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I'll start another thread about animator salary based on the announcement you can find on studio's HP.
Why ? Not that the old ones were (completely) wrong but i did not understand what was a "contract employee" i thought it was the same as a "fulltime employee" but it's not !!
Why ? Not that the old ones were (completely) wrong but i did not understand what was a "contract employee" i thought it was the same as a "fulltime employee" but it's not !!
I have come across 3 different king of "contract/agreement" binding a studio to an animator.
Fulltime employee
Contract employee
Business consignment (Freelance)
First 2 are close but the best is of course to be a fulltime employee.
Fulltime employee
Contract employee
Business consignment (Freelance)
First 2 are close but the best is of course to be a fulltime employee.
Starting as a contrac employee might be the 1st step to get to a fulltime job.
In this case everything is in the hands of the studio at the end of your contract they can ask you to leave, you might. You can see the benefits for a studio to manage its work force.
In this case everything is in the hands of the studio at the end of your contract they can ask you to leave, you might. You can see the benefits for a studio to manage its work force.
This contract employee status can be turn to the benefits of the employee after 5 years you can request to be a fulltime employee and the company can't refuse.
But a clever studio might not keep them around that long...
But a clever studio might not keep them around that long...
Let's start with the yardstick 
Kyoto Animation
Status : Contract employee (renewable every year)
Salary : 1000 ¥ / hours
You can request an interview to turn fulltime employee
Salary : 202 000 ¥ (including 30 000 ¥ for overtime)
Kyoto Animation
Status : Contract employee (renewable every year)
Salary : 1000 ¥ / hours
You can request an interview to turn fulltime employee
Salary : 202 000 ¥ (including 30 000 ¥ for overtime)
It also one of the few studio to point out if you do more overtime than what's included in your salary, they will pay for it.
Their contract also include :
Bonuses
Insurance : Health insurance, welfare pension, employment insurance, workers' accident compensation insurance.
Their contract also include :
Bonuses
Insurance : Health insurance, welfare pension, employment insurance, workers' accident compensation insurance.
Note : i think there is a trick in all job posting about Overtime since it's included in the salary but studios might no pay it if you don't do that overtime, i will assume ? So it's only there to make the salary more shiny for those who read to fast.
Then let's move on studio Gaina
(the money laundering machine if twitter is to be believed...)
Status : Contract employee (renewal every 6 month)
Salary : 180 000 ¥ (including 12 hours overtime for 14 900 ¥)
(the money laundering machine if twitter is to be believed...)
Status : Contract employee (renewal every 6 month)
Salary : 180 000 ¥ (including 12 hours overtime for 14 900 ¥)
Insurance : Health insurance, welfare pension, employment insurance, workers' accident compensation insurance, welfare insurance.
Housing preferencial treatment system (the company bears the deposit).
The best part : Hair saloon discount !!
Housing preferencial treatment system (the company bears the deposit).
The best part : Hair saloon discount !!
There also a form of Bonus at Gaina.
I also forgot - for both studios they take charge to some extent of the commuting fees.
I also forgot - for both studios they take charge to some extent of the commuting fees.
You can also add these 3 studios using the "Contract employee" formula :
A-1 Pictures
Yostar Pictures
Cygames Pictures
They don't share information about the salary or not anymore.
Earlier in 2020 Cygames was at the same level as Gaina.
A-1 Pictures
Yostar Pictures
Cygames Pictures
They don't share information about the salary or not anymore.
Earlier in 2020 Cygames was at the same level as Gaina.
Mappa ;-p
Status : Fulltime employee
Salary : 187 148 ¥ (including 45 hours for overtime)
Insurance & other : Social insurance, welfare pension, employment insurance, commuting allowance, housing allowance, family allowance, and regular health examination.
Status : Fulltime employee
Salary : 187 148 ¥ (including 45 hours for overtime)
Insurance & other : Social insurance, welfare pension, employment insurance, commuting allowance, housing allowance, family allowance, and regular health examination.
Mappa is all the rage these past few day... i was also supposed to open with this (i forgot again), i think it's a good place now:
We see studios making effort in term of salary and working condition but the other BIG problem that needs to be adressed is project planification...
We see studios making effort in term of salary and working condition but the other BIG problem that needs to be adressed is project planification...
indulging in overtive, excessive overtime... it kills! Never forget that.
I don't have an exemple on top of my head but you had Hiroyuki Yamashita who went to the hospital during the production of Boruto's movie for starters.
This also needs to be adressed fast.
I don't have an exemple on top of my head but you had Hiroyuki Yamashita who went to the hospital during the production of Boruto's movie for starters.
This also needs to be adressed fast.
TRIGGER
Status : Business consignment
Salary : volume system (animators are paid by the drawing)
In this case an animator will have to choose by himself an insurance solution.
Status : Business consignment
Salary : volume system (animators are paid by the drawing)
In this case an animator will have to choose by himself an insurance solution.
khara (from their last job posting in 2017)
Status : Business consignment
Salary : volume system (animators are paid by the drawing) + 40 000 ¥
This is very funny to me... Hideaki Anno that's it, the best you can do with Evangelion at your side.........
Status : Business consignment
Salary : volume system (animators are paid by the drawing) + 40 000 ¥
This is very funny to me... Hideaki Anno that's it, the best you can do with Evangelion at your side.........
I found a good ressource about the subject of Business consignment contracts.
There is 3 points where you need to be careful in case of a trial.
1/ Be specific about the content of the business
2/ Be specific about the delivery dates
3/ Be specific about the reward
There is 3 points where you need to be careful in case of a trial.
1/ Be specific about the content of the business
2/ Be specific about the delivery dates
3/ Be specific about the reward
Jp ressource about Bussiness Consignment contract https://www.kaonavi.jp/dictionary/outsourcing_contract/
Another jp ressource about Fulltime & Contract employement https://next.rikunabi.com/tenshokuknowhow/archives/15902/
Studio 3Hz.
Another interesting exemple based on Consignment business contract.
The animator will be paid by the volume but they have a curious way of calculating the paycheck to the advantage of the animator.
Another interesting exemple based on Consignment business contract.
The animator will be paid by the volume but they have a curious way of calculating the paycheck to the advantage of the animator.
They pay per drawing is 360 ¥ (varies depending on the project).
In their exemple they assume the animator would provide 300 drawings - what they do:
(360+300)*300 = 198 000 ¥
Instead of just following the logical route 360*300=108 000 ¥ it seems like a win for the animators.
In their exemple they assume the animator would provide 300 drawings - what they do:
(360+300)*300 = 198 000 ¥
Instead of just following the logical route 360*300=108 000 ¥ it seems like a win for the animators.
I asked animator @KenArto if there was some ground to assume a young animator could provide monthly 300 drawings.
He said yes, he only missed that target 6 times in 18 months.
He said yes, he only missed that target 6 times in 18 months.
I also missed to say these studios working with Business consignment contract will help the new graduates in the 1st few month with a fixed salary - in most case 50 000 ¥.
In the case of Ken, his 1st few month as an inbetweener he only made 120 000 ¥ (1153 US $).
In the case of Ken, his 1st few month as an inbetweener he only made 120 000 ¥ (1153 US $).
As you can see an animator life is full of hardship, in the early days more so.
When you start to get a name for yourself you can start to negociate, get better paid jobs, those there is no listing for like Storyboard artist, Animation director, Chara designer etc...
When you start to get a name for yourself you can start to negociate, get better paid jobs, those there is no listing for like Storyboard artist, Animation director, Chara designer etc...
If you speak french give a try to @KenArto & friends Youtube channel where they share many tidbits about japanese animation 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvvAqIIXe0MSHmz-gyflobQ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvvAqIIXe0MSHmz-gyflobQ
More ressources on the subject https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/7/2/20677237/anime-industry-japan-artists-pay-labor-abuse-neon-genesis-evangelion-netflix
"That seems to be the case for dōga animators, who are typically paid just a few hundred yen per frame. As a result, the average monthly income for those aged 20 to 24 is just ¥128,800" https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2019/05/08/general/younger-animators-still-struggling-amid-anime-boom/
I mreant to add a disclaimer but since it was done for me
These are indeed starting position for only one job animator on most famous studio.
Also we discuss an agreement between a person with a company their room for negociation. https://twitter.com/Yuyucow/status/1337340230333067264
These are indeed starting position for only one job animator on most famous studio.
Also we discuss an agreement between a person with a company their room for negociation. https://twitter.com/Yuyucow/status/1337340230333067264
There is better place / worst place feel free to share any valuable information.
Challenge this thread, ill share any valuable information you will bring.
Challenge this thread, ill share any valuable information you will bring.
Remember i and most of us are looking from outside on a system we are not part of.