For the first time in over 60 years, both SAG-AFTRA and the WGA are striking in unison against the unreasonable standards set by entertainment studio executives. Considering the dire state the entertainment industry is in right now, this was not only an understandable decision, but it was altogether vital, in order for these creatives to be able to continue doing what they love.
Unfortunately, one corner of the industry continues to remain in a tight spot. Animators aren’t able to strike in solidarity with their fellow entertainment peers because of contractual obligations. In lieu of this, the recent strikes have given animators a new platform with which to voice just how awful things have gotten within their industry.
Regardless of whether or not they are protected under TAG (The Animation Guild), animation writers are consistently paid less than live-action writers. As well as this, neither writers nor artists in animation are paid residuals, compared to writers covered by the WGA. Most studio executives figure that they can get away with mistreatment of workers, since animation is such a competitive, unpredictable industry, and most newcomers in the business are young and eager for work.
This creates a narrow tunnel that’s difficult to advocate within. As it is, TAG doesn’t even cover workers within animation production—they are still fighting to include producers within their protected rights:
We are writing this letter to encourage Disney leadership to do the right thing and recognize the demand of Production Coordinators, Production Managers, and Production Supervisors to join IATSE Local 839, The Animation Guild (TAG). This is the same union that represents the artists and TDs we work alongside each and every day. The Walt Disney Company is a massive company with a legacy that spans 100 years. It is time for Disney to recognize the contributions that production workers make to ensure the creative, financial, and cultural success of Disney’s animated features and special projects. It’s time we have the protections of a union like our MPEG editors and artists and TD colleagues in the Animation Guild.
Production is a craft in its own right, and by forming our union we are saying we deserve to have viable and sustainable careers paths, living wages, and the ability to retire with dignity. Currently, our compensation does not provide a living wage nor does it match the value of the work being performed to deliver these million and billion dollar films on schedule, on budget, and at the exceptional standard our great studio is known for. We want equity in our representation and to have access to the same fringe benefits as our artist colleagues.
Production Coordinators, Production Managers, and Production Supervisors advocate for our respective department of artists constantly, and it is past time that we advocate for ourselves to join TAG.
The historic, vast disparity between artists and production workers does not reflect our partnership with our artist peers and the important contributions the studio tells us we make. Including Production Coordinators, Managers, and Supervisors in TAG would be a step in the right direction toward erasing that disparity.
IATSE: Open Letter to Walt Disney Animation Studios/Disney Leadership
And even with TAG fighting on behalf of its animators, it’s still difficult to get leverage within studios. Not only is the pay abysmal, but the amount of creative control a team might have is vastly minimized compared to live-action studios. Often, the work is given out on a freelance basis and therefore unprotected by larger corporate “bonuses,” minor as those bonuses may ultimately be. Along with this, it is largely left up to studios which union they choose to allocate to a team, and since they’ve already established the narrow tunnel that is TAG, they will often default to TAG with animated projects. This means consistently less pay and creative input.
Unfortunately, even with all this said, there’s more. One part of the reason entertainment workers are striking is because they are simply not getting a chance to actually work on anything. Less work means less pay, and when the pay is already bad, the situation grows even more dire. This then couples with the rising executive interest in AI, which could ultimately phase out genuine creative work entirely.
There’s a reason so many new workers in animation are so hungry for any kind of work: They know how competitive the industry is, and how nothing is guaranteed, no matter how much work they’ve put into their craft.
With all of this being said, what is there to do? How can this situation be remedied, and how can we ensure that animators get their due?
Solidarity is perhaps the most important thing right now. Though some studios and grifters might try to pit TAG against other unions, ultimately more good can come of these unions elevating each other. By highlighting what TAG is going through, the WGA and IATSE can fight harder and set higher standards, which in turn will help TAG when their upcoming 2024 negotiations are put into place. Moreover, by sharing their stories while supporting the WGA and beyond, TAG is strengthening the case of every creative worker in the industry. Animators are helping their fellow creatives while also making their cases known.
As well as this, workers must take this current opportunity and start pushing back on studios, like those TAG producers are doing with Disney. Likely, with so little at their disposal currently, the studios will fall back on what creative sources they do have and will pull something like this:
Therefore, those who are currently working must advocate for themselves and share what they are fighting for. Community support is at its most important right now, and we must capitalize on this moment to ensure that animators have a chance to stand up and establish their own demands when the time comes.
After all, people get into animation because they’re passionate about the art and the stories that can be told through its medium. It’s a special thing that needs to be honored all across the board. The execs don’t care about the artistic merit of these beloved shows and films because they’ve never had to put in an ounce of actual hard work to make them happen. It’s time to make them understand, so these creative and brilliant people have a chance at doing what they love and sharing their unique stories with us for as long as they can.
(featured image: DanielVilleneuve/Getty Images)
