3 ms·

Question: Why can't this be done for the entire industry like it is for the on-set crew?

by FirmwareBurner 3y ago

orochimaaru 3y ago
I think writers already have a Union? Not sure if it’s the same one as the on set crew
- Aqua_Geek 3y ago
  There are several unions in film/TV. Writers are usually part of the WGA. Directors have their own, as do editors, producers, cinematographers, etc.
ceejayoz 3y ago
My understanding is that on-set crew and actors are hired by a temporary company set up for that movie specifically. When it's done, they're all out of a job and need to find a new temporary company to work for. This makes unionization of the individual temporary companies essentially impossible. The same isn't true for folks who work directly for Marvel on an ongoing basis.
- robotresearcher 3y ago
  It's not companies that unionize, it's people. These temporary movie companies employ writers, actors, directors, electricians etc that belong to unions.
  - ceejayoz 3y ago
    The people can't unionize a company that exists for less time than the average unionization campaign takes to form one. This is why the writers and directors in Hollywood are able to unionize as an industry rather than per-company. (See, in contrast, the recent Starbucks unionizations; each individual location votes and creates their own union with a dozen or so members.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining > Sectoral bargaining was promoted by the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, but struck down and replaced by enterprise bargaining under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Today industries like screenwriting, hotels, and railroads still see sectoral bargaining predominate.
- CyberDildonics 3y ago
  What you just described has nothing to do with vfx at all. Actors and on set crew are already unionized.
  - ceejayoz 3y ago
    > Actors and on set crew are already unionized. Again, in a special way that is not common in the US, because of the transient nature of movie productions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining Actors and crew have things like the SAG that negotiate with the movie industry as a whole, because it's functionally impossible for them to unionize otherwise. If you're a unionized Starbucks worker, they don't negotiate with the coffee industry, they negotiate with management at your one particular Starbucks store, because that store is an ongoing permanent concern. VFX artists employed by a permanently-existing organization like Marvel don't need this exception. (Ones employed by a transient production company for a single film would.)
    - CyberDildonics 3y ago
      Why are you acting like an industry wide union is some exceptional thing that can't happen? There have been union vfx and animation studios in the past. The industry is broken up into many companies, which is why people talk about unionizing as a whole. What is the actual point you are trying to make here?
rperez333 3y ago
Because it’s easy to shift VFX work to another location. Even a decade ago, VFX studios were popping up almost overnight in Vancouver. All you needed was to rent some space and thin clients. Today we barely need to rent any space.

Question: Why can't this be done for the entire industry like it is for the on-set crew?

orochimaaru 3y ago

I think writers already have a Union? Not sure if it’s the same one as the on set crew

Aqua_Geek 3y ago
There are several unions in film/TV. Writers are usually part of the WGA. Directors have their own, as do editors, producers, cinematographers, etc.

ceejayoz 3y ago

My understanding is that on-set crew and actors are hired by a temporary company set up for that movie specifically. When it's done, they're all out of a job and need to find a new temporary company to work for. This makes unionization of the individual temporary companies essentially impossible. The same isn't true for folks who work directly for Marvel on an ongoing basis.

robotresearcher 3y ago
It's not companies that unionize, it's people. These temporary movie companies employ writers, actors, directors, electricians etc that belong to unions.
- ceejayoz 3y ago
  The people can't unionize a company that exists for less time than the average unionization campaign takes to form one. This is why the writers and directors in Hollywood are able to unionize as an industry rather than per-company. (See, in contrast, the recent Starbucks unionizations; each individual location votes and creates their own union with a dozen or so members.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining > Sectoral bargaining was promoted by the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, but struck down and replaced by enterprise bargaining under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Today industries like screenwriting, hotels, and railroads still see sectoral bargaining predominate.
CyberDildonics 3y ago
What you just described has nothing to do with vfx at all. Actors and on set crew are already unionized.
- ceejayoz 3y ago
  > Actors and on set crew are already unionized. Again, in a special way that is not common in the US, because of the transient nature of movie productions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining Actors and crew have things like the SAG that negotiate with the movie industry as a whole, because it's functionally impossible for them to unionize otherwise. If you're a unionized Starbucks worker, they don't negotiate with the coffee industry, they negotiate with management at your one particular Starbucks store, because that store is an ongoing permanent concern. VFX artists employed by a permanently-existing organization like Marvel don't need this exception. (Ones employed by a transient production company for a single film would.)
  - CyberDildonics 3y ago
    Why are you acting like an industry wide union is some exceptional thing that can't happen? There have been union vfx and animation studios in the past. The industry is broken up into many companies, which is why people talk about unionizing as a whole. What is the actual point you are trying to make here?

rperez333 3y ago

Because it’s easy to shift VFX work to another location. Even a decade ago, VFX studios were popping up almost overnight in Vancouver. All you needed was to rent some space and thin clients. Today we barely need to rent any space.