Image source: Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Over the years, Marvel Studios have produced more movies, increasing the number of releases in the past couple of years.
While fans are more than happy, they have also noticed a decline in quality with the special effects.
Weeks earlier, VFX artists expressed their discontentment with how Marvel Studios conducts their business, often overworking them and underpaying the artists.
Online threads
The first wave of VFX artists’ comments about working with Marvel came from anonymous subreddits.
The thread quickly gained traction, and other artists chimed on across other social media platforms.
While most shared brief accounts of their collaboration with the cinematic titan, one artist shared more details about their experience with VUlture, calling the studio out for their “bullying power” as a client.
Artist shares experience
“When I was working on one film, it was almost six months overtime everyday,” an anonymous VFX artist shared.
“I worked seven days a week, an average of 64 hours a week on a good week. Marvel really works really hard for you.”
“I’ve had colleagues sit next to me, collapse, and start to cry. I’ve talked to people with anxiety attacks on the phone,” they added.
Last-minute changes
The artist slammed Marvel Studios for requesting many changes in the process, some of which are drastic.
The result leaves the artists overworked with a tight deadline looming over their heads.
“The other thing about Marvel is that it is famous for asking for a lot of changes in the process,” they noted.
“So you’re already overworked, but then Marvel asks for regular changes that go way beyond what every other customer does.”
“And some of those changes are really drastic,” they elaborated.
“Maybe a month or two before a movie comes out, Marvel will have us change the whole third act. It has really tight turnaround times. So yeah, it’s just not a great situation all around.”
One studio failed to catch up to piling requests
The artist shared that when one VFX house failed to finish their work, Marvel Studios blacklisted them.
“One visual effects house couldn’t finish the number of shots and reshoots Marvel requested, so Marvel had to give my studio the work,” they elaborated.
“Since then, that house has been effectively blacklisted from getting Marvel work.”
Bullying power
The artist also acknowledged that while the same issues can be found in other projects, Marvel stands out for its “bullying power” to demand a lot.
“Some of the problems I mentioned are universal to every show and project. But you end up doing less overtime on other shows,” they explained.
“You end up being able to push back more on the directors. When they say something like, ‘Hey, I want this,’ you can be like, ‘This doesn’t make sense.’ Not every client has the bullying power of Marvel.”
Possible solution
The VFX artist suggested that a possible solution for the ongoing problem is for VFX artists to unionize.
The unionization would “help ensure that the VFX houses can’t take any bids without having to think about what the consequences would be.”
References:
Marvel Studios called out by VFX artist for having ‘bullying power’
Marvel’s poor working conditions detailed by VFX insider
Opinions expressed by NY Weekly contributors are their own.
