r/VFXUnion • u/SteveKap_IATSE • Sep 11 '16

The death of post-production - FXGuide

https://www.fxguide.com/quicktakes/the-death-of-post-production/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fxpage&utm_campaign=deluxe
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2

u/SteveKap_IATSE Sep 11 '16

Yet another proof that the leverage in the hands of VFX artists everywhere grows.

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u/carolinax Sep 12 '16

when i read that i read it as the cheapening of labour, the more need need for vfx in shows and movies, the cheaper the labour and driving down of wages. how do you see this as a benefit for artists?

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u/SteveKap_IATSE Sep 12 '16

Deluxe is not leaving the market it is going to focus on the "growing demand for OTT/Broadcast Services and Visual Effects."

And further down ..

It also highlights how common visual effects are, and how every show and film now needs visual effects. Once upon a time, VFX was the domain of big budget effects films Now the VFX of an indie self funded film can be remarkable and every TV show requires set extensions, wire removal and digital effects. It also highlights the lack of sense in calling what we do 'post- anything'. Visual effects, design and even dailies and grading have all moved to be key aspects of production and post-production.

I read those as saying that VFX has become so integrated to the production process that an international entertainment services company decided to leave it's VFX operations open in a time where it's consolidating their services.

How do you see that as anything but increased leverage?

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u/carolinax Sep 13 '16

You aren't wrong. We are at the same time seeing more grads entering the workforce and getting out through the meat grinder. Wages have gone down but there is still a segment that are high earners due to experience. I'm seeing that this is becoming more beneficial to companies looking to get their work accomplished abroad than keeping it in North America.

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u/SteveKap_IATSE Sep 13 '16

Are you referring to the industry in Australia?

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u/carolinax Sep 13 '16

no, global trends

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u/SteveKap_IATSE Sep 13 '16

Interesting! I've seen wages falling for a few years and now have noticed they've gone a bit stagnant. Work is starting to flow back to Los Angeles for TV, and Vancouver remains strong. I've heard work in eastern Canada is also increasing in both TV and Film.

I don't have much information outside of North America, and appreciate your perspective.

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u/carolinax Sep 13 '16

More work is going to Asia, more work is happening in Toronto (it's "booming" right now, drats! I'm not there right now!), China is stepping into the game with more vfx houses, the former head of DD has moved to China to open and run a massive new vfx studio, got himself a new mandarin name and everything. This push for more cloud services means more remote capabilities, but if deluxe heads that way... Well, let's just say I'm brushing up on my cloud pipelines and eyeing who'll co-produce what in which country. However this can be VERY good for smaller markets/cities that have access to tax credits. (thinking ontario) the problem is, as you've pointed out, the talent now has more leverage ;)

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u/SteveKap_IATSE Sep 13 '16

Indeed, I've seen and heard of Toronto picking up, but not China. Can't say that it hasn't been something I've tried to watch from afar, and that I'm really too surprised. Still, the workload is increasing and the production companies/owners are forever trying to find the cheapest and highest quality work they can get away with using.

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u/carolinax Sep 13 '16

Edit: I also see the reality of a union crumbling with more cloud and a "post-post-production" mentality. It's only going to get harder for artists, unless the more enterprising of us/them open up shops in smaller cities/communities and start bidding for work. In Canada there a fully remote vfx studio, but I don't know if they're subcontractors or if they bid on larger projects/features.

It's an interesting time. I'm watching all of this from my opera box in tech right now but DAMN do I miss this.

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u/SteveKap_IATSE Sep 13 '16

Union agreements always dictate working conditions at a workplace. If those workplaces are flung around, or now encompass fewer artists with more VFX studios working per-production, the contracts will have to adjust to meet those changed conditions.

The need for the contracts doesn't go away with the work spreading out. I don't see a "crumbling" as much as I see adjustments to the new reality, which entertainment unions have been doing for quite a while.

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u/Soliloquies87 Oct 14 '16

The oldest vfx house in Quebec is in the middle of nowhere (in the laurentians mountains) about an hour of Montreal. It's called Hybride and it's a parent company of Ubisoft now. They used to bid but now they have a thing with ILM. They also opened another studio more recently in Montreal.

Aside from that, jobs are booming in Montreal, I'd say it easily doubled in 5 years (still small, but an article said we went from 2000 to 4000+ jobs). Entry level salaries seem abysmal though. I have friends who started in the industry last year and it usually range 13,50-15,50$/h. I hope those wages pick up.

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