It's not really that much work to remove the clear film. If you take the time to sand mold seams, etc, it's less time consuming and easier than that. To me it's the difference between building a toy and making a miniature replica of something. Details like that make a big difference. Of course some don't care and just want to slap together something and call it model building. Each to their own, but I care about a job well done and want my work to look accurate and something I can be proud of.