probably happens all the time because of the time limit.
Nice
If you listen to their demands when they were striking, makes it not a secret.
I seriously hope more people Unionize and force companies to back out of the government stuff too
Wish them the best in the negotiations.
Unite for workers everywhere for a better world, no matter what era it is this will remain true.
How about ESPN, the Olympics, Special Olympics, BEST BUDDIES, and entertainment tonight news and e-news
Algorithmic punch!
What do you mean by lunch penalties?
I'm guessing if they have to work through their lunch the company will face some kind of penalty for it?
It needs to be an international union. If not, the work will simply go overseas for cheaper.
James Cameron made "Titanic" in Mexico to avoid labor regulations. Imagine the poor bastards that have to actually make his animated blue cat people movies
@emmathorne where u at
That most of the work in the industry is outsourced to Bulgaria for less than $3/hr?
Union 💪
All workers deserve a union.
Everyone should unionize. *Everyone.*
(except cops)
0:31 lol they are super ignorant if that's how they do it or they just really understand job security lol. I never understood why everyone that works at corps like Disney can't do their jobs well. It's so bad with movies and video games. But the smaller/less corporate studios never seem to have those problems.
Good luck team! Films wouldn’t be worth watching if it wasn’t for you all.
Why would you not just use another mirror too hide the camera man?
VFX Union ✊🏽
Why would you do this???? What a bummer.
I support this a million billion trillion fifillion percent
The more, the merrier.
And the oveseas vfx studios are treated even worse
That's F-d the F up.
So sad that none of you know how much fun it is to quit a shitty job and move on.
Theres a lot of bs . Honest people dont get top dollar
Boycott disney
Boycotts never work. Unionizing is the only thing that can make a difference.
Disney magic.... Dark magic maybe
This is why I’m cold and unfeeling, because it makes me smarter than everyone else
Sincere question: Why does anyone take these jobs, or (put another way) why doesn't everyone quit? Why has everyone been accepting such unbearable working conditions for so long?
Question 2: California doesn't have laws against unpaid overtime?
Please lose the music/racket. Thank you.
I already have a problem with Disney+ TV shows being short as hell. Now they will have a bad excuse to make those shows as short as TicTok videos.
What you mean by that? Is it capitalism ruining our tv shows
Ya, I'm American. Pretty much everything I do awake or asleep is at the expense of someone. Can't I enjoy just 1 fckg thing between being a willing participant of the American Empire and being exploited myself by the American Empire.
And Gen Z is mocked for being suicidal because of how much they live like this. Humans are evil
This BS is nothing about visual effects it's about employee abuse. Fork off for clickbait title. Viewers don't like being baited.