Great talent, Problematic leadership - Anonymous employee Sony Pictures Animation Employee Review

2.0
4 Mar 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

An abundance of exceptional artists at the top of their game to collaborate with. Studio covers all travel expenses. Industry standard rates. Flexible working arrangements. Good people trying to improve culture, but limited by scope of control.

Cons

Unfortunately, a rapidly metastasizing culture of leadership evading accountability for the times they make mistakes or lack clear direction, of which simply owning those would be acceptable and set a strong precedent, instead led to a chronic scapegoating of the crew for not completing tasks they were never assigned. This snowballed further into abnormally high levels of entirely avoidable layoff and rollover. At the studios request I stayed on to help solve those underlying issues to avoid this, but after months of those efforts not only going unmet with bad faith efforts, the problem worsened and too many professional and moral lines had been crossed by that point. This left me realizing I could either stay and remain complicit in undue treatment and firings of my team members or resign. I resigned. Over the following year a large number of people continued to be let go in these waves of layoffs, or also quit as I did in protest which at the very least confirmed I had made the right call. Still, I wish it had never happened to begin with and was a sad end to what began as honestly one of the most enjoyable roles of my career.

Explore other reviews about Sony Pictures Animation

5.0
11 Jul 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I love everything about working with SPA. The great team, no time pressure, a lot of creative growth. Love the management team, always there to help

Cons

No Cons. Everything seems to be great

2.0
6 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The benefits provided are standard. Provide standard time off and holidays but often expand holiday time. Christmas is about two weeks off paid.

Cons

Compared to most studios, Sony Pictures Animation pays the less. This is according to IATSE Local 700 Union. After two years of employment, I asked management to discuss pay increase and they wouldn't have that conversation with me. When I asked to be notified when management had additional opportunities, they never connected me with films to interview. There were never annual reviews. Most of all, they would give me tasks outside of the responsibilities my union position, assisting on needs that were outside of Sony Pictures Animation. Notoriously, Sony Pictures Animation does not promote within. There were people who had been there eight years who were in the same position. Don't expect income or job growth.

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