One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
The Visual Effects Workers Behind Marvel's Movie Magic Vote To Unionize
Filmgoers watch a screening of Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame at a cinema in Caracas in April 2019. More than 50 workers at Marvel Studios in L.A., New York and Atlanta have signed authorization cards to be represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, or IATSE.
(
Federico Parra
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Ever since production of the first Star Wars movies in the 1970s, the visual effects industry has largely been non-unionized. But now for the first time, a group of 50 visual effects workers at Marvel Studios in L.A., New York and Atlanta have signed authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board. They hope to become part of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, or IATSE.
Some visual effects workers have called their working conditions at Marvel "toxic," complaining about being overworked with long hours, seven day weeks. "I'm a VFX Artist, and I'm Tired of Getting 'Pixel-F–ked' by Marvel," one anonymous worker told New York Magazine's online site Vulture. "That's a term we use in the industry when the client will nitpick over every little pixel."
In a news release, IATSE VFX coordinator Bella Huffman noted "Turnaround times don't apply to us, protected hours don't apply to us, and pay equity doesn't apply to us."
Union leaders say joining them would give the "on set" workers the same protections and benefits enjoyed by other crew members, such as production designers, art directors, camera operators, sound editors, hair and makeup artists.
"This is a historic first step for VFX workers coming together with a collective voice demanding respect for the work we do," Mark Patch, a VFX organizer for IATSE, said in the press release.
The historic news about trying to unionize visual effects workers comes at the same time unionized screenwriters and actors are on strike against major Hollywood studios for better pay, higher residuals and protections against artificial intelligence. The Writers Guild of America began striking May 2, and SAG-AFTRA started in July.
Sponsored message
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit npr.org.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
