RRvfx’s Post

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

For many, working in film and VFX seems like it should be a dream come true. One of my favorite things to do is speak to classrooms of kids about the industry. I am touched at how excited and passionate they are to become artists, animators, developers, and even coordinators like myself. To have a hand in creating the kind of content that brings them so much joy. I try to impart as much knowledge and encouragement as I can in those opportunities, but in my heart I know how difficult the road ahead of them may be from what I’ve experienced and witnessed from my coworkers. The expenses we have to incur to live where the work is. The evenings, weekends and holidays that have to be sacrificed with our friends and loved ones in exchange for what feels like little compensation. The stress and anxieties associated with a lack of job security. The bottom-dollar cutthroat nature of the industry which results in artists having to do what they can with the little time they have and the pride in their work suffering because of it. The VFX industry, as it stands now, is one in which I see parents, teachers and mentors warning young talented artists and creatives to stay away from and I can’t blame them. That needs to change. I support the creation of our own union not just as a way to negotiate for better treatment, recognition, and conditions for my fellow coworkers and the incredibly work they do, but to reshape the VFX industry as a whole it into something we can be proud to tell the next generation “Come on in! The water's fine!” https://lnkd.in/gKWk-yZb

Outstanding Women in VFX Spotlight: Nono Mofokeng LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gmi8h6Zw  Demo Reel: https://lnkd.in/gmPN-5v9 Nominated by Gabrielle Bucaya This is what Gabrielle had to say about Nono: "Nono is an inspiring woman, who isn't afraid to create her own narrative gracefully and with power. Throughout her career, she's lived in various parts of the world as a Producer, excelling in project management and finance. Her passion for growing in her role and her ability to connect with others through her involvement with the VFX community shows there is no stopping her - and we should look forward to that! She isn't afraid to embrace the beauty of being human, and encourages people to be real with themselves; the raw, the beautiful and the ugly. I truly am fortunate to have gotten to know her and wish for others to do the same. " -- About Nono-- Q: How did you get into Visual Effects (VFX)?   A: I got into Animation & VFX because I was curious about how things are done. I wanted to know how cartoons (animation) were achieved, how they could behead an actor or have an actor blown up in a scene, but still be alive to do interviews after the movie. This was my curiosity as a kid who enjoyed watching TV. From that moment on, I got drawn into the world of Television, and I always knew I wanted to be a producer since I was in 2nd Grade. I followed my passion until I attained it. Q: What is your VFX specialty and title?  A: Production Management - VFX Producer I am passionate about leadership and leading with purpose. I love working with people, managing teams, providing support to others, and helping grow both people and the organization. Q: What projects are you most proud of?  A: Prehistoric Planet, Aquaman 2  I got to stretch myself and grow with these projects. I worked with teams across different sites and locations across three continents, which equipped me with effective communication skills and enabled me to deliver on high moving targets and pressure. Q: What advice do you have for women who want to go into the VFX industry?  A: Just go for it, be aggressive in your career moves. Be visible, speak up, and keep creating! Q: Is there a woman or multiple women who inspire you? Why?  A: Neha Hooda for her remarkable achievements and for continuously pushing boundaries. She is a PHD candidate whilst being in a demanding job of being an EP, that takes a lot of strength and resilience. Amy Mecer and Christina Graham deserve praise for dedicating their time and efforts to building and supporting women in their careers. Their selfless commitment to UpliftHer is truly commendable, as it's a task that many cannot undertake. I appreciate them for doing this and would like to see UpliftHer thrive in all its endeavors. #vfx #film #television #womeninvfx #womeninvisualeffects #women #womenshistorymonth #womensupportingwomen #visualeffects #outstandingwomeninvfx

Want to understand how iconic studios think, play and create magic? Dive into this interview series from Stash Media Inc.

Chroma Keying Compositing of a Cinematic Shot. The Node tree in Nuke is included at the end of the showreel video. 🐳 VFX By Ali #compositing #greenscreen #nuke #videoediting #opentowork

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 VFX Production: Day 4 - Unveiling Cinematic Realism! 🌟 Hey VFX enthusiasts! 👋 Today, let's dive into the magic that shapes cinematic realism during the production phase. 🎬 Shooting Scenes: Uncover the active stage of filming or capturing visual effects on set or location. Example: Capturing live-action footage while coordinating with VFX artists for a harmonious blend of practical and digital elements. Practical Effects Integration: Explain how practical effects (non-digital elements) are seamlessly integrated with VFX to create a cohesive visual experience. Example: Blending practical explosions on set with digital enhancements to achieve a realistic and dynamic action sequence. On-set Supervision: Highlight the role of VFX supervisors on set, ensuring that the filmed elements align with the planned visual effects. Example: VFX supervisors guiding the placement and interaction of actors with imaginary creatures during filming. Data Wrangling: Briefly mention the importance of managing and organizing large amounts of data generated during the shooting process. Example: Efficiently handling and cataloging raw footage, reference materials, and digital assets for post-production. VFX Studio Involvement in Production: Recognize the pivotal role of VFX studios during the production phase. Example: Creating CGI and digital elements, integrating them seamlessly into live-action footage for a visually stunning result. High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photos: Discover the significance of HDR photos in capturing a broad range of light and detail. Example: Using HDR photography to ensure vivid colors and intricate details in VFX scenes, enhancing visual appeal. LIDAR Technology: Uncover the power of LIDAR for precise 3D scanning of environments and objects. Example: Leveraging LIDAR scans to recreate real-world spaces accurately, adding authenticity to VFX settings. Film Scans: Explore the timeless charm of film scans in the digital era of filmmaking. Example: Incorporating film scans to infuse classic cinematic textures and nuances into modern VFX sequences. Join me in this exploration of VFX production intricacies throughout the day! Share your thoughts or queries as we uncover the magic behind the scenes.🌈🎥 #VFX #VisualEffects #CGI #DigitalArt #Animation #FilmMaking #PostProduction #MotionGraphics #3DAnimation #SpecialEffects #DigitalPipeline #VFXArtist #FilmIndustry #TechInFilm #VFXCommunity #FilmEditing #FilmTechSupport #FilmCrew #FilmProduction

VFX WTF QUOTES 041323 - 2 of 2: "4 pages is more than enough [to explain VFX Roto and Paint]. It's a simple and basic concept." [Warning: This might get controversial.] This is a companion quote to yesterday's "VFX WTF QUOTES 041323 - 1 of 2". This was a response to my recommendation that the VES should consider giving Roto Paint more than 4 pages of coverage in their official handbook. The connection between the two quotes is that I feel both opinions devalue Roto and Paint. Roto and Paint may be simple and basic concepts to explain. But as someone who is responsible for delivering "Final Pixel Quality" Roto Paint products every day for years, I believe the daily practices of Roto and Paint are complex and have many areas to learn and master. There are many other examples outside VFX which are simple to explain but not simple to master. See singing, boxing, running, and drawing. Every one of us can easily start these now but that does not mean you'd be producing top level work today. In addition to the dismissiveness of this quote, the word "it" implies that "Roto and Paint" is one discipline. If that was the intention, I want to respond that Roto and Paint each have vast areas of study. Bundling them together is reductive. Perhaps the use of "it" was a typo and bundling was not the intention. If that was the case, I'll let it go. Please note that these feelings are not a one-off, knee-jerk reaction. They come from several experiences over several years. After hearing this or hearing peers mention this, we cannot ignore that there is a mindset of undervaluing roto and paint. Its the same mindset that would classify these roles as "junior" or "entry-level" because some think it takes little time and skill to do. And they think these roles should be the least paid. I believe this same mindset is used on all VFX people by those in power to reduce our budgets and schedules and ask us to do more with less. "Why can't you deliver that Final Comp tomorrow? Its so simple and basic." If we in VFX don't want others to devalue our work, then maybe we shouldn't do it to each other. My final point is if VFX is going to grow, we need to envision "more"--- more support, more time, more artists, more compensation, more training, more procs, more R&D, and at the very least, more pages in the VES handbook.

In 1857, Oscar Rejlander created the world's first "special effects" image by combining different sections of 32 negatives into a single image, making a montaged combination print. In 1895, Alfred Clark created what is commonly accepted as the first-ever motion picture special effect.(Source - Wikipedia)   Fast forward 124 years to July 26th, 2019, to Season 1 premiere of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios #TheBoys. Within the first 90 seconds of Episode 1, "The Name of the Game" you encounter a #visualeffects scene that I can only imagine took weeks and multiple talented artists to create. Of course, the visual effects scene that reeled me into this bloody diabolical and unhinged show happens five minutes and forty-two seconds into the episode. IYKYK. I still remember how I felt after watching it.    I've always heard about special effects and seen hundreds of movies and shows with special effects in them. It wasn't until The Boys that I really gained an appreciation for the behind the curtain creativity, passion and skill it takes to create the absolutely mind-blowing and frankly funny scenes. Blood, Guts and Gore, Oh My!    Reading interviews like this one from Stephan Fleet gleans even more insights into how the visual effects team works, their collaboration with other visual effects teams, and stellar execution of words on a page to screen. Every season shows more and more dedication, excitement, madness, insanity and of course incredible skills from the visual effects team of The Boys.  As one who enjoys learning how things are created behind the scenes, I've started a beginner course on LinkedIn Learning called Explore Motion Graphics and Visual Effects. Looking forward to gaining even more perspective into the minds of these creatives.   As the final countdown to Season 5 has begun, you would think I could fathom what could come next. Of course, there's no point in fathoming because what I imagine will happen, will be a million times better from this team and the entire production team with even more gallons of blood and terror. (still hoping Terror aka Bentley the Bulldog makes a final appearance in Season 5 😉 And I'm always up for being doused in the gallons of blood. 😉 😉) Thank you to the entire Visual Effects department that keeps me re-watching this show over and over again. The Art of VFX Stephan Fleet Tony Kenny Rian McNamara Xander Copp PIXOMONDO CNCPT John Griffith MPC Rocket Science VFX SPIN VFX DNEG Ingenuity Studios Dynamic Effects Collective #opentowork #openforwork #opentonewopportunities #film #television #filmandtelevision #entertainment #passion #recruiters #recruiting #journeyoflearning #projectmanager #projectmanagement #programmanager #employeeengagement #employeeenrichment #storytelling #creativity #momentsthatmatter #culture #businessoperations #marketing #productionoperations #creative #primevideo Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios #amazonmgmstudios #amazonstudios #sonypictures Sony Pictures Entertainment

Please be careful of liking or reacting to "NEW VFX STUDIO" posts. I saw a "NEW VFX STUDIO" post today because many people I know liked or supported the post. However, when I was grabbing the contact info on the website of the "studio" to apply for a job, I noticed that there were no portfolio pieces of supervisors and artists from the studio. Instead, there were only AI-generated images. At first, I thought it might be a studio focused on AI. However, after looking around the site, I noticed that they never mention AI. It was the opposite. They bragged about building original bespoke 3D work for every project. I'm not against the use of AI in VFX and believe that it's been here for a lot longer than people realize. However, this was a scam. At best, it was a poor launch of a new studio that I wouldn't trust working with. Quite a few VFX supervisors are trying to spin up their own groups right now. So it's not unusual to hear about a new studio, especially in the previs space where there are a lot fewer barriers to putting a team together. I've interviewed with VFX supervisors and talked to smaller outfits that are looking to start new previs teams when things pick up. Every time I've been approached by these people, it was easy to find them on IMDB or find an extensive work history on LinkedIn. Even if the studio is new, the people starting it are not new. Typically, a new company will use the personal reels of the supervisors to promote themselves. Ask about the art/vfx supervisors. Ask who they've worked with and what they've worked on if you can't find it easily. When interviewing, make sure to ask them questions so that you feel confident in working with them. Be extra cautious with places that don't have artist supervisors yet, but only have producers. Sometimes, it's not even about being scammed. Some of these people may be well-intentioned, but inexperienced. That inexperience can lead to poor professional behaviors that go beyond just having a 'bad job'. So do your due diligence when you see a 'NEW VFX STUDIO' post. Be wary of interacting with the post in a way that allows it to be promoted to your connections. I've seen a lot of questionable-looking VFX studios popping up. A lot of people are desperate and fatigued from job hunting so they may be more susceptible to predatory scams.