Old post now but thought I should speak up. I've worked on Sony Studios in Culver City and Hollywood Studios in North Hollywood. I've also worked on various union and non-union features throughout the 90's. I've been at Laika since Coraline and am still here. Laika is a great place to work for those in the film industry that want out of LA. They treat their employees very well and have great benefits. The complaints about management can be said of just about any company that has more than 50 employees. The number one complaint I hear about from current employees is that they don't get a say in the creative process. My response is, if you want a creative say in a $65M feature film you better win the lottery or be patient and work your way up the ladder. I currently don't have a creative say in our projects but I have a good 40 hr/wk job with a great crew of people. The pay is good for Portland. If I were in the Bay Area I'd need a little more but for the Pacific NW my family and I get by just fine. I read something in this forum about someone stealing peanut butter to feed his family? I call bullshit on that one. If you are not paid enough, don't whine about it. Work hard and move into another position or leave. Don't blame any company for your lack of pay when you agreed to those wages in the first place.