It has just been reported that a group of visual effects artists who have worked on various recent Star Wars productions have decided to unionize. Deadline revealed that the artists will be joining the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, or IATSE. The report didn’t mention exactly how many workers voted to organize, but it did note that other VFX teams working on Disney-owned properties including Marvel and Avatar made the same choice in recent years.
IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb made a statement celebrating the artists’ decision:
“These workers help bring some of the most ambitious stories in entertainment to life, and they deserve a meaningful voice in shaping their working conditions. We are proud to welcome these visual effects professionals into our proud Union.”
Specifically, the now-unionized team consists of artists who lent their skills to The Mandalorian & Grogu, Ahsoka, and the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. Now that they’ve made their decision official, the workers will start negotiating their first contract with Disney.
Given that many Hollywood VFX workers have spoken out these past few years about inadequate compensation, excessive workloads, and overall mismanagement, perhaps these unions may represent a step toward a fairer, more sustainable industry. At the very least, fans of the new Star Wars movies and streaming shows can appreciate that the artists who play an essential role in creating them will be properly rewarded for their work.
Eric has been a fan of Star Wars ever since the age of five (or so) when his parents sat him down in front of a TV with pizza and a Sprite and showed him the original trilogy. He keeps trying to convince more fans to read the amazing 1980s Star Wars newspaper comics by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson. When he’s not reading, watching or playing Star Wars media, he’s often enjoying other great fantasy and science fiction sagas or playing roleplaying games with his friends.