Recent quotes from longtime TAG folks. (You hang out here much, you'll find them vaguely familiar) ....
Unpaid Overtime
"I worked at Klasky-Csupo years ago, and the overtime, unpaid, was brutal. I finally couldn't take it anymore and left. The union studio I'm at now doesn't like to pay o.t. either. The intimidation is intense. They've got ridiculous schedules and get on you if you don't hit them. Lots of people just stay as long as they have to. Nobody kibitzes, nobody takes breaks, there's no time ..."
This is a constant in the time I've been here. Some productions have "doable" production schedules and some not, but short schedules usually create pressure to "get it done on time" with the proviso: "We don't have any money in the budget for overtime!" (Like this is the artists' problem?)
TAG stands ready to file grievances over unpaid overtime. Many studios have coded cards to enter studio premises, so employers know exactly when employees are in the studio and when not.
Less Work Around Town
"I'm picking up less freelance and longer term in-studio gigs seem few and far between ..."
Television production work -- which is what the member above talks about -- has picked up a bit from levels of a year or two ago, but it's down from the levels seen in the 1990s and early 2000s when licensing fees were higher and syndicated animation blocks were a significant part of the television landscape. Now it's mostly cable ... cable .... cable.
This graph shows overall employment from 2007 through to this January:
This pie graph shows the distribution of employment as of today [numbers of people working are in square brackets] ...
The same chart for September 2009:
...And for August 2008:
The Motion Picture Industry Health Insurance
"Last summer I was getting more things paid for when I went to the doctor. Prescription drugs are now more expensive. An older co-worker who's retired isn't getting the same retiree health benefits he used to ..."
The reason these things have happened since August 1, 2009? The Plan re-design kicked in on that date, and Motion Picture Health coverage is now less generous.
For example, formerly fully-paid visits to the Motion Picture Television Fund clinics are now $5 a pop. Hospital stays that used to be 100% covered in the Blue Shield network are now 90% covered with a maximum out of pocket of $1000 (before August 1 it was $800.) Many medical costs that Medicare doesn't cover for retirees are no long being picked up by the Motion Picture Retiree Health Plan. (And retirees aren't happy about this.)
The Plan re-design was necessary because the Plan's health costs have risen 9.5% a year. Though cash in-flows have been going up, they haven't gone up enough to cover higher expenses.
But here's at least a partial remedy if you need to keep costs down:
Motion Picture Television Fund Health Center Locations
Bob Hope Health Center -- 335 N. La Brea Ave., L.A. 90036 -- (323) 634-3850.
Glendale Health Center -- 800 S. Central Ave. #305 -- Glendale, CA 91204 -- (818) 876-4790
Jack H. Skirball Health Center -- 23388 Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills, CA 91364 -- (818) 876-1050
North Valley Health Center -- 11550 Indian Hills Road #200, Mission Hill, CA 91345 -- (818) 876-4770
Santa Clarita Health Center -- 25751 McBean Parkway #210, Valencia, CA 91355 -- (661) 284-3100
Toluca Lake Health Center -- 4323 Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA 91501 -- (818) 556-2700
Westside Health Center -- 1950 Sawtelle Blvd. #130, Los Angeles, CA 90025 -- 310 996-9355
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11 comments:
Are those employment numbers strictly for animators? Or for total employees at the studio?
Total studio employees working under TAG jurisdiction.
if you don't get your work done on time the studios assume that its because youre not drawing fast enough or youre making bad use of your time and therefor its not their fault.
there is nothing the union can or ever will be able to do about it.
Screw this business.
I'm outta here.
You people can have it.
I feel sorry for all those folks out there that are just trying to get into the business now......now that it sucks worse then ever.
Boy are they in for a rude awakening someday soon.
(Sorry to sound so pessimistic).
Its not all bad. I mean, just ask the people at Dreamworks. They're super happy.
I mean, unless you're in this business to get rich...
I feel sorry for all those folks out there that are just trying to get into the business now......now that it sucks worse then ever.
Boy are they in for a rude awakening someday soon.
(Sorry to sound so pessimistic).
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
don't draw. maybe try healthcare or government work, write superhero action screenplay sequels on the side. and don't draw.
Screw this business.
I'm outta here.
You people can have it.
Hah. You think animation's tough, try surviving in the VFX industry. Three-week gigs, rare benefits, employers-of-record, and uncertain employment. Whee.
I look forwards to someday working full-time in the animation industry.
Yep, this is the pessimist again.
Working in the BUSINESS making OTHER people RICH isn't my cup of tea anymore.
All those endless hours,days,weeks,months and years for just a smidge of a paycheck compared to what the producers out there make..........it's just exploitation of the artists.
Too bad.
Oh, and I believe that someday Animation will suffer the exact fate as the VFX industry......if it isn't already.
i'm a member. i have issues.
I have never been shy about asking for OT. Unfortunately (for me,) these days, management has been just as eager to show me the door!
Is there really no cover from the GUILD for instances like these? I was a long term employee in one case as well as a *"short-timer" in the other[*within the 60 day "probationary period" afforded Producers under the guild contract.]
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