Yesterday it was announced that Victoria Alonso left Marvel on March 17, 2023. Before her departure, she had been with Marvel since 2006, with her final position putting her as President of Physical, Post Production, VFX and Animation. This means that the declining quality of special effects, delays in films and shows due to post-production issues, and the complaints from many VFX professionals were on her.
Various VFX professionals have come out with complaints about working for Marvel. Now that she has been removed, even more, have allegedly been commenting on the situation.
A senior reporter for Vulture has been on Twitter sharing what he has allegedly been hearing from these professionals, and it aligns with what we previously knew. She had far more power than her position necessarily allowed her. Frankly, many feel she’s behind many questionable decisions in the low-performing Phase 4.
According to his sources, Alonso made the work environment “toxic” for many. She allegedly kept a blocklist of people who didn’t do what she wanted when she wanted it. Which also aligns with previous complaints.
SO many VFX sources have told me Victoria Alonso was singularly responsible for Marvel’s toxic work environment: a kingmaker who rewarded unquestioning fealty with an avalanche of work, but who also maintained the blacklist that kept FX pros wild eyed with fear
— Chris Lee (@__ChrisLee) March 20, 2023
She held a crazy amount of power, bigfooting all major creative decisions on Marvel movies and shows. “Kevin Feige and Victoria Alonso personally approve every single shot, all the visual effects work, which is usually the job of a director or a show runner,” one tech told me.
— Chris Lee (@__ChrisLee) March 20, 2023
“The main one that everyone’s quite scared of is Victoria Alonso,” another tech said. “If she likes you, you’re going to get work and you’re going to move up in the industry. If you have pissed her off in any way, you’re going to get frozen out”
— Chris Lee (@__ChrisLee) March 20, 2023
Chris Lee has been covering these issues on Vulture for a while. One VFX professional said that Marvel wanted to pay several hundred under his regular rate for twice the number of shots, 18-hour days, seven days a week for three months. He declined, knowing it would cause him to be blacklisted. Another source discussed how Marvel was “squeezing the blood out of stones, and we’re the blood.”
It sounds like Marvel, under Alonso, demanded too much, paid too little, and punished them when they couldn’t or wouldn’t complete projects by a specific time. Post Production, which Alonso oversaw, has been cited by many as one of the reasons Marvel is behind and facing delays on projects.
Given the number of complaints, there were likely a lot of professionals who were on the alleged “black list,” and if she’s gone, will Disney and Marvel hire them again? Will those VFX specialists come back?
What do you think? Comment and let us know!
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