Thousands of jobs have been lost in animation and visual effects studios

Almost 3,400 of the roughly 8,000 workers at Quebec's animation and visual effects studios lost their jobs between 2022 and 2023. The immediate effect of the strikes was to paralyze Hollywood and lead to a slowdown in film production.

The decline was brutal for artisans in a sector that was in full growth until 2022, with turnover exceeding one billion dollars in Montreal alone.

Production of movies and TV series has peaked in Hollywood, and nothing is done overnight following months of writer and actor walkouts last year.

Animation and visual effects studios were able to hold on for a while with projects already underway, but the order book dwindled quickly.

While awaiting the finalization of new American products, many employees saw their contracts expire without being renewed.

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At Cinesite, for example, the Montreal branch had 200 workers last summer. And by the end of the year there were only 100 of us left. We lost half our staff in six monthsRefers to Graham Bedi, Head of Operations.