VISUAL EFFECTS (VFX) in film and television have a long and illustrious history. Decades-old film sagas such as Star Wars wowed audiences with gritty, grounded depictions of fictional worlds. Hyper-realistic animation was already established by the late 2000s through the likes of Iron Man and Transformers. While it would be reasonable to expect continued improvement in the field, the past few years have seen a noticeable uptick in controversy over declining VFX quality, with 2019’s Cats and 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania being two notable examples. Such issues are not a result of deteriorating technology or skill, but rather stem from cultural and organizational defects within the VFX industry. 

Problems within the VFX industry

   The recent deluge of poorly animated films has brought to light various internal issues within the VFX industry, one of them being inexperience. Major film studios are increasingly handing out contracts to small-scale VFX companies with little know-how, resulting in an inferior final product. Cats is a prime example, having been animated by Mill Film, a previously-defunct studio with little experience animating blockbuster projects[1]. This was further exacerbated by the VFX shots themselves being immensely difficult, even for established studios; the process of digitally applying fur to footage of real actors was particularly challenging. Cost-cutting is naturally the primary motivator for selecting the lowest bidder, something that triggers a plethora of other issues regarding incentives for artists. A multitude of VFX artists have come forth with complaints about low pay, poor working conditions, and lack of job security—all of which contribute to the exodus of skilled staff. Marvel Studios in particular is reportedly a strong offender, with reports suggesting it pays its artists up to 20% less than the industry standard in an effort to cut production costs[2]. Unreasonably short deadlines are another factor behind subpar VFX, with artists being forced to overwork in order to meet inflexible film release dates. The burden on VFX artists is further compounded by poorly planned-out filming that demands extensive touching-up in post-production, requiring effort to be diverted toward environmental rendering that should be unnecessary given proper filming. 

Implications for the film industry

   There are a multitude of reasons why efforts must be made to reinvigorate VFX in film and television. Substandard VFX contributes toward a significantly worse experience for audiences, especially considering that modern media projects require considerably more VFX on average[2]. The string of hyper-realistic films dating back decades has only increased audience expectations over time, leading to even greater backlash once films or shows fail to meet such expectations. It must also be noted that major studios and their popular blockbusters are the most heavily affected, which translates to grievances from an extremely wide audience. The aforementioned low incentives and harsh deadlines would only be a part of what artists would have to endure. Pointing out VFX mistakes has become somewhat of a trend on major social media platforms, and with it excessive and even unwarranted criticism toward VFX artists. The toll of working tirelessly to meet unreasonable production demands, only to be dissatisfied with the final product and receive harsh rebuke, would undoubtedly have dire implications for artists’ mental health. Film is a visual medium; therefore, stunning visual effects are just as important as a solid story and compelling characters in satisfying the audience. Poor VFX could thus trigger negative word of mouth and critic reviews, both of which would have disastrous consequences for studio profitability. 

Potential solutions

   A significant portion of VFX-related issues can likely be solved through adequate investment in human capital. VFX studios and production companies must give utmost priority to constructing an environment conducive to productive, quality work for their artists. An acceptable level of pay, manageable working hours, and job security should all be guaranteed. If a movie studio’s demands are too tight, VFX houses should more actively push for changes in order to provide their artists with much-needed breathing room. Only when such conditions are satisfied would artists be both willing and able to put in their best work. Meanwhile, movie studios should embrace a more “quality over quantity” approach. Rather than attempting to cut costs by contracting out VFX work to the lowest bidder, major projects must be undertaken by experienced studios for the sake of quality. Moreover, they should be more open to setting lenient release deadlines to circumvent time crunches, or even moving deadlines if VFX studios express concerns. Finally, it would be cognizant of moviegoers to understand the inherent difficulties present in the VFX industry and direct their criticism toward the flawed process rather than the artists themselves. 

[1] GQ

[2] CBR