'Across the Spider-Verse' under spotlight for 'nightmare' working conditions

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is riding on the wings of success until four animators came with shocking claims that they worked on the project under stressful conditions.

A report in Vulture made an explosive claim that the animators were subjected to several revisions while working 11-hour days, and seven days per week.

The report added that Sony’s film producer-cum-writer Phil Lord’s management discipline was to be blamed for the alleged terrible working conditions.

“As a producer, Phil overrides all the directors,” claimed one animator.

“They are obviously in charge of directing, but if Phil has a note that contradicts their note, his note takes precedence. They have to do what Phil says. 

So, there were constant changes and cuts. Everything was just endlessly moving beneath our feet because they wanted it to be the best that it could be.”

Meanwhile, producer Christopher Miller's glaring absence from most of the production led the 47-year-old to completely edit rendered work as he reportedly found difficulties in conceptualizing 3D sequences in the initial planning phases.

In return, the workload on the animators doubled. “It’s really nuts,” another animator said.

“I’ve worked on projects where things are rewritten — even late in production. But this is another level of craziness.”

On altering the previously-greenlighted sequences, the worker added, “You tell the artists, ‘Come up with stuff. Create the footage, and then I’ll decide which direction to go.’ It’s easier to do it that way. But it’s very destructive and time-consuming.”

The superhero movie was made via six different animation styles and went through multiple delays.

However, rejecting allegations, Sony Pictures threw its weight behind Lord’s managing skills.

Former Sony chairperson and producer of Spider-Man projects Amy Pascal countered the claims adding that a tiny number of animators exited the project, compared to over 1,000 animators who bought hordes of Spider-People to the big screen.

“One of the things about animation that makes it such a wonderful thing to work on is that you get to keep going until the story is right,” Pascal told the magazine.

“If the story isn’t right, you have to keep going until it is.” To the workers who felt demoralized by having to revise final renders five times in a row,” adding, “I guess, Welcome to making a movie.”