Blue Sky Studios Reviews

Pros

Proximity to NYC. Smallish studio promotes faster growth opportunities (than competitors Dreamworks, Pixar). There's a pride to being the "little guy" in comparison to competition. The crew is friendly, open, and talented. Certainly the most talented group of people I've ever worked with in my career.

Cons

Being owned by 20th Century Fox (in LA) but operating on the east coast has inherent problems: Blue Sky management has limited power. Visionary thinking is not asked for (from management). Our movies are hampered by the same mediocre filter that greenlights and develops the rest of Fox's middling releases. Our movies always make a profit which is an unfortunate recipe for playing it safe.

Advice to Senior Management

It's difficult to fault remote leadership (Vanessa, Tom & Jim) in some ways. They aren't here to experience the repercussions of their decisions. It would be incredible to allow Blue Sky creative leadership (directors and crew) to produce ONE movie a year without the notes-ing and over-development and over-casting and over-testing. Let us alternate between a Fox film and a Blue Sky film. There is no other way for us to cultivate storytelling (and crew retention) that matches our competitors.

Pros

Great bunch of artists and mid level production people. Small size allows everyone to take bigger role in production. Clever bunch of technical people who are able to problem-solve on the fly.

Cons

Not enough knowledge of projects to allow for focused development time. Crunch periods are longer than at other studios- upper mgmt considers this par for the course. These crunch periods are unsustainable. Crew feels little appreciation. Studio in middle of nowhere. Need car to get decent lunch. Schedules are not based in reality, but hope.

Advice to Senior Management

Crew can be trusted to know specifics of projects in progress. Make them feel invested and a vital part of production. Yes men only go so far in actually getting things done. Sometimes the answer you don't want to hear is the truth. Ask supes and leads for feedback on producers, etc

Pros

Amazing artists, great group of people with beautiful brand new office space. Creative studio thats not based in California which is nice for those not wanting to be on the west coast.

Cons

Fox runs studio the same way it runs functions on the lot which doesn't work when you have a staff that is mostly creatives and artists. Constant battle to get things done.

Advice to Senior Management

There is a reason Pixar is held at such high regard and Blue Sky isn't anywhere near that level. You can't run a creative studio with non creatives in charge.

Pros

The size of the studio allows the artist to get her/his fingerprints all over the movie. The people are great, aside from the upper management. To BSS' credit, they are very supportive of family needs, and is generally supportive of the artist's life outside of the studio.

Cons

The studio is run in very cloak and dagger. Artists usually read about the casting of the movie online before hearing about it from management. The mentality of the studio is very 1997. The studio resists change and rewards yes men.

The production pipeline is ridiculously stupid and inefficient. The work is uninspiring and very beige. We can't tell a story to save our lives. The initial concepts are usually exciting and great, but then Fox must fit these ideas into it's beige producing demographic machine. There is a reason Pixar is respected: they take chances.

The pay sucks. The contracts suck. 0% 0% 2%. Enough said.

Advice to Senior Management

Loosen the purse strings.

Pros

It's a fun place to work, no doubt about it. The people are humorous, creative, and generally positive to interact with.

Cons

Management is very tight with money, to the detriment of the studio. As another reviewer mentioned here, the bottom line always wins, and as a result efforts particularly in technology are not given the support they need to truly succeed.

Also, to second the comment about management skills, there is a sort of willful ignorance at the studio about how to manage people, which goes all the way up to HR.

If you are a technologist you will find the studio a frustrating place. Projects are disorganized and unfunded, and there is no "vision" for the future that management enforces, so if you want to change things, good luck. For a studio of this size the IT organization is absolutely tiny, with a lot of spit and bubble gum holding the place together. Management is more supportive of the status quo than any real efforts to change this, even while they pay lip service to being forward thinking.

Advice to Senior Management

HIre more, and better technologists. Learn how to structure technical departments so that people feel motivated to stick around, and do their best. Don't put an artist in charge of programmers. Respect technical skills as much as artistic ones.

Pros

-Technology behind the department has impressive results
-Most of the Seniors are pretty communicative with clever ideas to resolve problems
-Benefits and Stability
-Inspirational Art even under Industry rules
-Very talent people
-Great environment
-Transportation for a close City or train Station who prefer live in the big city
-IT works very well
-Events for the employees and freelancers
-Good internal room
-Great machines

Cons

-HR support sometimes doesn't help
-Bad Location (geographical)
-some resistance for new ideas

Advice to Senior Management

None

Pros

Flexibility, great work atmosphere, friendly and helpful employees, professional work environment, ability to be creative, post employment possibilities, great location

Cons

I was not offered a full time position at the completion of my internship. However no interns were offered a job.

Advice to Senior Management

Overall great work with management. Most days ran smoothly and if problems did arise management did a great job of maintaining stability.

Pros

Amazing family environment. The studio often has get togethers. You can play Basketball. soccer, frisbee, billards or do yoga all on your lunch hour. Its like working on a cruise ship. The artists and technology are top notch. Every artist there seems to have a personal mission to do the best work possible. The highest levels of management are very accesible and friendly.

Cons

. The bottom line wins almost every argument. therefore people who promise they can deliver within budget are listened to and elevated..even if they are delivering is substandered material.The middle management I have dealt with has been scared, bullying, and worst of all they put thier own power squabbles above the best interest of the movie.

Advice to Senior Management

Communicate better with the artists.

Pros

90% of the time, this is a great place to work. The employees are all one big happy family, and most of the actual "work" is fun stuff.

Cons

Every place has their weaknesses - Blue Sky's is that they've never taken professional management seriously. There are a few people who are naturally great at managing others, but there is no attempt to improve those that are not. (I'm lucky that my manager was in the former category).

Advice to Senior Management

There's really nothing I can add here that isn't well known already - Blue Sky is no longer a small company.

Pros

Good pay and great bonus plan. Great benefits. Awesome rank and file. Lots of opportunity for creativity and personal growth.

Cons

Upper management does not want to hear about leadership incompetence. Many who are promoted to leadership positions lack people skills.

Advice to Senior Management

Upper management should take a good hard look at who they are putting in charge of their productions. People skills matter.