It seems like special effects are almost going backwards and they're starting to give off a "Land of the Lost" vibe.
A recent instance that exemplifies a significant decline in VFX quality is the specific case of the 2019 remake of Cats. The effects in this film were executed so poorly that it essentially became a subject of ridicule within the Hollywood community.
So, what is the reason behind this decline, despite technological advancements? Well, it's quite simple: these VFX artists are being worked to the bone.
From Western Journal:
This truly sounds like an absolute nightmare. While the physical demands of being a VFX artist may not be excessive, the mental workload must be utterly atrocious.
Many employees of VFX houses were reportedly driven to the edge due to workplace abuse, tight deadlines and unreasonable hours, sometimes totaling up to 70-hour workweeks. The burnout was so extreme that some artists would cry in bathrooms as they worked into the early hours of the morning.
Additionally, others could not leave at the end of the day before their work was finished.
“I’ve been worked to the point where I felt like I was going to die,” an employee posted on Reddit. Another likened the working conditions to “psychological torture.”
Furthermore, big-time movie studios requesting their help don’t make it easy on the VFX designers either. One even called out Marvel Studios, the Disney-owned subsidiary known for rushing CGI shots on its packed slate of theatrical films and streaming series.
“Working on Marvel shows is what pushed me to leave the VFX industry,” Dhruv Govil tweeted last year. “They’re a horrible client, and I’ve seen way too many colleagues break down after being overworked.”
Although I am not an expert in visual arts myself, I can only envision the intricacies entailed in the process and how mentally draining it must be, particularly when working for 70 hours per week.
It seems like Hollywood is having a quantity versus quality problem when it comes to VFX.
