When you step into a VFX studio, the lack of diversity is almost as glaring as that Tech error in the background (you know, the one nobody caught).
For women in particular, the industry can feel like a never-ending uphill climb, especially when you throw in the typical VFX challenges like insane overtime, impossible deadlines, and a heavy dose of male domination.
The Male-Dominated Reality
First up—gender diversity. It’s no secret that the VFX world is heavily male-dominated.
According to a 2021 report by Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, women hold only 22% of VFX jobs, and that number drops to a measly 5% for women in leadership roles like VFX supervisors.
Unconscious bias plays a massive role here. Men in power tend to hire and promote other men, often without even realizing it. And while a few women do break through to senior roles, they’re often the exception rather than the norm.
For the majority of women, the path to leadership is blocked by a combination of bias, politics, and an industry structure that doesn’t accommodate their needs.
Overtime, Deadlines, and Burnout
A survey by VFX Voice found that more than 60% of VFX professionals regularly work overtime, often unpaid. This overtime culture, driven by impossible deadlines and the pressure to deliver endless creative iterations, exacerbates the lack of diversity.
The extreme demands of the job discourage people from non-traditional backgrounds, especially women and minorities, who may have caregiving responsibilities or simply refuse to sacrifice their personal lives for work.
The Motherhood Struggle: Kids vs. Career
Now, let’s talk about the biggest elephant in the room—motherhood. The reality is, having kids in this industry is like trying to juggle flaming torches while walking a tightrope. The VFX industry just isn’t built for women with children. The long hours, the unpredictable nature of deadlines, and the feedback loops from supervisors make it near impossible to balance work with parenting.
And don’t even get me started on pregnancy. Women who take time off to have children often find that their careers stall when they return—or worse, they don’t return at all.
The VFX world moves fast, and when you step away, even for a short time, it can feel like you’ve missed out on crucial opportunities.
Add in the fact that there’s still a lot of outdated thinking around pregnancy in the workplace, and it’s no wonder that so many women either leave the industry or get stuck in lower-level positions.
Work from Home: A Missed Opportunity for Inclusivity?
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the VFX industry to adapt quickly, and the shift to remote work initially seemed like a potential boon for diversity. In theory, the ability to work from home could have leveled the playing field, allowing people from different regions, economic backgrounds, and caregiving situations to enter or remain in the workforce.
However, this promise of inclusivity hasn’t been fully realized. Remote work has blurred the lines between professional and personal time,
For women with kids, this was a nightmare. The demands of homeschooling, childcare, and household chores piled on top of the already demanding VFX workload. Instead of offering a solution, remote work just shifted the problem to a new location—one where the boundaries between work and life were even harder to maintain.
The Future: Can We Fix This?
So, what’s the solution? First, let’s start by calling out the diversity problem, because nothing changes if we don’t talk about it. We need to make VFX a welcoming place for everyone, from leadership roles down to entry-level artists. This means more inclusive hiring practices, support for flexible working hours, and putting an end to the relentless overtime culture.
