Comments on: The Orphanage suspends operations http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations quick news and comments about the vfx industry Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:43:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mike http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-5264 Mike Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:45:58 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-5264 The sky isn't falling - but China/India are definitely going to get more contracts. Kind of like manufacturing, or IT, or many businesses already over there. Sadly, VFX isn't immune, and special as some would like to believe. The sky isn’t falling – but China/India are definitely going to get more contracts.
Kind of like manufacturing, or IT, or many businesses already over there. Sadly, VFX isn’t immune, and special as some would like to believe.

]]> By: Dexter2999 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-4254 Dexter2999 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:46:44 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-4254 This is sad. I can't help but think that a few economic factors converged to close the doors of such a great place. Unions prevent the type of workplace abuse that seems to be running rampant in the post environment. Post professionals are willingly working without the protections that Production crews enjoy. Union protections and compensations cut both ways. They prevent radical undercutting if all professional shops stand together. The downside is the industry will continue to seek lower priced options such as non-Union shops as well as foreign shops that enjoy either government incentives or positive exchange rates. What was the shop in India that just bought like 100 seats of Fusion? Sony Imageworks opened shop in right to work state New Mexico and in India as well. Large staffs in an expensive local such as LA or San Francisco are going to be a great disadvantage as places like India and China gain more sophisticated facilities and will work for a fraction of a working wage needed here in the US. Sad state of affairs. This is sad. I can’t help but think that a few economic factors converged to close the doors of such a great place.

Unions prevent the type of workplace abuse that seems to be running rampant in the post environment. Post professionals are willingly working without the protections that Production crews enjoy.

Union protections and compensations cut both ways. They prevent radical undercutting if all professional shops stand together. The downside is the industry will continue to seek lower priced options such as non-Union shops as well as foreign shops that enjoy either government incentives or positive exchange rates. What was the shop in India that just bought like 100 seats of Fusion? Sony Imageworks opened shop in right to work state New Mexico and in India as well.

Large staffs in an expensive local such as LA or San Francisco are going to be a great disadvantage as places like India and China gain more sophisticated facilities and will work for a fraction of a working wage needed here in the US.

Sad state of affairs.

]]> By: German http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-3390 German Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:11:35 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-3390 man, this is just sad. this is a proof for all of us that the bigger you become, the bigger the risks become too. So yeah, there will be no securities ever... we better get detached quickly from whatever we've built man, this is just sad. this is a proof for all of us that the bigger you become, the bigger the risks become too. So yeah, there will be no securities ever… we better get detached quickly from whatever we’ve built

]]> By: Kulg http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-3365 Kulg Sat, 07 Feb 2009 04:21:32 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-3365 michje1, no one here will "hit you"; you "hit the nail on the head." As a 20 year veteran of the industry, it is absolutely true that we are all expected to work more, produce more and do it for fixed bids than ever before. And to make matters worse, there doesn't appear to be a change coming anytime soon in this methodology. More and more shops are hiring salaried artists, and paying less without overtime. It has become a slave worker's cult. At first, it feels good to know you are working on shots that will be in a motion picture that millions will see. Then come the continual requests to work for days without sleep, and even worse compensation. It works very, very well for the studios. The industry posted record profits. It would be great to "correct" this ugly trend in our industry. But as long as the countless VFX shops small and large outbid each other for pennies on the dollar, it will get worse before it gets better. michje1, no one here will “hit you”; you “hit the nail on the head.” As a 20 year veteran of the industry, it is absolutely true that we are all expected to work more, produce more and do it for fixed bids than ever before. And to make matters worse, there doesn’t appear to be a change coming anytime soon in this methodology. More and more shops are hiring salaried artists, and paying less without overtime. It has become a slave worker’s cult. At first, it feels good to know you are working on shots that will be in a motion picture that millions will see. Then come the continual requests to work for days without sleep, and even worse compensation. It works very, very well for the studios. The industry posted record profits. It would be great to “correct” this ugly trend in our industry. But as long as the countless VFX shops small and large outbid each other for pennies on the dollar, it will get worse before it gets better.

]]> By: michje1 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-3363 michje1 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:12:52 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-3363 I am new to the industry and I am taking classes to become a pro, but I must say this is a blow for me. I love the work that the Orphanage put out. I hope that they all get some kick-tail jobs even during this economic crisis. I also want to reference recent articles on fxguide about the industry's extreme deadlines mixed with grand request and less pay. If anything good comes about from this (it is fuzzy and hard to see) is that when the turn around comes back there may be an opportunity to correct the way the industry runs. Again I am a newbie don't hit me. I wish all the best for the Orphans. I am new to the industry and I am taking classes to become a pro, but I must say this is a blow for me. I love the work that the Orphanage put out. I hope that they all get some kick-tail jobs even during this economic crisis. I also want to reference recent articles on fxguide about the industry’s extreme deadlines mixed with grand request and less pay. If anything good comes about from this (it is fuzzy and hard to see) is that when the turn around comes back there may be an opportunity to correct the way the industry runs. Again I am a newbie don’t hit me.

I wish all the best for the Orphans.

]]> By: Kulg http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-3360 Kulg Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:28:43 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-3360 Su: May the Spirit be with you! Su:
May the Spirit be with you!

]]> By: javyelow http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-3358 javyelow Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:21:31 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-3358 :o Shit! Sad, Sad, very Sad.... :o
Shit!

Sad, Sad, very Sad….

]]> By: Phillip Gibb http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-3355 Phillip Gibb Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:06:13 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-3355 oh man that sux, I hope that this does not become a trend in the industry otherwise it could hinder the progress of the craft. or not if people choose to ignore it and continue to push the limits (which is a bit hard to do when you're not getting paid) hmmm well, I vote turn around Phill oh man that sux,
I hope that this does not become a trend in the industry otherwise it could hinder the progress of the craft.
or not if people choose to ignore it and continue to push the limits (which is a bit hard to do when you’re not getting paid)
hmmm

well, I vote turn around

Phill

]]> By: Izzy http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-3351 Izzy Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:13:38 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-3351 After i got laid-off back in November (still am), it's hard not to notice things like this happening, and the regular media reporting job losses in the thousands here in the US, one can confuse it with the world crumbling to the ground, but it's GOT to get better soon. Like majik said, back in the late 90's this happened as well, and we bounced back, so here's hoping the Orphans, and the rest of us seeking jobs get picked-up soon. Either-way, great job Stu and the Orphans, you entertained us for a long time. I can't wait to see what Stu and his team does next. After i got laid-off back in November (still am), it’s hard not to notice things like this happening, and the regular media reporting job losses in the thousands here in the US, one can confuse it with the world crumbling to the ground, but it’s GOT to get better soon.

Like majik said, back in the late 90’s this happened as well, and we bounced back, so here’s hoping the Orphans, and the rest of us seeking jobs get picked-up soon.

Either-way, great job Stu and the Orphans, you entertained us for a long time.
I can’t wait to see what Stu and his team does next.

]]> By: majik http://www.fxguide.com/qt/706/the-orphanage-suspends-operations/comment-page-1#comment-3349 majik Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:59:50 +0000 http://www.fxguide.com/qt/?p=706#comment-3349 Size was maybe a factor, 160 employees, thats quite a sizeable staff, overheads must have been huge. The difference between say a small (20-30) staff and 80-90+ staff is significant. Many houses in the mid 90s crashed and burned in similar circumstances. Mid-sized companies always suffer when the market place gets overly competitive, sounds like Boss Film all over again. Watch this space, there may be more casualties. Size was maybe a factor, 160 employees, thats quite a sizeable staff, overheads must have been huge. The difference between say a small (20-30) staff and 80-90+ staff is significant. Many houses in the mid 90s crashed and burned in similar circumstances. Mid-sized companies always suffer when the market place gets overly competitive, sounds like Boss Film all over again. Watch this space, there may be more casualties.

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