Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water is all set to invade screens worldwide on December 16 and is currently one of the most anticipated films in recent years. The early reviews for the sequel to the global blockbuster Avatar have been largely positive, with many in their initial reactions declaring it to be better than the 2009 original. With Avatar 2’s budget estimated to be around $350–$400 million, the film is especially being talked about for its state-of-the-art and ultra-modern visual effects done by Wētā Workshop, a New Zealand-based special effects and prop company. Having said that, a visual effects artist who worked on the epic science fiction action drama has called out the VFX company for low pay and ill-treatment during production. 

Logan Preshaw, a visual development artist and art director, who worked with the Wētā Workshop team of Avatar: The Way of Water, went on Twitter to talk about being paid less for his and other artists' efforts in the film. Quote-tweeting Shazam director David F. Sandberg's tweet that tells how the special effects and props were designed for James Cameron's upcoming film, the visual artist wrote, "I worked on Avatar 2. I'm proud of that. I am not proud of how little Weta Workshop pays its artists." Logan added, "As a concept artist I was paid the current minimum wage. A pay cut of $10/h from when I was a lead on animated cartoon shows. Many of the practical artists were paid similarly." He then called out the VFX company saying, "If you have the money for this prop, you have the money to pay your artists adequately. Weta Workshop is a world-renowned name and Avatar 2 is a multi-million $$$ film. Many of the artists were earning a little over the tour shop staff's pay. Well below industry standard."

Elaborating how the payment for his work on Avatar 2 was decided, Logan wrote, "I worked 10 hours a day for $21 NZD/h, which comes to just over $13 USD. 1 hour was deducted for lunch. When I asked for more pay 8 months in, quoting my previous job's pay and experience, it was raised to $23. 3 months later I left." However, he did clarify saying that his complaints were directed towards Wētā and not at James Cameron and the film's production company. He wrote, "This is solely on Workshop. Not James Cameron, 20th Century or the overall production of Avatar 2." 

Talking about Wētā, Logan stated, "Workshop is not a small-time studio, it's a world-renowned company that regularly receives assistance from the NZ government to keep blockbuster production within its shores. In my time there they had major contracts for Mulan, MIB4, World Expo 2020, the Avatar sequels and more." He further expressed his anguish and said, "To those saying "you took the job": Aus doesn't have much of a film industry, and Weta is central to NZ's. I took what I could for the rare privilege of working with a world-class team. To justify their rates based on that is gross and enables the devaluing of artists." Wētā Workshop previously worked on several blockbuster Hollywood films like The Lord of the Rings franchise, The Hobbit series, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Blade Runner 2049, to name a notable few.