Fans eagerly awaiting “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” were disappointed when Sony removed the film’s release date, indefinitely delaying the release of the film.
Unbeknownst to many, however, the widely acclaimed visuals of the animated franchise come at a cost. According to Vulture, animators repeatedly worked 11 hours a day, seven days a week, to meet deadlines.
The extreme working conditions behind the “Spider-Verse” films are not unique to this production; those who work within the animation and film industry often face grueling hours, tight deadlines, and job insecurity.
“It depends on the company, but in general, there’s a lot of overtime,” said Emmanuel Shiu, a concept designer and illustrator. “It’s crazy because some people work 120 hours a week; they’ll get paid overtime, but it’s not good for your health to be working that much. The last couple of years have been really hard on the animation and film industry, and people are lucky to have a job, so they’ll go crazy working.”
While many large animation studios compensate employees for overtime, unpaid overtime remains widespread in the animation and film industry.
“There’s more awareness surrounding the well-being of industry workers, but businesses tend to want to pay less and get more,” Shiu said. “A lot of people who are just starting or having a hard time finding a job feel more inclined to work overtime, and they don’t get paid for it.”
Many industry workers have turned to unions to avoid unpaid overtime and ensure better working conditions. Unions like the Art Director’s Guild advocate for workers by negotiating contracts that provide fair wages, reasonable working hours, and better job security.
“Many people who work in animation are working overtime, so their mental health isn’t the best,” said Katelyn Yee, a sophomore at Carlmont who enjoys animating in her free time. “Because the working conditions suck, people are leaving the industry, so projects aren’t being done as quickly or as efficiently.”
In 2023, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike, securing a historic pay increase and protections against artificial intelligence (AI), according to Variety.
As generative AI has advanced, many have become worried about its implications for job security within the industry.
“AI will replace some jobs, but it cannot replace what I do because you need a person to make specific changes. I think AI is one of those things where it won’t hit as hard as people think,” Shiu said.
Joseph Maslov, a freelance asset artist, shared the same sentiment.
“AI is one of many modern tools that actively try to devalue labor and learning different trade skills, but if you can cultivate raw skills, you will be able to take advantage of it, no matter what technology is out there,” Maslov said.
While the SAG-AFTRA strike significantly benefited industry workers, it also led to delays for multiple films, including “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
“There are a lot of animation strikes that are held because workers aren’t paid well enough,” Yee said.
Unions play a crucial role in ensuring ethical working conditions in the animation and film industry, but many studios have found ways to bypass union conditions.
“Studios don’t like unions, so they’ll try to take the work somewhere else,” Shiu said. “A lot of studios are taking work over to Europe, where there is no union jurisdiction. It allows the companies to ask people to work overtime without consequences.”
While unions help protect many industry workers, freelancers often share a different experience. Employees who work under studios will typically have certain expenses covered, like healthcare or equipment.
For freelancers, these expenses are not covered by the company or studio when hired, so a freelancer who is part of a union would have to pay union dues and not receive the benefits of working within a studio.
“The studio won’t pay for any of your expenses on paper; you get paid more than a person working within the studio itself, but that rarely makes up for all the additional benefits you expect from working within a studio,” Maslov said. “The appeal of working freelance, however, comes from having much more freedom in what you do.”
Many artists have found ways to successfully navigate the animation and film industry despite its taxing environment.
“My best advice to those who might want to work in animation or film is to just know the industry as much as you can; there are a lot of illustrators you can follow and podcasts on YouTube that you can listen to find out as much as you can about the industry and your place in it,” Shiu said. “The main thing is knowing what you can do, what you want to do, and being good at it. In a sense, you want to be able to express yourself and make yourself into something that the studios and directors want to catch their attention.”
While understanding the industry and refining your skills are essential, staying passionate about your work is just as important.
“Your time is your time, and it’s never wasted if it’s spent on something that you love. If you love to draw, dance, or write code, do it and commit to it, and don’t be afraid that whatever it is that you do or love will be replaced,” Maslov said. “It doesn’t matter how good or not you are at your role; just get good at things and enjoy your time.”
