Every time a new game or film makes its debut, fans are quick to shower accolades upon studios and filmmakers. Yet, behind the curtain, the teams responsible for these projects often bear the weight of strenuous schedules and poor compensation. Luckily, champions of change like the producers of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem are pushing for a healthier work environment.
In an interview with Insider, director Jeff Rowe disclosed how Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the producers of TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, made certain that the animators involved in the project were not overworked, stating: That was the thing that was really important to us on this film, and I learned it from Seth and Evan because in getting to know Seth, I'm like, 'He has a really good work-life balance and everyone at Point Gray does.' And I asked him about that and he is like, 'Well, we're like when you're doing live action, sometimes you're on a set for 40 days in a row and it is exhausting and tiring. And we want to make sure that our people have time away from that and that it doesn't become their entire lives.' I really took that to heart and wanted to make sure that when we made this film, we did it ethically. Rowe further disclosed his interactions with the animators, noting that through conversations, they expressed their desire for a three-day work week, while a portion also expressed their interest in working remotely from home. We'd be like, 'Great, let's figure that out, and let's accommodate that because that's your process and that's what leads you to make your best art. And we would often do that with most of the team and just try to make sure everyone always felt supported.
