Industrial Light & Magic Artist Reviews
Updated 12 Sep 2019
- Helpful (3)
"Alright company but London doesn't have the ILM culture"
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RecommendsNeutral OutlookNo opinion of CEOI worked at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than 3 years
Pros
Great artists, amazin talents. If you like franchises, really good projects Good for the CV Good salaries There is a will to change things, but things take very long to materialise Some good Disney benefits (free parks entries)
Cons
old pipeline artist management is not great contract renewal usually done at the last minute London office doesn't get the same benefits as SF, ILM SF has a long VFX culture that didn't not reach London. uneven quality of supervisors, some are great some are bad They struggle to get new work, which resulted on a massive wave of lay off. More and more work is sent to 3rd party companies. No much space to grow,... limited career development.
Show MoreAdvice to Management
There is work in modernising the pipeline but this is moving too slowly. ILM has to find a way to be more competitive. Maybe reduce the number of supervisor, streamline some departments, be more agile with the artists. Be more reactive, everything moves too slowly.
Industrial Light & Magic2019-09-12 "I want to develop my knowledge and personal life"
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Doesn't RecommendNeutral OutlookApproves of CEOI worked at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than 3 years
Pros
Job secure then there have much more technical knowledges
Cons
Always i will do to complete challenging work then only develop my knowledge so always i would like it
Advice to Management
Give me chance for pour people working to abroad then only develop knowledge and Telnet carrier
Industrial Light & Magic2019-08-16"Had a great time"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
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RecommendsNeutral OutlookApproves of CEOI worked at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than a year
Pros
Working on the biggest/best projects in the entertainment industry, all of the time.
Cons
Chose to leave after seeing layoffs, at the same time we were hearing we'd made record earnings on films. All of the work is being outsourced.
Advice to Management
Fairer pay for Jr artists that live in the area, keep work in the Bay, otherwise management is pretty awesome.
Industrial Light & Magic2019-06-14- Helpful (9)
"Game of Thrones in here, you will be stabbed in the back..."
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Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than 8 years
Pros
The story of this place and the people that started everything is so inspiring.
Cons
No morale No culture anymore, it's turning into a production line Long hours You will get emails about how the company is thriving, how successful the projects are thanks to you, but you will no get bonuses anymore. A promotion is just impossible, Managers don't really pay attention to who is who, they usually promote the whiners and not the most talented or hard workers. If you are not a supervisor nobody... will pay attention to your suggestions or feedback. Salaries are awful no work-life balance in San Francisco, the most expensive city in the world. The work is now done in Vancouver mostly, San Francisco only gets the left-overs Not a healthy competition environment. Trying to save money they turned the work areas into a homeless camp.
Show MoreAdvice to Management
You are losing people because of the lack of morale, the micromanagement is also killing the passion. Listen to your employees, make managers understand everyone's level so you can promote people in a fair way , they are moire like "bosses" than leaders. Reward people, they are your company! Trying to save money hiring Jr's is not smart, you are losing Senior artist that now are leaving your company and will... eventually turn into your competition. Managers are incompetent.
Show MoreIndustrial Light & Magic2019-03-01 - Helpful (16)
"The most biased management I've seen"
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Doesn't RecommendNeutral OutlookDisapproves of CEOI have been working at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than 5 years
Pros
Not one besides the fact it's got this big name and good benefits.
Cons
If you are not friends with the right group of people you are out. You might say that's any company out there but I've been at almost all of the big companies in the industry. Nothing even comes close the how ILM works.
Advice to Management
Stop giving out any kind of work related special treatment to your friends. It's so painfully obvious. Stop treating your drinking buddies in the departments like employees first class and the rest like disposable attachments. Stop giving them the best work unconditionally and the rest who doesn't suck up to the gods of the departments are neglected. Stop giving long contracts and staff to only your drinking buddy... sweat hearts. It's so obvious. And for God's sake stop promoting the most useless people just because you are friends with them. Everybody on the floor sees what your are doing.
Show MoreIndustrial Light & Magic2019-02-26 - Helpful (4)
"Terrible Managment of artists"
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Doesn't RecommendI worked at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than 8 years
Pros
good benefits for employees, used to be better pre disney
Cons
Managers who truly have no idea what the persons they manage actually do. if you not buddy buddy with them you won't go anywhere and will have actively thrown hurdles in your way.
Advice to Management
get managers to actually take interest in the day to day work.
Industrial Light & Magic2019-03-05 - Helpful (28)
"Don't work here, its a toxic mess."
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Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than 5 years
Pros
Incredibly talented workforce, some of the best people in the industry. Nice location
Cons
Upper management treats their employees like expendable cattle and are completely out of touch with the struggles and difficulties of the everyday worker. Little to no job security with petty politics. Individuals who get promoted tend to be those who enjoy belittling and dominating others. Current hierarchy structure fails to recognize structural issues as the only opinion that counts is upper management, they... completely discount employee grievances. This is not the ILM of the 80's and 90's that shone through innovation, this is now just another churn and burn studio that couldn't care less about their employees. I would highly recommend looking elsewhere for work, VFX is a dead end industry that is failing due to poor management and outsourcing.
Show MoreAdvice to Management
Figure out a business model that doesn't depend on churning through talent like they're expendable garbage. Stop promoting those who thrive at the expense of others. Adopt a performance metric that isn't reliant on filtered feedback from self serving managers while ignoring the opinions and grievances of those who actually do the work. I passionately worked hours for free at this company only to be sidelined,... belittled and ultimately cast aside like refuse while a disgusting attempt was made to blacklist me from the VFX industry. This story has been repeated again and again. Sociopathic behavior is rewarded in middle management and a self serving out of touch upper management fails to recognize or accept any criticism of this from the general artist pool. Not sure how you will resolve such a toxic work environment, good luck to you.
Show MoreIndustrial Light & Magic2018-07-14 - Helpful (1)
"Just a number"
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Doesn't RecommendNeutral OutlookDisapproves of CEOI worked at Industrial Light & Magic for more than 3 years
Pros
Good tech and pipe. Work colleagues are nice
Cons
The moaniest place ever worked. No loyalty to employees. If someone is cheaper than you expect the shove out at earliest opportunity. Incessant emails telling company how well it's doing while letting employees go. No reward for trying harder or giving your all. Awful office more like a cold call center. Badly run departments and expect to work pressured overtime for nothing. It's ILM in name only, more exciting... shows at other places (proved by lack of awards) .
Show MoreAdvice to Management
Nothing. You promise change just to keep people passive or not to be like other vfx houses yet low and behold exactly same. No advice because you don't listen.
Industrial Light & Magic2018-02-24 "Best place to work with"
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RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEOI worked at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than a year
Pros
Great team. Join the force!!
Cons
Improve leadership and paycheck is bad in this place (Singapore)
Advice to Management
Need to treat the staff great
Industrial Light & Magic2017-06-14- Helpful (2)
"Concept Artist"
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RecommendsPositive OutlookNo opinion of CEOI have been working at Industrial Light & Magic full-time for more than 5 years
Pros
Although the wages are low the work environment is great. The experience gained is worth it in my opinion. Good luck!
Cons
Low wages. It's not the best place to work if you need an income over 100 k. Still a great place.
Industrial Light & Magic2017-06-03
Join the Industrial Light & Magic team
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