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> it’s all culminated in abusive studios, disconnected directors and fuck it someone else will fix my mess mentality. > And the disrespect for VFX workers, my

> it’s all culminated in abusive studios, disconnected directors and fuck it someone else will fix my mess mentality. > And the disrespect for VFX workers, my god, they should come join an ops team they’d get more respect. > I guess it’s kinda to be expected when you’re just perpetually milking cash cow IP to death (hardly the innovation it once was) I can’t help but smile reading this. Replace “studios” with “organization at big tech company”. Replace “vfx workers” with “software development engineers” Replace “cash cow IP” with “legacy systems that still bring in $$$”, although yeah there’s IP there too from a while ago. Sorry, I don’t mean to take this completely on a tangent, but I can’t help but think there are similarities here.

skrebbel 4y ago
I'll never understand this vibe. You're a programmer, in most places that's among the best paying jobs available. How are you being there exploited the same way as VFX artists are?
- bsenftner 4y ago
  Having worked on both sides, being a former VFX programmer and artist makes tech companies afraid of your expense plus they incorrectly think your used to pampered treatment. In tech companies, they see VFX films and do not realize they are seeing the collaborative work of thousands of digital workers - so they expect the programming output of thousands of people. It is a no win situation, because to get them to understand you have to convince them they believe in fantasy.
- julik 4y ago
  If you are in an agency which basically sells labour (body shop) and if the agency is doing fixed bid projects ("you build us XYZ mobile app which does ABC by MNP for XXX") you will be in a comparable situation. There is a difference however: * Devs are harder to find and currently they are likely to flat-out refuse to work on location * In dev, "time+materials" (bill by the hour) is much more prevalent. One of the reasons VFX work is so miserable is that the producers will try to place a project in the cheapest locality and with a fixed bid, implying an unlimited amount of change requests as long as the deadline is not passed. One of the best medicines against the indecision and non-commitment from clients is making them pay for time spent (both waiting while they meddle and working when the umpteenth change requests comes about). This works very well - it does imply you have to fire clients who do not want to work like this. VFX studios are in a bind because if you want to work "big ticket stuff" (Marvel etc.) they will negotiate hard on contracts, they will want insane deadlines, and they will want fixed bid. And they will want you to be in a locality which provides tax breaks.

skrebbel 4y ago

I'll never understand this vibe. You're a programmer, in most places that's among the best paying jobs available. How are you being there exploited the same way as VFX artists are?

bsenftner 4y ago
Having worked on both sides, being a former VFX programmer and artist makes tech companies afraid of your expense plus they incorrectly think your used to pampered treatment. In tech companies, they see VFX films and do not realize they are seeing the collaborative work of thousands of digital workers - so they expect the programming output of thousands of people. It is a no win situation, because to get them to understand you have to convince them they believe in fantasy.
julik 4y ago
If you are in an agency which basically sells labour (body shop) and if the agency is doing fixed bid projects ("you build us XYZ mobile app which does ABC by MNP for XXX") you will be in a comparable situation. There is a difference however: * Devs are harder to find and currently they are likely to flat-out refuse to work on location * In dev, "time+materials" (bill by the hour) is much more prevalent. One of the reasons VFX work is so miserable is that the producers will try to place a project in the cheapest locality and with a fixed bid, implying an unlimited amount of change requests as long as the deadline is not passed. One of the best medicines against the indecision and non-commitment from clients is making them pay for time spent (both waiting while they meddle and working when the umpteenth change requests comes about). This works very well - it does imply you have to fire clients who do not want to work like this. VFX studios are in a bind because if you want to work "big ticket stuff" (Marvel etc.) they will negotiate hard on contracts, they will want insane deadlines, and they will want fixed bid. And they will want you to be in a locality which provides tax breaks.