Hey Everyone,
My name is Devin and over the past two years I've been struggling with under employment in the Games and Animation industries as many in my field have. I'm struggling and I'm reaching a point where I have no choice but to ask my friends, family and community for help.
The short version: is that in December 2023, I took on an unconventional agreement with my previous employer that was supposed to be a short term strategy to keep me at the studio and working on various internal projects. The idea being that I would take a reduced salary and work part-time hours in conjunction with EI (Employment Insurance) with the promise, in writing, that I would be given the difference in salary at the end of this term as if I no interruption to my employment occurred. I knew that at the time, both animation and games were on tough times so any assurance of work was better than none. While I have received portions of my backpay sporadically, each payment was only able to keep me afloat for each month I'd be given a portion and my lines of credit had to also be utilized to pay for important bills and medication, eventually things got out of control. This is where I am now. If you're interested in more details, the longer version is described below.
The funds will be used to cover basic bills, groceries, utilities, rent and making credit card payments. I do not expect to pay everything off and coast for months or anything, I just want to be able to bridge the gap from now until I'm employed again and able to regain financial stability.
The long version:
December 22nd, 2023 I receive an email describing the on going struggles in the video game industry that had finally caught up to my employer. I, along with a few other artists, was told that:
"As you've surely seen the state of the industry is in an unprecedentedly bad time at the moment and we haven't been immune to this. To put you at ease though, you're not losing your job. However, it seems necessary to have a temporary measure to get us through this period of a downturn in the industry. I've been doing a lot of thinking as to the best way to approach this, and I think I've found a way that, if not ideal, is about as good as we can expect."
A few days before that Christmas, I was told that I would be working for reduced wages, part-time with some of the difference being made up by EI, which I applied for and received a very small portion, as much as I was able to. This was supposed to be for 3-6 months when more funding for projects would be received or until my Employment Insurance would run out. My understanding was the reduction in salary would not be significant, and that a good amount would be recovered through EI payments and the rest after the whole thing died down. What I found out when I returned back to work in January 2024 was that my salary was reduced by nearly 66% and the little I would receive from EI would not come nearly as close to covering all of my expenses. I took a risk and agreed because I was assured, in writing that I would get my back pay as soon as they received funding or when my EI would run out. I had savings, investments and a completely empty line of credit as I was able to completely be debt free in November of 2023. I worked diligently to pay off my credit the month before all of this started to unfold. Fortunately (and unfortunately) for me, I was able to use my credit cards, investments, savings and help from family and friends when they were able, to survive.
In November of 2024, I was informed that my EI had run its course. Unfortunately for me and my previous employer, the studio was basically in the same position as before and no new projects or money had really been coming in. Since I had all of this proposed time-line promised to me in writing, I spoke with my boss, the owner of this studio about the deal we had and he agreed to put me back to my previous salary and give me my back pay. I was relieved and ecstatic to finally be through this extremely stressful time and return to some normalcy. I didn't question how they were able to get me back to my previous pay and begin the process of backpay because I was just happy to be done with it. My assumption was that they moved around money from other projects or something. Either way, for around a month, maybe 6 weeks, I received my regular salary for the work I was doing at that time but my backpay would be delayed repeatedly. I understood the pressure on my boss and the industry in general so I gave as much grace and time as I could. I did not start receiving my back pay for months, which was promised to me "as soon as" they get funding OR when my EI would run out. In January of 2025, I would start to receive my back pay, but not all at once as promised but through scattered e-transfer payments and direct deposits (it varied for some reason) that I would have to repeatedly ask for, as politely as I could, sometimes several times a week or month before getting another portion. As you can guess, this chaotic and informal process made it difficult to pay back my mounting credit card debt, depleted savings and investments.
In February of this year, I was informed that funding for my project was still shaky and I would be reduced to hourly "as needed". I figured since I had tens of thousands of dollars of back pay coming here and there, that I would also tough this one out, I had done it before and at the very least I was receiving payments, although infrequent and only enough to keep me afloat to the next one. Two weeks into February, I have no hours, and the previous two weeks of hours I had done, I had not been paid for. I was told it was a glitch in the payment software ADP and that it would be remedied as soon as possible. A week or so after the fact, I was paid for those hours but I still had only received a small portion of my promised back pay, which is now nearly 3 months over-due. I kept my head up, assured myself that this was going to be resolved soon enough and kept checking in periodically for payments owed to me. Eventually it became clear to me that I wasn't going to return working for this studio in the near future and began aggressively applying for jobs while receiving sporadic back payments. I kept my head up and applied to as many places as I could while working as hard as I could on my portfolio and skills to find relevant work in either the games or animation industries.
During all of this, I was thankfully able to keep on my previous employer's health insurance plan which I desperately needed for important medications, dental and physio therapy appointments. Or so I thought. In April, I was abruptly, without notice, removed from my work's health insurance plan and only found out through the vendor telling me my coverage was running out over email. Frantically, I messaged my now ex boss about this and managed to get him to put me back on the insurance plan while using some of my back pay each month to cover the premiums. Unfortunately for me, the process of removing someone takes a day or less but adding them back can take weeks. for a month or so, I had to pay out of pocket for maintenance medication that I could absolutely not stop taking on such short notice. This hiccup cost me another several hundred dollars I did not have. I was luckily able to retroactively claim the payments and get some money back but the whole process was admittedly very frustrating and defeating.
From April to today, I was given a trickling of back pay that was enough to pay for day to day life and some bills but not nearly enough to pay back my savings, credit cards, or previously depleted investments. I have one more payment of back pay I'm owed that would help quite a bit. Unfortunately, I was removed, once again without notice and unceremoniously, from my previous employer's Slack. As they deal with sensitive and NDA information, I understand the necessity for security but I wasn't given a heads up or told in any fashion that this was going to happen. I've since sent an email following up with my previous employer requesting the final back payment but to leave some for my health insurance to keep me going until the end of the year or as soon as I'm able to find gainful employment. I have yet to hear back, I expect to, but it may take time. With the end of the month approaching, I have no choice but to seek out outside help. I'm embarrassed that I let myself go through this for nearly two years at this point, but at the time I had no idea it would end up this way. I'm here now, so I'm trying to take it in stride and deal with it as best I can. That's the long winded version, if you managed to read this to the end and it made sense and you're still here, thank you so much.
In the past few weeks, I have had some promising discussions with employers, colleagues and more regarding new projects on the horizon in the animation industry. However, the earliest many of these potential opportunities, not guarantees, would be a few months away. I'm extremely optimistic and hopeful regarding some of these future opportunities but I am running out of options and need to fundraise for the immediate future.
As described above, the funds will be used to pay bills, buy groceries and cover a little of my credit card debt so I can continue surviving until I regain stable employment. These past two years have financially ruined me and have been some of the hardest of my life. The financial instability and debt I've accrued over the past few years has been frustrating beyond belief, I simply can't let it sit and wait any longer. Almost two years ago, I had just started working as a Lead Designer, had paid off all my debts and was working hard in my industry. Unfortunately, for the reasons above, that has fallen apart.
With that, I humbly ask you for help, as much as you can spare would mean the world to me. I try to give and help out those around me whenever I can, and I will do so again when I'm financially stable again. I find it hard to ask for help and have put it off for as long as I could.
Thank you for your time and I greatly appreciate any assistance you're able to afford.
I hope to be able to return the favor in the very near future.
As a donator, if you pledge 50 or more I will draw you a digital drawing based off an idea of your choosing. If you want something in return for your generosity, reach out to me directly! If you donate over 500, I will create an original ink drawing for you and ship it anywhere, world wide. I want to make sure I show appreciation for those who support me through this difficult time.
Thank you so much!
-Devin
Organizer
Devin Rosychuk
Organizer
Vancouver, BC