Many people here are in shock that VFX artists don't get residuals. I'd be extremely surprised if they did - low demand for their services compared to the availability of labor always lead to poor wages and certainly no equity compensation.
I wish things were different, but what makes them different from the vast majority of workers who get no equity at all?
Due to AI, the demand for their labor will go the same way as shoe repair workers. It's sad but it's hard to see any other outcome. We need to invest in retraining these workers in other lines of business to make up for the disruption.
People are buying new shoes instead of repairing them, it's a pre AI disruption. In part cultural shift, in part the result of increased productivity and sophistication in shoe production due to automation.
I wish things were different, but what makes them different from the vast majority of workers who get no equity at all?
Due to AI, the demand for their labor will go the same way as shoe repair workers. It's sad but it's hard to see any other outcome. We need to invest in retraining these workers in other lines of business to make up for the disruption.