Visual Effects employees at Marvel Studios are making a groundbreaking move by attempting to establish the industry’s first-ever VFX union.
Today, a group of over 50 VFX workers at Marvel joined forces to file for a union election at the National Labor Relations Board, with representation from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).
“For nearly five decades, visual effects industry workers have been deprived of the same protections and benefits that their coworkers and colleagues in the Hollywood film industry have enjoyed,” stated Mark Patch, VFX Organizer for IATSE. “This marks a historic first step for VFX workers coming together with a collective voice to demand respect for our work.”
The challenges faced by VFX workers have been extensively documented in recent years. Just last month, we highlighted the impact of strikes across the entertainment industry on VFX artists, who are now grappling with an uncertain future as Hollywood has ground to a halt. In that report, multiple VFX workers voiced their concerns about the absence of a union.
“The recent WGA strike is a stark reminder that VFX does not have a union,” said a former visual effects producer. “Witnessing a collective fight for better pay, support, and working hours serves as a reminder that the VFX industry has never been able to unite and establish a union of our own.”
There have also been specific complaints about Marvel’s treatment of VFX workers in recent years. An artist who worked on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania attributed VFX problems to “human greed” on Marvel projects. Furthermore, an anonymous VFX worker told IGN last year that Marvel projects often run up until the very last minute, leading to long hours and highly stressful working conditions.
“You basically run out of time to work on these things,” explained the VFX artist at the time. “I had a shot that I worked on that I finished at 9 in the morning, and they had a preview in London that evening. The version that I worked on that [day] was the version they were going to see at the premiere. It’s up to the wire. And not to say that every show is like that, but it does happen.”
This new initiative by VFX workers to unionize comes at a time when the entertainment industry is paralyzed. Writers and Hollywood studios held their first meeting this week since the strike began in May, but no agreement was reached. To learn more about why streaming is broken and how the strikes could fix it, please visit our article on the topic.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN, specializing in video game and entertainment news. With over seven years of experience in the gaming industry, he has contributed to publications such as IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
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Basant Kasayap is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Bollywood to regional cinema, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
