The Animation Guild's Last Stand

Can the guild prevent jobs from going overseas and an AI apocalypse?

I have a lot of animator friends. They’re the sweetest folks you could ever meet. Hell, I married one! But it’s that inherent sweetness that has been taken advantage of for decades.

Animation is a hugely profitable business. This year alone, we have seen the highest-grossing animated films and the most streamed shows.

And yet, this is the worst time I’ve ever seen for animation workers.

One animator friend in his forties said, “It feels like I’m just graduating college, accepting whatever industry-adjacent job I can.”

Another was worried about the amount of work shipped overseas, the elimination of key roles, and the fact that AI is already replacing artists. “The union needs to force studios to guarantee a percentage of jobs stay in the US.”

These are familiar concerns for anyone in WGA or SAG. But, the disparity between those unions and the animation guild is alarming.

The WGA strike last year illuminated this:

There are many social media posts like this, but what I found most shocking was the reaction to them. Many people didn’t know how big a gulf there was between WGA and TAG-covered shows.

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Here’s a hypothetical:

Say you create a beloved TAG animated show.

And let’s say, I dunno, it went for four seasons.

I’m just saying hypothetically!

Did you know…No matter how successful it is or how often it’s broadcast/streamed/purchased in the US and abroad, you won’t see a dime? Unlike the WGA, there are no residuals for writers or show creators in the animation guild.

OKAY. I know what you’re thinking…

Boo Hoo for the .01% of lucky folks who get their show on air. What about everyone else?

Everyone else is either treating animation as a side gig, changing careers, or just leaving town!

And yet, the money continues flowing to the corporations.

Will the tide turn? Last week’s rally suggests maybe.

But, as the union enters its first week of negotiations, I have one piece of advice:

Stop being so damn nice.