Mar 17, 2020

Coronavirus: Thousands of VFX Artists Sign a petition calling for them to work at home

In recent weeks, the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) has forced cinemas to shutter, events to cancel or postpone, schools to close their campuses, and companies to send their staff home. But while even major animation studios shut their offices, the visual effects industry is lagging behind.

Many vfx shops continue to ask their staff to come into work. A major reason for this is the existence of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), which complicates the work-from-home setup. The industry's slow reaction has sparked widespread criticism from its artists, who accuse employers of neglecting the health risks of on-site working.

They have found a voice in Mario Rokicki, a color supervisor at DNEG in Vancouver, Canada. On Sunday, Rokicki launched a petition (independently, not as a DNEG representative) to pressure employers to change their practices. The petition is addressed to the Motion Picture Association of America, which represents the major Hollywood film studios and Netflix. At the time of writing, it has over 5,500 signatures.

Rokicki's accompanying statement reads:

On Monday, Rokicki posted an update:

Do you work in the industry- Want to tell us how your employer is reacting- Leave a comment below or email [email protected], stating whether you wish to remain anonymous.

(Image at top: “Sonic the Hedgehog”)