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Since an article came out today regarding anime production, I'd like to highlight something I wrote a couple years ago as an introduction to production committees: https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2017/05/02/what-is-an-animes-production-committee/
I also went further into what that entails for companies like Funimation on this blog post https://www.funimation.com/blog/2020/03/12/what-does-it-mean-to-be-on-an-anime-production-committee-fruits-basket-fire-force/
I wish I could say the problem of underpaying animator and animation staff had a simple answer of "pay them more" but there's more issues than just that.
Producing animation is more expensive than people realize. Even with animators not getting paid enough, it still costs a fair amount to produce animation in contrast to live-action in Japan. Live-action may have fewer people involved depending on staff and such so more per/person
At the same time, productions are being rushed to air/made due to decisions from committees, which means production studios need /more people/ and therefore costs go up.
Studio executives don't pay what they should, so wages aren't good enough.
Studio executives don't pay what they should, so wages aren't good enough.
Similarly, you have productions that don't do as well, so you have to diversify and produce more content, which makes things rushed, which perpetuates this whole issue.
I'd also say older executives who still think about things in terms of home video sales and ignoring other revenue streams hurt too because they're not bringing in the revenue they used to and that causes some panic.
The situation is complicated and counting on a Western savior to come in and everything's magically better is ignorant of all the issues there at best and culturally insensitive at worst.
We have to support where we can so that these people can find ways to survive and thrive.
We have to support where we can so that these people can find ways to survive and thrive.
I'm not saying that committees are always horrible or that studio executives are always great, but that things are very complicated and it'll take time to resolve in hopefully a better situation. We have to be ready to help in what ways we can.
That's all.
That's all.
Although when your executive compares work to a battlefield and says employees are recharged after eating power bars, I feel you're probably an awful executive and would like to see him out of power.
One thing we can do is support projects like the Animator Dormitory project.
https://gogetfunding.com/2020-animator-dormitory-project/
https://gogetfunding.com/2020-animator-dormitory-project/
