Hollywood Effects Artists Say It’s Time to Unionize

Hollywood has been a stronghold of the US labor movement, with groups such as the Producers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild defending the interests of everyone from directors to stage hands. The visual effects professionals who create graphics that have grown to account for as much as 40% of a film's budget have been left out. Ben Speight wants to change that with artists working 18-hour days, getting few health or pension benefits, and facing thousands of dollars in penalties if they quit before a project is done. Speight said that people aren't just saying that the abuse is bad. They're going to do something about it.

As studios prepare a slew of new content to feed streaming platforms and support a post-pandemic return to theaters, there is a drive to unionize. According to Speight and others in the business, there is more visual effects work in the works than there are artists to complete. Artists band together on slack channels to compare pay, advise how to get raises, and increase awareness of mandatory benefits. Speight wants to have a union with more than 1,000 members by the fall.