"Crunch Time" at Pixar

[robcat2075]

Years ago, one of my AnimationMentor classmates got a new-animator job at BlueSky. The work week was 50 hours for 40 hours pay. Then after she had been there a couple of month they announced it was "crunch time." Everyone was now expected to work 70 hours per week for 50 hours of pay. And some free pizza.

She did it. With many weeks of crunch time they got their picture done on time. But she didn't stay much longer, she saw that never being home was ruining her marriage.


Here is a damning article about similar crunch time at Pixar

Inside Out 2 Was the Hit Pixar Needed, but the Laid-Off Employees Who Crunched on It Are Still Hurting

It's a long article, and many of the comments are off-the-record, but it all sounds entirely believable.

Imagine working "crunch time" for months and then being laid off so you're no longer eligible for the bonus that employees get for the movie being successful.

[robcat2075]

I found the original telling of the anecdote I recounted above. It's slightly different.... and worse... than i recalled.
 

Quote

  ...I started one job where the second big meeting had the producer at the front of the room announcing that we were entering serious crunch time, so "say goodbye to your families, because we own you" for the next 4 months.  Paid OT over 60 hours required management approval, which was difficult to get, but if you didn't make the crazy deadlines, you were demoted or let go.  So....  what do you do?  I was already in, and it was a cool project, so I ate my free pizza and worked my 90 hour weeks for 60 hours pay, and when the project was done, I promised myself (and my husband) that I'd never do that again.

 

[fae_alba]

Been there in my it consulting days. At one point I was working close to 100 hrs a week. Got nothing from the effort other than knowing we saved a clients business. Laid off shortly after we merged with citric.

 

Id do it again...but only for myself.