VFX Artists Are Underpaid & Overworked, But It's Not Entirely on Marvel, Fans Argue
Marvel Studios has recently come under fire over its treatment of CGI artists, and the drama does not seem to be going anywhere.
As more VFX artists weigh in to blast the working conditions when it comes to Marvel movies, some fans rise up to defend the studio, pointing out that the issue is not solely on Marvel but also on the VFX companies.
On Tuesday, Vulture posted a story of one of Marvel-employed digital artists who complained about being underpaid, understaffed and having to overwork.
"I was working 7 days a week, averaging 64 hours a week on a good week," the artist told Vulture. "I've had co-workers sit next to me, break down and start crying."
The story quickly went viral, fueling the fire of fan outrage regarding Marvel's treatment of its digital artists. However, Vulture's source, as well as many social media users, clarified that there are problems "on two ends of the spectrum".
"This isn't a Marvel issue. Stop jumping on the hate train. The market is oversaturated because every major studio wants big VFX heavy blockbusters. So it's Marvel's fault that they took risks after being a nearly bankrupted company and succeeded? Blame the market not the top dog." – @FanCultureTalks
It's not like people clear Marvel of any wrongdoing or deny that VFX artists deserve better working conditions. It is rather about trying to understand the bigger picture behind the visual effects creators' frustration with the industry.
"Marvel doesn't hire VFX artists, they hire multiple VFX companies to work on each project. They might not be the best client but they're not to blame for everything." – @im_living__dead
However, many people argue that Marvel's part of the blame is larger than that of the VFX studios it hires – mainly because of the content-packed schedule and deadlines that are physically challenging to abide by.
"Damn, Marvel. Can't y'all just hire more VFX artists? Or better yet, cancel some projects. Like, do we really NEED an Agatha show? I wasn't against it, but I didn't think it was necessary." – @KeyWatkins51299
The drama around the poor treatment of VFX artists has escalated after Taika Waititi and Tessa Thompson joked about weird CGI in their own movie 'Thor: Love and Thunder '. Following the notorious video, fans have taken to social media to blast the director and the actress for being part of the "shameful" treatment of visual effects artists.