A Word of Caution

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 8 months or so, you're sure to have noticed that the economy isn't doing so well.

Nonetheless, the animation industry seams to be doing just fine. On the film end, box office receipts have been strong. And on the video game end, the industry grew another 10% last year and shows no signs of slowing.

But from the way the producers and execs are talking, you'd never know it.

It seams that employers are using the economic downturn as an excuse to slash wages, low-ball contractors, and downsize employees. Certainly, there is legitimate trouble brewing at some studios. But in a lot of cases, business is doing just fine, and execs are using scare tactics as bargaining chips to frighten workers and intimidate them into taking pay cuts. People are so afraid of losing their jobs (understandably so), that they're giving in without a fight.

Obviously this kind of thing applies to more than just the animation industry. When the job market goes south, a lot of companies see it as an opportunity to take advantage of employees and boost profits. But the problem is so evident in the animation industry right now because of the stark contrast; the industry is doing so well in the middle of a tanking economy.

There've been a few articles in the news recently about the issue as it applies to various fields. And I've heard from a number of artists in the animation world who have dealt with it first hand. The TAG blog has been keeping tabs on the trend. Here's a recent entry:
why-everyone-is-sucking-it-up

In any case, this is just a word of warning: be informed. Make sure you stay up to date on the state of the industry (this applies to anyone), or it's easy to have the wool pulled over your eyes. It's natural to worry when the economy starts churning. But it's important to know that animation is actually doing quite well in the midst of it all.