Category: ves

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/netflix-price-increase-basic-premium-1235761124/

https://3dvf.com/en/cg-vfx-studios-map/

https://3dvf.com/en/les-studios/

https://3dvf.com/en/cg-vfx-studios-map-more-than-1300-studios-worldwide/

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/9/23910441/unity-ceo-president-john-riccitiello-out-retire

The change will happen sometime next year and will charge some users on a per-seat model, similar to Photoshop pricing.

Game developers using Unreal Engine won’t be affected and will continue to pay for a license based on a royalty model. However, users in industries like film or automotive will be moved to per-seat pricing, meaning they’ll be charged for the subscription the same way someone might pay for Photoshop.

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/5/23905082/epic-unreal-engine-pricing-change-film-automotive

https://www.eurogamer.net/cd-projekt-red-devs-unionise-after-its-third-round-of-layoffs-in-three-months

https://dnunion.info/

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-rights/in-a-huge-win-for-vfx-workers-dneg-vancouver-employees-have-won-a-union-exclusive-234704.html

IATSE, which also runs the powerful Animation Guild Local 839 out of Los Angeles, says that organizing a union will give collective voice to workers’ concerns and requests. Some of the things it aims to achieve at DNEG Vancouver include:

• More transparency and consistency in the decisions that impact our daily lives
• Improvements to current working conditions (i.e. salary, vacation)
• Enhanced RRSP and health benefits
• Sustainability in the Canadian VFX industry as a whole
• Access to legal counsel
• Protections from sudden and unjust layoffs
• Strong representation and solidarity across the Canadian VFX industry

https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/news/layoffs-at-epic

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/28/23894266/epic-games-layoffs-fortnite-unreal-engine

Tim Sweeney sent the following email to Epic employees:

As we shared earlier, we are laying off around 16% of Epic employees. We’re divesting Bandcamp and spinning off most of SuperAwesome.

For a while now, we’ve been spending way more money than we earn, investing in the next evolution of Epic and growing Fortnite as a metaverse-inspired ecosystem for creators. I had long been optimistic that we could power through this transition without layoffs, but in retrospect I see that this was unrealistic.

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/business/ntf-value95-of-nfts-are-worthless-finds-new-study-232949.html

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-rights/sag-aftra-votes-to-authorize-video-game-workers-strike-233010.html

SAG-AFTRA members have voted to authorize a strike among video game voice actors and performers, a group of workers who weren’t part of the original actors strike that began back in July.

https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/nsw-government-reverses-screen-funding-cuts-after-mounting-pressure-20230926-p5e7pw.html

The NSW government has responded to mounting pressure from the film sector, reversing cuts and restoring funding to develop new screen projects.

Former news

https://if.com.au/nsw-government-confirms-60-million-screen-funding-cut-producers-signal-projects-and-businesses-to-move-interstate/

https://if.com.au/nsw-government-flags-cuts-to-made-in-nsw-fund-pdv-rebate/

https://if.com.au/dneg-slams-proposed-cuts-to-nsw-screen-funding

The NSW Government has signalled it will make cuts to screen funding in next week’s state budget, including the Made in NSW fund, the Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) rebate and the Digital Games Development Rebate Program.

Screen Producers Australia (SPA) has called the proposed changes “devastating”, and argued they will put jobs, revenue and investment growth at risk for years to come. The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) similarly said the cuts would damage the state’s credibility and competitiveness as a global film and television “powerhouse”.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/unitys-self-combustion-engine-this-week-in-business

$1.3 billion – Unity’s lifetime accumulated deficit as of December 31, 2021. Unity has never had a profitable quarter in its history. It has posted modest operating profits in the past three quarters for the first time ever,

Unity lit money on fire for decades to buy a market advantage that overrules the basic economic incentives that supposedly ensure free markets work best for customers. It was successful in doing that because it’s very hard for a sustainable business to compete against one that is fine losing billions of dollars.

First, you make yourself essential to the market, even if it costs you billions to get there. Then once you hit a threshold – let’s say, I don’t know, 70% of the market – you lean into the enshittification process. You charge more for your services, you give your customers worse terms, you turn the heat up slowly and continuously, confident in the knowledge that people are so locked in to your business and have so few viable alternatives that they may grumble but they will ultimately put up with it.

And it’s such a common strategy in so many industries today that there’s just no sense of horror or outrage from the onlookers. Industry watchers and Serious Business People have seen this play out so many times they just acknowledge it’s happening and treat it as if it’s a perfectly cool and normal thing and not illegal predatory pricing.

I think this new Runtime Fee makes perfect sense from a mile-high point of view, if you think about Unity as a business where you just turn whichever dials and pull whatever levers will make the numbers go up the most.

The only problem is it makes no sense at all if you instead think about Unity as a game development tool that game developers should want to use.

https://www.pcgamer.com/why-every-game-developer-is-mad-right-now-explained

https://www.axios.com/2023/09/13/unity-runtime-fee-policy-marc-whitten

“The uproar is primarily driven by two factors: Unity is attaching a flat per-install fees to games that use its engine, and it’s arbitrarily scrapping existing deals and making the changes retroactive. 

The policy announced yesterday will see a “Runtime Fee” charged to games that surpass certain installation and revenue thresholds. For Unity Personal, the free engine that many beginning and small indie developers use, those thresholds are $200,000 earned over the previous 12 months, and 200,000 installs; one those marks are met, developers will be charged 20 cents every time someone installs their game.

Another big issue is that Unity has made this change retroactive: It supersedes any existing agreements with Unity that developers may have made, and it applies to games that were released even before any of this happened. The revenue threshold will be based on sales after January 1, 2024, when the new pricing system takes effect, but sales that occurred before that date will count toward the install threshold. 

https://www.eurogamer.net/unity-bosses-sold-stock-days-before-development-fees-announcement-raising-eyebrows

Unity executives sold thousands of shares in the weeks leading up to last night’s hugely controversial announcement it will soon charge developers when one of their games is downloaded.

Behind the scenes, CEO John Riccitiello shifted 2000 shares last week on 6th September, as noted by Yahoo Finance, which noted this move was part of a trend over the past year where the exec has sold more than 50,000 shares in total and bought none.

EDIT 20230919

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-rights/vfx-giant-dneg-puts-forth-new-salary-reduction-proposal-after-worker-backlash-to-initial-proposal-232735.html

Revised Proposal: Initially met with backlash, DNEG has revised its proposal over the weekend. They’ve introduced a third option that focuses on reducing work hours instead of salaries, along with additional paid leave to compensate for the income reduction.

1. A salary reduction of 20% to 25% for seven months, with paid leave to compensate.
2. A temporary 50% salary reduction, supplemented by a company loan, totalling 90% of the original salary, repayable over three years.
3. Reduced working hours to a 3-day week for seven months, with no hourly rate reduction.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/avuuk_animation-visualeffects-dneg-activity-7107674426275442688-Fd1d

Today, we want to address a concerning development at DNEG. They very recently announced pay cuts of up to 25% for its employees, coupled with a rather unconventional approach to compensate for these losses through ‘loans’, which their staff need to repay overtime.

As of now, DNEG is imposing these pay cuts for a period of 7 months. To ‘help’ offset the financial impact on their staff, the company is offering ‘loans’ to their employees. While offering financial support during challenging times is usually commendable, the repayment terms are causing deep concern within the Animation & Visual Effects community, especially around their legality.

The loan offered by DNEG comes with a significant catch: employees are required to pay back the loan over a three-year period. This means that even after the pay cuts are reinstated, employees will be obligated to allocate a portion of their salaries to repay the company. Aledgedly, there is no interest on the loan (tbc). This approach has sparked a considerable backlash within our industry.

We at the Animation & Visual Effects Union voice very strong concern and opposition to the pay cuts, as well as the loan method. We believe pay cuts should not be compensated through loans with long-term repayment plans, placing a heavy burden on the employees who are already facing financial challenges.

This situation underscores the importance of open dialogue and collaboration between employers and employees during challenging times. While businesses often need to make tough decisions to navigate economic uncertainties, it’s crucial to strike a balance that doesn’t disproportionately impact the livelihoods of their dedicated workforce.

What can be done about this?

If you are a member of the Animation & Visual Effects Union, get in touch with us immediately and do not accept any pay cuts yet. You can email your BECTU official Stefan Vassalos stefan.vassalos@prospect.org.uk to get advice and organise with your colleagues at DNEG.

Remember, you MUST give your consent for a paycut. It is ILLEGAL to impose a cut without it. You DO NOT have to consent to a pay cut. Legal action can and will be taken against paycuts without consent. Anyone affected please get in touch with us immediately so we can represent and protect you and your livlihood as much as possible. BECTU has the power and resources to challenge moments like this, so it is imperitive YOU take action and contact us. Talk to your colleagues and get in touch. It is only through solidarity and collective effort that we can address these challenges and shape a brighter future for our industry.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and insights on this matter. Your input and perspective are valuable as we navigate these unprecedented times together.

https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a44936059/vfx-workers-unionising-hollywood/

Last March, IATSE released a damning survey that showed how visual effects workers lack access to essential benefits, such as health insurance and retirement plans.

It also found VFX crews are lacking breaks and rest periods, and they’re not getting paid for working overtime, resulting in some workers failing to even make minimum wage.

This survey was aimed to organise VFX workers, one of the last areas of the production community that are still not unionised. Given the worsening of their working conditions while their craft is increasingly in demand within the industry, seeking protection has become a necessity.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/workers-at-vancouver-s-wildbrain-animation-studio-look-to-unionize-1.6958145

“…workers are concerned about issues such as scheduling, base pay, and the rising cost of living in Vancouver. 

They are also seeking ways to address “the precarity (insecurity) that’s really baked into the industry,” Gladman told CBC’s The Early Edition on Wednesday.

“People are working really short-term contracts, sometimes weeks at a time,” he said. “You go to work on Friday. You’re not sure if you’ll have a job on Monday. I think workers are just tired of holding the bag when things slow down every time.”

Leading parties are now in charge of what constitute information.

https://variety.com/2023/artisans/news/walt-disney-pictures-vfx-workers-union-1235706136/

A supermajority (over 80%) of the 18 in-house VFX crew members at Walt Disney Pictures signed authorization cards signaling their desire to unionize.

The historical move is the second time in history that VFX professionals have joined together to demand the same protections and rights as their colleagues. Earlier this month, VFX crews at Marvel Studios voted to unionize beginning Aug. 21. Ballots are due on Sept. 11, and the vote count will take place on Sept. 12.

https://gizmodo.com/here-s-what-the-wga-has-to-say-about-the-big-3-streamin-1850758992

• Disney controls the means of production
• Amazon controls the means of distribution
• Netflix controls the means of employment

The WGA proposes the following legislative actions, copied verbatim from their executive summary.

• Block further consolidation
• Proactively investigate anti-competitive issues and outcomes
• Increase regulation and oversight in streaming.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/01/top-hollywood-exec-made-498-million-in-5-years-while-writer-pay-fell.html

The top 10 highest-paid Hollywood executives in the last 5 years includes:

1. David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.: $498,915,318
2. Ari Emanuel, Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.: $346,935,367
3. Reed Hastings, Netflix: $209,780,532
4. Bob Iger, Walt Disney Co.: $195,092,460
5. Ted Sarandos, Netflix: $192,171,581
6. Rupert Murdoch, Fox Corp.: $174,929,867
7. Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corp.: $171,359,374
8. Brian Roberts, Comcast Corp.: $170,158,088
9. Joseph Ianniello, Paramount Global: $152,793,125
10. Patrick Whitesell, Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.: $143,584,597

In a random comparison:

https://variety.com/2023/biz/news/wga-response-studios-not-quick-strike-1235697413/

The two sides remain at odds on items across the board, including streaming residuals and a higher minimum tier for TV writer-producers

The WGA wants to tie streaming residuals to the popularity of a show, but streamers had adamantly refused to share such viewership data.

The WGA is also seeking a provision that would allow its members to honor other unions’ picket lines.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careersandeducation/most-bosses-regret-how-they-mandated-workers-return-to-the-office-they-blamed-it-on-not-having-enough-data/ar-AA1fgtWY

Four in five (80%) of bosses told workplace software firm Envoy that, had they had a better grasp on actual employee preferences, they would have taken a starkly different approach to their return to office plans. The problem, they said: They didn’t have access to workplace data to help them make their decision.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/lucasfilm-shut-operations-singapore-studio-animation-visual-effects-disney-3700061

Lucasfilm is winding down operations in Singapore after nearly 20 years in the country, with parent company Disney citing economic factors affecting the industry.

According to an ILM employee in Singapore, there are 340 staff members in the company and work will continue until the end of the year.

https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2022/07/25/valerie-thomas-is-the-reason-3-d-movies-exist/

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/iatseintl_breaking-visual-effects-vfx-crews-at-marvel-activity-7094444639985770497-fLTW

https://variety.com/2023/artisans/news/marvel-vfx-artists-unionize-1235690272/

BREAKING: Visual Effects (VFX) crews at Marvel Studios have filed for a unionization election with the National Labor Relations Board, Monday. The move signals a major shift in an industry that has largely remained non-union since VFX was pioneered during production of the first Star Wars films in the 1970s. A supermajority of Marvel’s more than 50-worker crew had signed authorization cards indicating they wished to be represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

This marks the first time VFX professionals have joined together to demand the same rights and protections as their unionized colleagues in the film industry. Mark Patch, VFX Organizer for IATSE, highlighted the significance of this moment: “For almost half a century, workers in the visual effects industry have been denied the same protections and benefits their coworkers and crewmates have relied upon since the beginning of the Hollywood film industry. This is a historic first step for VFX workers coming together with a collective voice demanding respect for the work we do.”

While positions like Production Designers/Art Directors, Camera Operators, Sound, Editors, Hair and Makeup Artists, Costumes / Wardrobe, Script Supervisors, Grips, Lighting, Props, and Paint, among others, have historically been represented by IATSE in motion picture and television, workers in VFX classifications historically have not.

Bella Huffman, VFX Coordinator, highlighted the challenging nature of the industry: “Turnaround times don’t apply to us, protected hours don’t apply to us, and pay equity doesn’t apply to us. Visual Effects must become a sustainable and safe department for everyone who’s suffered far too long and for all newcomers who need to know they won’t be exploited.”

The Marvel VFX workers’ filing for a union election comes at a pivotal moment in the film and television industry, amidst ongoing strikes by both the Actors and Writers guilds as both seek fair contracts with the studios and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb put it in plain terms, “We are witnessing an unprecedented wave of solidarity that’s breaking down old barriers in the industry and proving we’re all in this fight together. That doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Entertainment workers everywhere are sticking up for each other’s rights, that’s what our movement is all about. I congratulate these workers on taking this important step and using their collective voice.”