Marvel VFX Worker Exposed Inhumane Working Conditions On First Disney Plus Series
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is beloved for bringing fan-favorite comic book characters and otherworldly creatures and settings to live-action, some of the VFX workers responsible for the films biggest spectacles are calling Marvel out for inhumane working conditions. As a result of increased frustrations and being overworked, Marvel's VFX artists recently voted to unionize against harsh workplace conditions.
Due to considerable pressure put on behind-the-scenes talents, VFX artists have been forced to "crunch," working unsustainably long hours in order to hit Marvel's deadlines. It's been a frequent source of conflict, with former Marvel collaborator Dhruv Govil speaking out about the stressful conditions to get a project ready for completion — comments that led to "She-Hulk" star Tatiana Maslany lending her support to the VFX workers bringing her hero to life. Workers have called out the long hours, constant last-minute revisions, and lack of pay for their work on MCU projects, and that was before the current rise of artificial intelligence. The usage of generative AI in the "Secret Invasion" Disney+ series' opening credits and reported use to create promotional materials for "Loki" has to feel insulting to the overworked VFX crews, who are not only being worked to the bone but are stuck worrying big studios will replace them with AI, seeing it as a cost-effective way to replace paying actual artists.
In one of the biggest indictments of Marvel's creative process, VFX artist Alexander Rebeck, who worked on "The Falcon and Winter Soldier" on Disney+, called out Marvel (and the entire industry) for their near-impossible deadlines, lack of suitable breaks, and inhumane conditions.
Marvel's treatment of VFX artist needs to improve
In an interview with IndieWire, Alexandra Rebeck, whose work includes visual effects on "Loki," "Moon Knight," and "Godzilla vs. Kong," expressed frustration towards the unacceptable process and treatment of VFX workers. "I don't know how this is acceptable," she said. "I don't know how you can work people like this." While making it clear the problem isn't exclusive to Marvel, she said that on her first MCU project, "The Falcon and Winter Soldier," people worked 75 days in a row and were only given time off once they had mental breakdowns. Looking at the long hours and substandard pay for working on these projects, which are parts of billion-dollar franchises, it's understandable why so many VFX artists feel so unappreciated by Marvel and other big studios.
As Rebeck says in the same interview, she realized how significant the pay disparity was between how much money was taken home versus the experience on each project, noting the studio's main goal seemed to be how much money they could save rather than offering an effective and hospitable working environment. It seems inevitable that more VFX workers will follow Marvel's special effects team and unionize (Walt Disney Pictures VFX workers recently unionized as well) so that in the future, they aren't overworked, underpaid, and taken advantage of and are instead given the fairness they deserve. With VFX teams being one of the most important cogs in the machine in making big-budget movies like MCU films, it's time they were treated as such.