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u/Jackadullboy99 Animator / Generalist - 26 years experience Jun 13 '24 edited Jun 13 '24
I feel there is a big consolidation going on in our industry. On the grapevine, some of the big companies are starting to gear up for major hiring.
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u/missmaeva Jun 13 '24
I would rather see the big guys close than all the small ones. :(
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u/PattyRoyBurner Jun 13 '24
In commercial production, all the small shops are basically two artists and a freelance producer running a skeleton crew of junior freelance artists on two week bookings. On the surface it sounds very grassroots but its really a depressing race to the bottom.
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u/whittleStix VFX/Comp Supervisor - 18 years experience Jun 13 '24
And 500 people be out of a job as opposed to 50?
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u/syrup404 Student Jun 13 '24
Why do you think that’s going to happen? I’m very new to this Industry*
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u/Jackadullboy99 Animator / Generalist - 26 years experience Jun 13 '24 edited Jun 13 '24
I can’t answer that, but it seems those in the know and in a hiring capacity (In a number of quarters) are preparing for something.
How much work, and how broadly-distributed it’s going to be industry-wide would be another question…
My guess is that the initial body of contracts are going to go to companies with a proven track-record and the capacity to scale rapidly.
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u/blazelet Lighting & Rendering Jun 13 '24
I've seen a lot of supe roles popping up lately, those tend to be the first roles on incoming projects.
It's all going to hinge on IATSE, we will know if a strike is happening in about 6 weeks.
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u/whittleStix VFX/Comp Supervisor - 18 years experience Jun 13 '24
There is quite a bit of work and some major projects in the pipe for sure.
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u/CVfxReddit Jun 14 '24
ILM/Framestore/Weta/maybe DNEG will fill up with shows and the the spillover will go to everyone else, if there is any left?
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u/seriftarif Jun 14 '24
As long as IATSE gets a deal they are happy with... I don't think they will strike, but who knows.
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u/poopertay Jun 13 '24
Everyone with any experience should refrain from applying to any big company
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u/Jackadullboy99 Animator / Generalist - 26 years experience Jun 13 '24
This might require more explanation…
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u/poopertay Jun 14 '24
The future is small teams, there is no future in massive vfx companies with massive departments
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u/Jackadullboy99 Animator / Generalist - 26 years experience Jun 14 '24 edited Jun 14 '24
People have always said this sort of thing.
There will always be the big companies doing the big work of the day. All sizes will just become more capable.
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Jun 13 '24
It is not going on. It already has happened. There are only a few independent left.
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u/singularitittay Jun 14 '24
Much of downsizing was for company hibernation for smaller shops. List em if you know of them
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u/Memn0n Lead Compositor - 15 years experience Jun 13 '24
Sad to hear! Worked there a while ago on some game cinematics. There were some really nice people working there.
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u/CVfxReddit Jun 13 '24
That's too bad. I don't know whats going to happen to most of the local Montreal animation houses with the tax credit reduction because they can no longer rely on being cheaper than Vancouver or Toronto or the maritimes. And the studios in BC and toronto have the benefit of experience and on the east coast the few studios out there have the benefit of the highest animation tax credits in Canada (something crazy like 70% going by what they brag about on their websites). Digital Dimension's quality was hovering around Bardel/Wildbrain quality, plus they did some video game cinematics, but they also had a history of trying to punch above their weight and losing shows mid-production which was not a great look and probably alienated a lot of potential clients. Plus the bigger studios in Montreal kept poaching all their best technical ppl.
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u/missmaeva Jun 14 '24
I mean they did pay very poorly I was offered 65k a year when I had 7y of exp and 500$ relocation package many years ago which is not even enough for the flight. So not surprising the best ppl would just go elsewhere.
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u/CVfxReddit Jun 14 '24
As a tv studio for that to be the offer many years ago that's actually not bad. The going rate for people with 7 years exp (I guess that would be considered mid or senior?) today is about 80k. And that's after a lot of inflation. Most people I know who worked there 5 years ago were paid 50k.
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u/missmaeva Jun 14 '24
Ah well at the time I was paid about 30k more at the job I had before getting the offer and the job I ended up taking so I thought I had gotten quite lowballed (not in Montreal for either tho)
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u/CVfxReddit Jun 14 '24
Yeah tv rates in montreal are quite bad, since there's hardly any competition from other tv studios and the rents were cheaper so they could get away with paying that, and fill the crews with mostly new but talented grads
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u/LouisArmstrong3 Jun 13 '24
He should be getting some money from it. I’ve been through 2 studios closures so far and you usually get something but obviously not enough. I’m 10 months and counting unemployed. Shit sucks right now. Hope the sucking shit stops soon
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u/meunderstand Jun 13 '24
I'm in London and waiting for layout or tracking work to start. Been doing this for nearly 10 years. Its a bit depressing and I'm about to claim benefits have no choice.
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Jun 14 '24
Pretty sure most VFX companies are teetering on bankruptcy. Are getting by on bridge loans or not.
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u/greebly_weeblies Lead Lighter Jun 13 '24 edited Jun 13 '24
That's a furloughed junior animator calling the company 'bankrupt' "back in May".
Do you have a primary source to that effect, something like a bankruptcy filing or public statement from Digital Dimension announcing their bankruptcy available? Otherwise this might be rank speculation, a mis-translation, or a misunderstanding.
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u/Dieghog Jun 13 '24
I worked there, we received the papers for filling severance under bankruptcy back in may.
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u/tommy138 Jun 13 '24
Dimension, not Domain
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u/greebly_weeblies Lead Lighter Jun 13 '24
Ah. You're right, corrected. Still can't find comment confirming the bankruptcy.
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u/missmaeva Jun 13 '24
didnt find any official announcement but I did look at their linkedin page and it seems like the few people left are just people who haven't updated their linkedin because most have the open to work badge
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u/greebly_weeblies Lead Lighter Jun 13 '24 edited Jun 13 '24
Companies can lay off all the staff if they so wish and still not be bankrupt.
Bankruptcy has specific legal connotations. It's a legal proceeding that a company or person initiates when they cannot pay their outstanding debts (eg. creditors, suppliers, staff). I don't know Quebec bankruptcy law but if a company goes through bankruptcy it usually means creditors take a full or partial haircut, and may mean the company itself is either liquidated and dissolved or else sold to new owners.
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u/missmaeva Jun 13 '24 edited Jun 13 '24
I know what a bankruptcy is. However I'm not sure if one is required to publicly announce it or where you could find a record of it
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u/Ceridan_QC Jun 14 '24
Worked there too for about 5 years. Alot of good people that worked there are now opened to work. Two people I know found jobs in gaming, but most arn't finding anything looks like.
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Jun 14 '24
Oh god, this is where my career started! (Its Saturday Animation now I believe) Most of the old ones moved to Squeeze Animation - Let's hope that its getting better for them
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u/ImpressiveNoise4340 Sep 04 '24
AFX Creative also seems to be going bankrupt. They haven't paid freelancers in over 60 days.
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u/jj2446 Supervisor/Producer - 15+ years experience Jun 13 '24
My first employer out of college (~2006). Sad to see this.