VFX Artists To Protest During Oscars

Hollywood celebs boast about their charitable and humanitarian good works - apparently that do-gooder feeling doesn't apply to fellow movie industry co-workers.

As the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences readies for their annual 'big show' on March 2nd - preparing song and dance routines, guest appearances, award presenters' cue cards, banquets, pre and post parties, and mega-dollar swag bags, their fellow visual effects artists will be protesting within a stone's throw from the red carpet.

Over 500 visual effects artists (VFX) will be protesting against Hollywood's treatment of their members, and my guess is that any mention of this, if at all, by the press will be cursory and there certainly won't be one utterance from any of the attending glitterati. According to the Association of Digital Artists, Professionals, and Technicians (ADAPT) the VFX is "trying to bring attention and awareness and show support for our effort to levy duties against VFX subsidies by other countries".

As an example, last year  Rhythm & Hues, the VFX company that won the Oscar for best visual effects for the movie 'Life of Pi', was in bankruptcy at the time it won the award.  The problem is that non-U.S. VFX firms receive tax subsidies from their governments allowing them to price their services at a fraction of the cost of what a U.S. based VFX company must charge.  The U.K., Canada, and New Zealand are the worst offenders.  "We're trying to focus on the destructive impact of these subsidies", Dan Lay, spokeman for ADAPT told CMG. Adding, "It's great that there are Oscar parties going on, but a lot of us are being hurt by this and we get no support from Hollywood."

ADAPT wants a levy charged to movies that benefit from foreign country tax subsidies. According to Lay, "we don't want to be disruptive or disrespectful to the Oscars. We want and need our voice to be heard.  Basically, all of our jobs in LA have left, so that issue is moot, unless we can bring the industry back."

What the VFX artists need is for actors, directors, and others in the cinema industry to voice and show their support by stating they will not commit or be associated with movies made by studios in countries where heavy subsidies are the norm.

CMG's TAKE

The studios will utilize special effects artists where they can get them at the least cost. The actors, I don't believe, care about their fellow movie co-workers so long as they get their paying roles. VFX artists - continue to fight the good fight but you are going to be fighting alone.

Best
Jim Lavorato