Joseph Bell’s Post

Final post in this week’s series looking at which countries have the largest populations of VFX professionals in various roles. 1 in 13 VFX workers at VFX studios in India are in Production, versus in 1 in 7 in the United States and United Kingdom, and 1 in 8 in Canada and Australia. The study looked at the 4644 Production positions, including VFX Producers, Production Managers, Coordinators and Production Assistants. As you'll see on the second slide, India has the highest overall headcount in Production -- unsurprising given that it’s the country with the most artists. Canada is a close second, followed by the United Kingdom and the United States. Other VFX roles, for comparison: 3D and Environment/DMP: https://lnkd.in/gEVybHrY. VFX Supervisors at VFX studios, Previz/Postviz: https://lnkd.in/gCTWruEd. Compositing, Roto/Paint and MM/Tracking: https://lnkd.in/gUPEVcfP Creature TDs, Rigging and Groom Artists: https://lnkd.in/dZ2WgrKt The data comes from a core group of 175 internationally recognized studios that provide visual effects for Hollywood movies, with over 42,000 VFX professionals across all disciplines. Client-side production staff are not included in this particular dataset. #vfx #vfxjobs #globalproduction #filmmaking

This will be a bit of rant of what VFX sup is supposed to do, what is VFX sup's real job. Yesterday I had a chance to share a stage with great crew that made a film that won #Palme D'Or on #Cannes film festival. We had screening and great people from Croatian audiovisual center presented to each of us with a smal replica of Palm D'Or. It was realy nice gesture. Because film is a team work. I worked on that film as VFX supervisor. And it ended up having almost no VFX at all. So question is: why I'm so proud of working as a VFX sup on film having almost no VFX? In my opininion my job, as VFX sup is not to push as much work as possible into VFX studio. My job is to help director tell his story in best way possible while keeping production on budget. In this film, in beginning, we were supposed to do whole lot of environments. Actually almost all environments were supposed to be made with CGI. But we knew that it will be almost impossible to do all of it on time and on budget with quality that it requires. So I spoke with director and we looked at what we REALLY need to show and realized that with slight change to micro location and few tweaks of camera positions and bit fogging of windows we could get almost all environments needed in cammera. And get decent time and money for few shots that realy needed VFX work. That, in my opinion, is real job of VFX sup. To work in a team. To underestand what is emotion and vision that director wants to show. And help team to produce the best possible film with given constraints. And that is why I'm so proud to be a VFX sup on film that had almost no VFX at the end. Thank you #antitalent, Nebojša Sljepčević and #Poster for giving me this oportunity. #VFX #VFXsupervisor #Cannes

Where in the world are VFX Compositors, Roto/Paint Artists and Matchmove/Tracking Artists? As you’ll see in the slideshow, India has by far the highest headcount when it comes to 2D-centric disciplines and matchmove/tracking, with almost 2x the number of Compositors compared to the next entry (Canada), 10x the number of matchmove and tracking artists, and more than 30x the number of Roto/Paint artists. As with 3D disciplines, the United Kingdom consistently ranks third in terms of overall headcount. This is the third post in a series. If you want to compare this to similar charts for 3D artist roles, here's the first post: https://lnkd.in/gEVybHrY. And for VFX Supervisor roles at VFX studios and Previz/Postviz artists, here’s the second post: https://lnkd.in/gCTWruEd. The data comes from a core group of 175 internationally recognized studios that provide visual effects for Hollywood movies, with over 42,000 VFX professionals across all disciplines. #vfx #vfxjobs #globalproduction #filmmaking

The last post got me thinking - all supervisors and producers in VFX come from various backgrounds. I myself started as a compositor and (between us) am terrible at animation. It doesn't necessarily mean that I need to rush to buy a new course (God knows I have too many unfinished ones), but if I were to work on a heavy animation project, it would be a great idea to have a strong Animation Supervisor to rely on. But there are (in theory) should be areas that VFX Supervisor must know well. Like... probably for all your projects you going to need compositing. And planning. With some budgeting. You also need to ingest material in the right color space and format (yes, that annoying ACES thing). And while in big companies there are dedicated people who cover all that, I believe a VFX Supervisor must, if not be able to do it themselves, at least understand what they are talking about, why they are making decisions towards one solution or another, and so on. Not every company will ask you to bid on projects, but it is a great skill to have. Some of us (me included) are lucky to have amazing producers on our side and can distance ourselves from the boring reality of numbers. But what if your producer is sick or leaves you for someone who can understand resources and planning? We kind of learn all this while navigating our careers, and I bet we have different techniques, strengths, and weak areas. Being a Sup is quite a big responsibility - people come to you with questions all day long, and you need to know the answers or at least pretend that you do and trust your gut (with creative stuff, not ACES, please!). Wouldn't it be great to have a resource, page, masterclass (don't say course) or "bible" with all the base-level information that can help cover areas like I mentioned? Yeah, I know about VES book and I read it, and it is amazing, (thank you VES people for doing that!), but oh my god, the weight of this book makes it not user-friendly. Tips and tricks with small lines of code, automatic spreadsheets, examples of successful implementation of AI tools and so on? I would pay to have access to resource like this! (but of course it should be free). #vfx #cgi #vfxsupervisor #insouleffects #lovevfx

The journey of a VFX artist is a passion-fueled adventure, where every frame tells a captivating story 😋 From the initial sketch to the final render, each project presents a new challenge, pushing the boundaries of imagination through the fascinating blend of art and technology As you see, I'm a fan of Hayao Miyazaki, a renowned filmmaker. He once said, "The creation of a single world comes from a huge number of fragments and chaos." This quote inspires me to recognize that every detail matters ☝ Working collaboratively with talented teams, I've learned the significance of teamwork, where we share ideas, solve problems, and celebrate successes together. The journey of a VFX artist is about continuous learning, innovation, and transforming the impossible into the possible 🌈 What obstacles have you faced in your VFX career? 🤗 Share your experiences to inspire others 👇 #vfx #career #inspiration

The untold story of my journey in VFX. I have always loved filmmaking. I didn’t know much about VFX. I have watched thousands of movies. I have even watched Titanic, love told me so. In 2011 I moved to China, new challenges. First time leading a team, I was 28! First time working on a 3D stereo project! First time working with Robert Legato, VFX Supervisor on Titanic. I didn’t know much about 3D stereo. I went to London to talk with who knew more. In 3 days I learned a lot, I was on a mission! I went back to China to show the team what I have learned. Something unexpected happened. Robert and Ben Grossman where reviewing some of our work. Robert had some comments about a specific shot. Robert wanted the CG to match a bit better the actual shot. Then Robert paused for a while… “I don’t remember shooting this shot, to be honest” Ben: Yes Rob, it’s all-CG. Robert: Oh well, they did a good job then! Dream Until Your Dreams Come True! P.s. I didn’t sleep for day, was it a dream? 1. Looking to improve your VFX and Production skills? Follow me, Miodrag Colombo. 2. Want to support this type of content? Click on "Repost" next to "Comment". You don't even have to type any text. ♻️ A simple repost will make my day :) #visualeffects #martinscorsese #filmmaking

VFX Pipeline Journey: Day 15 - The Marvels of Grading in VFX! 🌈🎥 Hello, VFX enthusiasts! Today, let's unravel the enchanting world of grading, a pivotal process within the VFX pipeline that adds the finishing touch to visual storytelling. Understanding Grading in VFX: Definition: Grading involves adjusting the color and tone of images to achieve a desired visual style or mood. Enhancing Cinematic Feel: Grading contributes to the overall atmosphere, enhancing the cinematic feel of a scene. Collaboration with Cinematographers: Grading specialists collaborate with cinematographers to achieve the intended look and feel of the project. Software Expertise: Utilizing grading software such as DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, or Nuke for color correction and enhancement. Real-Life Example: Imagine a scene in a fantasy movie where the protagonist confronts a magical creature. Grading can be applied to create a mystical ambiance, with enhanced colors and contrasts, immersing the audience in the otherworldly setting. Key Processes in Grading: Color Correction: Balancing and adjusting colors for consistency. Color Grading: Applying creative color choices to evoke specific emotions. Contrast Adjustment: Enhancing or reducing the difference between light and dark areas. Outcome: The result is a visually polished and cohesive presentation that aligns with the creative vision of the filmmakers. Why Grading Matters: Grading transforms raw footage into a visually stunning masterpiece, ensuring that the audience experiences the intended emotional impact. Stay tuned for more insights as our expedition through the VFX pipeline continues! 🌐🔍 #VFXPipelineJourney #GradingInVFX #TDInsights #VFXArtistry #TechInVFX #VisualStorytelling #VFXProcess #LearningTogether #VFXCareer #PipelineTD #GradingMagic #VFXTools #TechInFilm #DigitalCraftsmanship #VFXInnovation #VFXSkills #VFXCommunity #VisualWizardry #VFXColorGrading #ColorGradingMagic #VFXArtistry #DigitalColor #ColoristCommunity #CinematicGrading #ColorCorrection #VisualEffects #ColoristLife #VFXWorkflow #PostProductionMagic #ColorGradeMaster #CreativeColor #FilmGrading #ColoristJourney #VisualMagic #DigitalArtistry #VFXCreators #GradingSkills #ColorGradingPro

🌟 Excited to Share My Recent Work! 🌟 As a VFX Compositor, I've recently had the opportunity to work on some exciting projects that involved creating clean plates. Clean plate creation is a crucial part of the VFX process, where I meticulously remove unwanted elements from footage to provide a seamless background for adding visual effects. 🎬 **Key Highlights:** - **Precision and Detail:** Ensured the removal of all unnecessary elements while maintaining the integrity of the original footage. - **Collaborative Effort:** Worked closely with other departments to ensure the final output met the project’s visual standards. - **Enhanced Visual Storytelling:** Contributed to creating visually stunning scenes that enhance the narrative and overall production quality. I'm proud of the work I've done and excited to continue pushing the boundaries of visual effects. Check out some before-and-after examples of my clean plate work below! #VFX #Compositing #CleanPlate #VisualEffects #Filmmaking

VFX Compositing Involves: Focusing on the Details Digital makeup allows VFX Compositors to shape a character’s appearance by enhancing features, adding elements, or altering them in different ways, like with de-aging. These changes may sometimes seem subtle, but they require precision and skill to maintain realism and ensure every detail supports the story being told. Take a look at some of the incredible work from our students, where they’ve changed their favorite characters' backgrounds in different ways. Learn more about VFX at lostboys-studios.com. #VFXcompositing #LostBoysVFX #DigitalMakeup

🎬 Exploring Filmmaking: What's the Difference Between VFX and SFX? 🎥 Ever wondered about the magic behind cinematic wonders? 🌟 Let's dive into the world of Visual Effects (VFX) and uncover the secrets! 🔍 #Filmmaking #VFXvsSFX 🌌 What Is VFX? In filmmaking, VFX is the art of creating or manipulating on-screen imagery that doesn't exist in real life. From breathtaking environments to mythical creatures, VFX adds that extra layer of awe to cinematic experiences. 🚀 #VFXMagic #CinematicWonders 🔍 VFX vs SFX It's crucial to distinguish between VFX and Special Effects (SFX). While VFX is added in post-production, SFX happen in real-time during filming. Explosions, rain, animatronics - that's SFX! 🎇 #VFXvsSFX #BehindTheScenes 🎨 3 Types of Visual Effects CGI: Enter the world of Computer-Generated Imagery! From 3D dragons to de-aging actors, CGI creates the fantastical. 🐉✨ Compositing: Merge separate elements seamlessly with compositing, a.k.a. chroma keying. Think green screens and iconic landscapes like the Emerald City. 🌈🎭 Motion Capture: Dive into the realm of motion capture (mocap), where actors' movements come to life in 3D. 🕺🎥 #VFXCategories #MovieMagic Whether it's crafting mythical beasts or transporting actors to other worlds, VFX plays a pivotal role in shaping the cinematic experience. 🌟✨ #VisualEffects #CinematicJourney