VFX Industry Research

Victor Perez www.victorperez.co.uk

1.) Why did you focus on these areas in your BA before moving on to Digital compositing?

I studied drama arts because theater and cinema acting (perform) was always my passion, I studied theater since very young (12 yo) but contemporary to this I was working as graphic designer. Arts are definetively my field. Later I discover my real ‘destiny’: VFX then I studied cinema from the point of view of a cinematographer: stetic and storytelling. Once I got a solid cultural base I started to build myself as a VFX artist.

2.) With your education in film studies and visual effects, was there a specific directoror visual effects artist which influenced you to work in these areas?

Sure, not one but many: George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, John Knoll, Jim Cameron, john Lasseter, Zack Sneider... I find inspiration in every film I love... And I love lots of films.

3.) Are their any other places of education you would recommend?

Gnomon School in US, same level of expertise as ESC. Then to complete and recycle your knoledge: FXPHD.com 4.) Who do you work with directly on a project: directors, actors, producers?

As a compositor your department is linked to the VFX supervisor, then to the director and the producer (but not directly).

5.) What about the Visual Effects industry particularly interests you and where do you think it is headed?

Technology and artistic development. There are no limits, only imagination.

6.) As you are at Cinesite as a Digital Compositor, do you still take part in any freelance work?

No, I don’t. I work for Cinesite full-time (and I love it).

7.) You have done work in various films, what are the most common issues you encounter on these projects?

In VFX there are no common issues, every shot is different. You have to be prepared for everything.

8.) With a list of computer skills, what is the most important skill you use everyday as a visual effects artist?

Creativity: Mix maths and immagination to solve technical/artistic problems.

9.) What is the best work you’ve done for a project and what was your favourite film to work on?

My favourite work? This is like ask a father who is your favourite son :-) I only can give you one real answer: My favourite work is the one I’m doing now, my favourite film, this one.

10.) To aspiring VFX artist?s, such as myself, what advice would you give to students looking to work in the industry?

Don’t stop learning, studing and researching NEVER. Keep yourself working in something every single day. If you love it you’ll do naturally.

I hope it helps. I wish you the best and I hope to see you between the VFX artists here in Soho soon.

Take care, Victor Perez Digital Compositor Cinesite

Sofronis Efstathiou http://uk.linkedin.com/in/sofronisefstathiou

1.) What influenced you to work in the VFX industry?

Well, its not easy to pinpoint one thing, for me it was a collection of things and not all of the were immediately obvious to me. When I was youg I enjoyed making films with my cousin, normally the types that involved simple effects and stuntmen! I enjoyed art, doing my art foundation at Central St Martins in London, whilst I also enjoyed being a draughtsman. I was a technical kind of person, I liked building things, doing my degree in Production Design which had a strong science and technology bias. I loved playing computer games from 7 years old as well, so I loved computers. I know it seems odd, but didn’t realize until I was in my twenties that all of these aspects of life I enjoyed could be rolled in one industry. Its then that I did my Masters at the NCCA at Bournemouth.

2.) When you were trying to get into the industry, what skills did you need?

Creativity, critical thinking, design aesthetic, an approach to iterative design, technical skills and a good rapport with people. I gained many of these in my degree, my Masters and working life.

3.) You have a BA in Product design and an MA in 3D Computer Animation, do you do any freelance work and what inspires you?

I’ve done some consultation, normally training artists for companies like Lionhead studios. I also have a few projects on the go with colleagues. Working with clever and interesting people inspires me.

4.) Working in the VFX industry today, should you have knowledge of film or any other techniques or processes?

Yes. And not just about how VFX are made but learn about film itself. Genre of film, cinematography, telling a story, scriptwriting, history, language, lighting, directors, how cameras work, the pipeline involved etc.

5.) You have worked on films such as, ‘Happy Feet’ and ‘300’. What was your contribution to those projects?

I was Animal Logics (the studio that produced the films or did the VFX work) Training manager. As Training Manager my role dealt with many aspects of training and education within the company. I am responsible for its day to day operation, supervising the development and implementation of new hire training for incoming digital artists and working with heads of department to provide a wide range of technical and artistic programs. In 24 months, over 300 people have been involved in training at some stage of their employment, across multiple productions that included ‘Happy Feet’, ‘300’, ‘World Trade Centre’ and ‘Cartoon Network’.

6.) Who did you collaborate with on those projects?

Generally it went across all department; from Supervisors, Lead artists, junior artists and non-production staff.

7.) Were there any difficulties you encountered during these projects?

Always, but you get through them. That’s why its good to be surrounded by smart people :0) 8.) As a 3D Computer Animator, What do you think will change in the future for the industry?

Tools get simpler, work will get better. Renders will still take 10mins a frame.

9.) What other skills do you recommend students be equipped with in order to stand out in the industry?

Non CG based skills are important. Like I said, a broad understanding of the creative field will help augment any cg work you create; make decisions from an informed position about what it is your creating, is it unique, what does it say about you, how did you come to to=hose decisions, what inspired you?

10.) As someone who is aspiring to work in the VFX industry, where do you recommend is a good place to learn the necessary skills to work in the industry?

Well, I’m always going to be biased and recommend any degree education, it worked for me. You could get an internship, but you’ll be competing with a lot of people. You need to stand out, so a good showreel helps, but you also need to be a problem solver. It depends on your circumstances and your confidence at tackling the subject.

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

Sofronis Efstathiou Joint Associate Dean & Postgraduate Framework Leader Computer Animation Academic Group National Centre for Computer Animation

Andrew S. Allen http://www.andrewsallen.com

1.) What influenced you to write stories?

I love stories. I grew up with mostly visual stories—movies, animated cartoons, illustrated books. I started making home movies at a very young age and never really stopped. I think stories provide the meaning, guidance and purpose in our lives. Even religious texts are collections of stories. They are the key to the human experience. And when you look at it from that viewpoint, I can see no higher calling than to be a storyteller.

2.) When you were trying to get into the industry, what skills were required?

Outside of Hollywood, the “industry” is a loose term. I’ve always approached filmmaking as a side passion (albeit a rather serious one). But the great thing is that the filmmaking/storytelling industry is growing now in new ways. You see storytelling making it’s way into products, teams, brands, politics. Ultimately, to make it, you need to be a great storyteller. The only way to learn storytelling is to do it over and over again. Write short stories, make short films. It’s not like athletics—there’s no one born with the natural talent. Anyone can do it, but it takes years of practice. In truth, I made around 50 short films before I made The Thomas Beale Cipher.

3.) As a story writer and graphic designer what inspires you?

A quest for truth. I love information design and documentaries, but even in the fictional world, I need to feel an element of truth to be pulled into the story. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I enjoyed reading the first Twilight book. It wasn’t the particular story or the characters, but the honesty behind Stephanie Meyers’ desire to create a fantasy world where she could live out her teenage dreams unfettered. She made something that she was in love with. That type of honest love is infectious.

4.) ‘The Thomas Beale Cipher’ was a very engaging piece of work and one of my favorites, what were your roles in producing the short film?

I created the story, directed, and co-produced. I also did a fair bit of the animation. But I could never have done a story this big without a team that shared the same dream. We had a core crew of 7 and a cast of 8. Everyone helped out it a number of ways from screenwriting, to animating, to website creation, to online promotion.

5.) Did you encounter any difficulties during this project?

Our biggest challenge was in developing a 10-minute short film that felt complete without completing the story.

6.) The style of the film was very unique, what elements were used to create this style?

It took a collage-like approach of rotoscoping, hand-drawn animation, stop-motion, and digital to refine the look. Ultimately, I was aiming for something that didn’t “look” like any specific technique, but just melded perfectly with the feel of the story.

7.) What influenced you to create the short film with this style in mind?

Much of the story is inspired by graphic design of the era. Simple, strong images with subtle depth and texture. I love textures and patterns.

I think they make digital animation much more human. The animation team consists of all graphic designers. So we kept the animation simple and focused on strong compositions.

8.) There are various special/visual effect techniques and processes used in film and commercials ranging from Optical Illusions, Matte Painting, Models and Physical effects. What do you think is the most important or useful effect in your work, if any?

Whatever helps you tell your story best is the right technique to use. For me, that changes from project to project. I recently did two pieces— one a 3-second 250x250px gif animation, the other a 1-minute 3D animated festival opener. The more techniques I know, the more tools in my belt, the better prepared I am to tell the story I need. But I try to never let the technique get in the way of my story.

9.) I’ve read that you graduated with a BA in Visual Communication and your interests are in film. Do you think it’s necessary to study film in order to create effective stories or is the knowledge from your previous education more than adequate?

Visual design is great for teaching you design methodologies and critical thinking. I found that much of my design knowledge ported over to visual storytelling.

10.) Currently I’m aspiring to work in the film industry and create engaging stories and visuals, what skills do you recommend students be equipped with in order to stand out in the industry?

Become the best storyteller you possibly can. To do that, you need to tell your stories and get them out into the world. In interaction design, there’s a mantra to “fail soon, fail often”. Now is your time to play. Be a maker, not a talker. And always make what you love. Honest love is infectious.

It’d be an honor. Best of luck with your studies and professional pursuits.

Cheers, —ASA

Alan Lewis http://www.metfilmschool.co.uk/blog/meet-the-tutors-alan-lewis.aspx 1.) What influenced you to work in the VFX industry?

It was a lateral extension from my education as an architect. And it all felt so brand new back in the 1990s!

2.) When you were trying to get into the industry, what skills were required?

Very few actually. The industry was very new back then and everyone was, to some extent, making it up as they went along.

Nowadays it’s essential that you have a showreel, (which you probably gathered from the web discussion), and possibly a relevant BA/BSc in order to be considered for an entry level position.

3.) Being a 3D Artist and Compositor over the years, have the requirements in terms of skill or knowledge changed since you started?

It used to be that you simply needed to learn a piece of software (such as Maya) in order to prepare yourself for the industry.

Nowadays it’s becoming more important to understand the way different pieces of software integrate with each other. So in addition to learning software skills, you also need to have a good understanding of the digital production pipelines that are in use throughout the industry.

4.) Working in the VFX industry today, should you have knowledge of film or any other techniques or processes?

It’s important to keep up to speed on how VFX is used within the industry. Avatar, for example, demonstrated new approaches to filmmaking that required appropriate technology to achieve the director’s vision.

5.) Over the years as a 3D Artist and Compositor, who did you collaborate with mostly on projects?

Most artists work on a freelance basis moving around from one production facility to another. It’s actually a pretty small community so you get to work with a lot of people over and over again.

6.) What were the worst issues you encountered working on a project?

Bad organisation and poor communication. A lot of time gets wasted when individuals don’t have the technical vocabulary to explain themselves clearly or the production experience to anticipate potential problems.

7.) Working in the VFX industry for several years you must have seen many changes in the industry, were there any problems that were noted and where do you see the industry headed for the future?

There is a lot of change going on at the moment due to advancements in technology and technical challenges such as stereoscopic filmmaking.

The industry is currently adapting to new workflows in order to cope with these challenges and advancements. Many experienced vfx artists are adapting to new software, (such as Nuke), in order to meet the challenges ahead.

8.) What inspires you as a 3D Artist and Compositor?

Knowing that I have the technical skills to make whatever I want.

9.) Being a tutor at the MET Film School, what skills do you recommend students be equipped with in order to stand out in the industry?

Strong communication skills and the ability to work well within a team environment. That is perhaps the most important personality trait of a successful vfx artist. From a more practical pov, problem solving skills are essential as well as an artistic eye for composition and detail.

10.) As someone who is aspiring to work in the VFX industry and learn about directing films also, where do you recommend is a good place to learn the necessary skills to work in the industry and why?

My personal recommendation is to study vfx at a film school. So have a look at the courses on offer and focus on the ones that are within a film department. Engineering departments or schools of architecture will not approach the software the same way as tutors within a filmmaking environment.

Glad to see you are exploring your options carefully and I hope my answers below are of some help to you!

I also highly recommend the Skillset website as they are the government agency set up to support the film, vfx, animation and games industry in the UK. www.skillset.org Best, Alan