To organize and to provide for VFX artists world wide.
March 14, 2013 3 Comments
Dear Readers and Friends,
As a friendly reminder, today is March 14th, or Pi Day. For the visual effects community, this is also the day to sign a rep card, to show solidarity and support for our community!
Dave Rand’s http://vfxunion.info page is the best place to start.
March 8, 2013 449 Comments
Just received this from one of our readers via e-mail last night. We wish that we could take credit for it as it is artfully written, poignant, and well-voiced.
Fellow VFX professionals, an amazing thing has happened recently. A tipping point has been reached and it would seem that our green spring is upon us. We suddenly find ourselves asking each other what our next step ought to be.
Everyone in this industry can agree that the current business model is not sustainable. VFX facilities all over the world are being squeezed by their clients to accept razor-thin margins as the best case scenario, and they are passing their hardship on to the artists, engineers, and support staff that work for them because they simply have no other choice.
We VFX professionals love our jobs and we love this business, for all its flaws. We often consider our employers to be partners and even friends. We want desperately to see the facilities form a trade group to protect their interests. But they have thus far been unable or unwilling to do so.
A small contingent of us have been wracking our brains trying to figure out a way to force this issue. Many of us want to go union as an industry, but we would like to see our employers take this step with us and form a trade group. However, we have finally come to the hard realization that we cannot force this move upon them. We cannot coerce our employers in to taking this leap, no matter how badly we would like to. We can only be responsible for ourselves and our own actions.
Fellow VFX professionals around the world, it is time for us to take the lead. We will never be as powerful again as we are at this moment. It should be clear by now that no one, not the facilities and certainly not the studios, will take our cause up as long as it affects their bottom line. No one will wave a wand and speak the magic words “you are respected!” If you are looking for someone to blame for your current situation, look in the mirror. And then resolve to take control of your own destiny and join a damn union already.
It will not be easy. No one will hand this to you. It will take leaders who will do headcounts, hold meetings, and generally risk their necks for something greater than themselves. But look at it this way… one hundred years ago people were getting shot and beaten for organizing. To our colleagues in the western world, what is the worst thing that could happen, you’ll be laid off? In this industry, that’s just another thanks for a job well done anyway. It won’t be easy, but it won’t be that hard.
As for the facilities, we have to have faith that once they see where we are headed they will come along with us. They will have to, or they risk being squeezed from both sides.
However, there are gestures that we could make as a community that would guide them toward the right choice and help them make this transition as smoothly as possible. Our contracts can be negotiated so that some of the additional costs to the employer ramp up over time, so the facilities have an opportunity to reassess the situation and form a trade group. Once trade group talks have begun, we could stage walk outs or protests at facilities that are not participating. We can create a partnership with the trade group and together we could revolutionize an entire global industry.
But first we have to form a single voice among ourselves. And like it or not, that means organizing.
Many of you who read this document will approach it with an anti-union bias. Perhaps due to your political views the term holds negative connotations that you can’t explain. Some of you may believe that unions can only lead to laziness, or a rigid seniority system where undeserving veterans stifle the advancement of younger, hungrier individuals. To you we say this: our union is what we decide it is. No more, no less.
To that end, as VFX professionals the writers of this document would want to see the following in any guild or union that we would join:
The general consensus that we have been seeing online and in the workplace is that this is not necessarily about earning more pay. It is about pushing the industry to adopt standards that will lead to healthier lifestyle for everyone in the field of VFX.
It is also worth noting, for those who are unfamiliar with the process, that no union or guild contract can be ratified without a majority vote by the employees under said contract. We sit at the bargaining table, we approve the conditions of our agreement, we enforce them. No one wins if the employer folds. Not the guild, not the workers, certainly not the facility.
Note that a global union and trade group movement does not directly address the contentious issue of government subsidies. The authors of this document believe that this is a discussion for another day. The courts of treaty law and public opinion will ultimately decide upon their continued use. This is a global industry and it will continue to be so. The subsidies themselves are the symptom of a greater problem: the VFX community has little to no perceived leverage vs. their clients. It is our belief that the formation of these entities will correct that imbalance.
Regarding Pi Day (March 14th 2013), we should turn it in to a day of solidarity among VFX artists. Wear green and take time to talk to your coworkers about what we can do to make life better for all of us.
However, we cannot settle for a mere symbolic gesture. This process must begin immediately to capitalize on the visibility and energy we have harnessed in our community. And it begins with us workers.
To the reader of this document: Set up meetings with a union rep. Educate yourself about what it would mean to be in a guild or union. Sign a card, and then encourage your coworkers to sign cards. As Dave Rand suggested in his YouTube video, let’s see how many union cards we can sign before Pi Day. Let that day also serve as your deadline. Get head counts in your facility so you know when you have majority support. Take responsibility for your situation and make something happen.
If the VFX business is to change, it requires bold action and collaboration between industry professionals at all levels. Competition will continue to be fierce, as it should be, but if we succeed we will be competing in a market of efficiency, ideas, and innovation, instead of one comprised of fear and exploitation.
We VFX professionals have just begun to awaken. The power we hold over this industry is incredible and should not be underestimated. Anyone who doubts this should note the deafening silence from the studios, the academy, the MPAA, and most every facility in the business. They are afraid. They are hoping we will go away and forget the insults and mistreatment. But everyday they open Facebook and Twitter and see an army of digital green.
Show them that we are just getting started. Look inward for your strength. Band together around the world and #HoldTheLine against unsustainable business practices and unsustainable lifestyles.
March 6, 2013 9 Comments
A shrinking industry allows employers to screw employees by death to a thousand cuts. First you don’t get the rate you ask for, then you don’t get overtime, then your benefits get cut, then your health care coverage gets cut, then you’re asked to not come in for a few days, then there are no dinners provided when you work late, then your parking space gets taken away, then your garbage can stops being emptied, then theres no paper towels in the bathroom anymore, etc…
Over 10 years ago we were hearing and seeing the classic regressive argument by those a-washed in fear which is always “unionizing will send the jobs away.” That same argument can still be heard today at the water cooler or in a forum online and look where all the jobs have gone with us NOT being unionized. Away to countries that have borderline slave labor.
There is absolutely no excuse anymore for every artist in the industry in the US, Canada, UK, NZ, etc to not sign a rep card so we are a globally unionized industry.
Additional information can be found here, for US-based artists – http://vfxunion.info/
For those of you based in Vancouver, check out IATSE local 891 – http://iatse.com/
For London-based VFX professionals, please do some research on BECTU – http://www.bectu.org.uk/home
For US-based artists, there is an online rep card available here – http://animationguild.org/online-repcard/
Dave Rand couldn’t have said it better in his YouTube video, posted here this morning. We at OccupyVFX feel that Dave Rand has been an invaluable member and organizer of the VFX Protest, and we would like to thank him profusely for his efforts.
February 25, 2013 46 Comments
Thanks to all who attended the VFX protest yesterday afternoon.
A gentleman on Facebook quipped that we should make sure to unify our message before this turns into another Occupy Wall Street. Despite the name of this blog, we would tend to agree. When the WGA went on strike several years ago, they had a very clear list of demands, and they knew who they were delivering this list to.
Let’s do the same for us.
VFXSoldier has done quite a bit to lobby the WTO, and we fully support his efforts. Along these lines, we demand an end to illegal trade subsidies. Visual Effects work should be awarded based on merit and talent, not based on corporate welfare for the movie studios.
We want a union and a collective bargaining agreement in place. We want pension, health, and welfare coverage for all. We want guaranteed pay, and payment for all hours worked, including overtime. This should be an international union, as artists who work in the UK and Canada should be entitled to the same overtime pay as those in the United States.
For the facilities that employ us, we want several things as well. We want a trade organization, so that these companies can protect their interests. This trade organization should accomplish two main goals. First, movie studios, or any client, will pay for overages when additional work is asked for. Nobody, or no company, will work for free. Second, when a facility creates a star character in a film, such as R+H did with Richard Parker in Life of Pi, the company should be entitled to residual income, as if that character were a SAG actor.
Finally, and possibly the most important demand of all:
We want to be recognized by the entertainment industry and the general public as artists, not technicians. We are not assembly line workers creating a commodity product. We are gifted and talented artisans who create a unique work of art for every shot in every film that we touch.
We should send this list to the six major movie studios, and other independent film makers who wish to use visual effects in their films.
May 9, 2012 3 Comments
Ladies and gentlemen, may I have a drumroll, please.
IATSE International has formally launched a website for the Visual Effects community!
Please take a moment to visit, and forward to everyone who has questions about organizing.
This is great news. One of the major issues that VFX artists have taken with the union is the lack of a web presence. As a community, we really need an online reference that we can consult from time to time when questions need to be answered. In addition, the online presence gives artists the security and anonymity inherent with anything online.
April 26, 2012 4 Comments
Imageworks employees are treated to a gathering on a semi-monthly basis, appropriately named monthlies. For those of you who haven’t spent any time there, the format is pretty simple. A handful of executives will get up in front of the theater and speak briefly about their respective departments, and they will talk about corporate direction, future bids, etc. Next, a Visual Effects supervisor or two will address the crowd and do a brief presentation on the shows that they are leading. Finally, sizzle reels for the shows in production are displayed for folks to see what other teams are working on.
It’s a nice way to take a break from work, see other folks face to face, appreciate their work, and have a few beers afterward.
This monthlies, however, had an interesting twist. Imageworks executive Randy Lake addressed the crowd and made everyone aware that management knows about the organization attempt. He said that while he respects the rights of employees to organize, he would encourage those employees to check out some of the benefits that Imageworks already offers employees. He then proceeded to encourage folks to get in contact with P&O (Sony speak for HR) to see what sort of benefits they have available to them.
While we don’t discount the fact that Imageworks offers benefits to freelancers and better benefits to staff members, we should point out the biggest issue with Mr. Lake’s points: most of the employees in that room are going to leave Imageworks at some point in the future, voluntarily or otherwise.
Even if Sony offered its freelancers the best benefits in the world, it wouldn’t change the fact that as soon as they leave, they would no longer be eligible for any of these. That’s where the Union comes in. Health care, pension, and 401(k) are portable with the Union, so not only do you get great benefits, you get to keep them no matter where you work, providing you work a certain number of hours at a union shop per year.
April 20, 2012 2 Comments
Apologies for being silent as of late. Occasionally, we need to spend time with our families for a little R&R after shows deliver.
What an amazing last couple of weeks! VFXSoldier was able to successfully call Digital Domain Media Group CEO John Textor to task, and he has given a one-on-one interview with FXGuide, explaining his position.
SpiUnion has really kicked it into high gear, with the help of The Animation Guild. Today marked the first meeting about organizing a visual effects facility that has occurred since 2003, when the original attempt to organize SPI was made.
Back in 2003, the climate at Imageworks was very different. Many employees had been given staff positions. The company offered profit sharing, and a handsome 401(k) match for staff employees. Staff employees were given paid sick leave and vacation, and even freelancers were given the option to have PPO health insurance. Most importantly, in 2003, Imageworks did not have facilities in Vancouver, Albuquerque, and Mumbai.
Things have changed over time for the worse. The outsourcing threat now looms large before us as artists. For example, Imageworks is attempting to recruit just over 100 people to work on Smurfs 2, and all of these positions are to be filled in Vancouver. While there are some exceptions, gone are the staff positions, and gone are profit sharing and generous 401(k) matching. Imageworks does offer health benefits to freelancers, but currently they are HMO only.
Artists in Culver City (and hopefully in Vancouver, too) are uncertain about their future, and now the option of standing together in the face of adversity looks even more appealing. Judging from the turnout at today’s organizational meeting, and the informed, articulate questions that artists were asking Mr. Kaplan, we have high hopes for a successful organizing drive.
Thanks go to Mr. Kaplan, SpiUnion and VFXSoldier for setting everything up and for getting the word out.
March 29, 2012 4 Comments
Many of you have read VFXSoldier’s excellent post on some of the more questionable labor practices of Digital Domain Media Group.
We at OccupyVFX are under the impression that it is high time to mount an organizing effort for Digital Domain employees in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Since Florida is a right-to-work state it may prove more difficult to include them at first. Our goal is to follow the lead of new blogger SpiUnion and bring Digital Domain into the organizing drive.
Is the climate right for this? Artists and production management personnel must be sufficiently concerned about their current employer to want to make a change for the better. So I put it to you: is DD ready to be organized?
We would love to hear your comments on the issue. All comments posted to this page are visible to the public, so if you wish to communicate with us privately, please feel free to email us. You will find contact information on the About page of this site.
March 29, 2012 3 Comments
As discussed in the first introductory post and several tweets, this blog was established for the betterment of visual effects artists world-wide. We aim to do this through education and organization, where appropriate.
We feel that organizing with a union is key to success. Together we stand in solidarity with one another.
First, we should state that we are in no way affiliated with either IATSE, IBEW, or any other organized labor group. With that said, this post will be the first in a series of pieces on the benefits of organizing, along with debunking some of the more common misconceptions about membership in a union.
The first issue that we are going to discuss is Health Care. We are aware that those of you at work in the UK and Canada have government systems to rely on, so this is primarily a concern for those working in the United States.
Freelance artists that work in the United States have three options for paying for their healthcare. The first is to pay cash in the event of a medical emergency. The second is to buy private insurance, and the third is to be provided coverage through your employer. If you are 22 years old, you can take a calculated risk. The assumption is that it is unlikely that you will get sick or become injured, so you can probably get away with not having insurance. If you are older, and if you have a family, that option becomes less and less appealing. The costs of medical care in the United States can be staggering. To deliver a child by C-section can cost upwards of US $70,000.00. A stay overnight in the emergency room typically costs $10,000 per day, and the most common cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S. is unpaid medical bills.
Purchasing health insurance as individuals can be difficult at best. If you are older or have a pre-existing condition (pregnant woman are counted among those), coverage will cost ridiculous amounts of money, in some cases more than US $1,000 per month. Even if you are young, healthy, and without cares in the world, the coverage that you get is going to be minimal and it will be expensive.
If you have secured a staff position or you are fortunate enough to work for one of the studios that actually provides health care benefits to their employees, then you know that you are sitting pretty. Employers are required to provide coverage to you regardless of a pre-existing condition. Employers often subsidize the cost of the health plan, and the benefits often cover quite a bit. The only problem? If you lose your job, you have two options. You can either a) continue to pay the cost of your health plan without employer subsidies, or b) you can buy coverage as an individual. Continuing on your employer’s coverage without their contributions is called paying for COBRA. While cheaper than purchasing insurance on your own, COBRA can be extremely expensive. For further information, here is a link to an article that was written in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the high costs of COBRA.
This is where a labor union comes in. I’m going to focus on benefits provided by The Animation Guild, or IATSE local 839. When you become a new member, participation in the Health Plan typically starts after six months of employment. This gets you health coverage for the next six months. However, health care isn’t guaranteed for life once you become eligible. For every qualifying period of six months, you must work at least 400 hours (10 weeks or 2.5 months) at a union signatory facility. The health care they provide is through the Motion Picture Industry Health Plan. More information on the benefits they provide is available here.
The best part of these benefits? Provided you work the minimum number of hours at union signatory facilities, they are portable, even if you end up working for a non-union shop on occasion. This gives United States artists the security of health care coverage for themselves and their families.
TAG has a very informative page on qualifying for health plans, the Bank of Hours, and more for those who wish to continue reading.
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