How to succeed in VFX

Has technology changed the skills required to be a VFX artist? Amedeo Beretta, Module Leader for the Visual FX for Film course at Met Film School shares his thoughts...

The last decade has seen a vast amount of change in the creation and delivery of film visual effects. But have the skills required to be a VFX artist changed with the technology? Amedeo Beretta, Module Leader for the six month Visual FX for Film course at Met Film School, finds out if they have, and what they are.

Many people arent aware that the art of visual effects is, and has been, an integral part of the film industry for many years

Looking back over little more than a decade is it clear that the visual effects (VFX) industry has evolved considerably. Many people arent aware that the art of VFX is, and has been, an integral part of the film industry for many years, with virtually every film using some form of VFX. Yet it can be argued that the last decade or so has seen the most rapid change, thanks to technological advances and the rapid creation of new software and tools. I would argue, however, that the skills needed have remained much the same...

Amedeo was a Senior Character Animator at Double Negative prior to the Met Film School

The VFX industry has become, thanks to these changes, much more accessible, both in terms of the industry and the discipline itself. Technical and creative information is available from a wide range of sources, and while professional software costs remain high the tools that come with your standard laptop and free advice provided online are more than enough to get started. Even commercial work is, in many cases, deliverable on a mid-range PC.

Furthermore, companies are actively collaborating with the education system in order to improve and standardise the level of fresh graduates. New and more powerful software is developed by the day, and tasks of ever-growing complexity can be tackled by smaller teams, specialised programs and limited investment.

The last decade has seen the most rapid change in VFX thanks to technological advances but the skills needed have remained much the same

Every open eye is not seeing

One would think that this epochal change would have produced a massive shift in the skills sought in a VFX artist, but truth be told the core requirements have made their way almost unscathed through this tumultuous process. VFX is all about seeing, and this remains the primary ability that anyone looking to learn the craft should develop. Understanding what it is that makes a scene, picture or action compelling is what will ultimately empower you to gain creative control over your own work.

For instance, people who have just started studying animation often fail to troubleshoot their own work accurately. Many times they just arent able to notice the primary problems of their animations. In other words, they may not be sensitive enough to the nuances of motion.

Great emphasis, therefore, should be placed on training the eye; better educating it to observe and understand nature and art. In this respect, we are standing on the shoulders of giants. Generations of artists and scientists have paved the way for us, with paintings, sculptures, photographs and cinematography offering us insights into the fundamentals of light and volume, and filmed footage of people and animals can teach us plenty of about animation.

Amedeo was a Senior Character Animator at Double Negative, working on projects for the likes of Disney

Technical and technological principles

As with any other discipline, those wanting to get to grips with VFX need to understand the principles that regulate the tools we rely upon as artists. Our industry still revolves around the same technical backbone: colour and space is important to us if we are interested in composition, while if we are interested in lighting we would need to learn our way around computer-generated lights and shaders. A modeler would need to understand the way surfaces are generated in any 3D software, while animators would have to learn how to set keyframes on a timeline and operate a rig to apply principles that have remained the same for decades to new characters that they want to bring to life.

All of this can be achieved with various software and programs. This said, although a foundation in VFX can, and should, be software-agnostic, it is undeniable that some programs are more commonly used than others. For instance, in the biggest VFX workshops Maya and NUKE have become a de-facto standard, so anyone interested in working for the big players should probably cast more than a passing glance over these. Sculpting software like ZBrush and Mudbox have quickly changed the way some parts of modeling pipelines are structured, and more complex software is on the way to further open up the possibilities. It is important, therefore, to remain flexible and be constantly open to learning new techniques whenever you have the chance. This flexibility, although difficult to cultivate and maintain, is crucial to not being left behind. To stop learning is to take your eye off the ball!

Throughout Amedeo's career he has worked as an Animation Supervisor, a Senior Animator, a Rig Fixer, 3D Layout Artist, and has worn many others hats too!

It is important to get over the irritation of, having just come to grips with a new program, finding that a new one is taking its place. But new technologies can considerably speed up our workflow and give us greater control over it. Even a few hours spent playing with a new software can be incredibly rewarding in the long-term, not to mention that a wider toolset implies greater possibilities of choice when looking for a job.

Relying on a single software to do all your work can quickly become a limitation in an ever-evolving business. The right software is interchangeable, and is whichever best allows us to deliver our work efficiently and quickly enough to meet deadlines. Having a certain level of proficiency on various commercial packages will allow you to better adapt and restructure your workflows to meet the specific needs of the production you are working on.

VFX is all about seeing, and this remains the primary ability that anyone looking to learn the craft should develop

The importance of soft skills

While having some degree of technical knowhow is clearly important, the majority of the skills desirable in a successful VFX artist are commonly referred to as "soft" or transferrable skills. The ability to problem-solve is particularly important, and not surprisingly people with good problem-solving skills tend to be people that others want to work with due to their dependability, and the fact that they are more trustworthy. This is especially true in smaller productions where a company cannot afford to employ a number of specialists in each discipline, but needs to optimize its resources by relying on generalists; versatile trouble-shooters with a wide toolset, capable of employing a variety of techniques in order to save the day.

Paul is another of the movies that Amedeo has contributed in his animation career to date

For those of you with heady dreams of working for DreamWorks or Pixar: dont discard the potential of smaller studios just yet, either. Due to the growing potential of both software and hardware they are becoming progressively more productive, and therefore more competitive, and open to a flud and varied workflow. It is true, as well, that some of the tasks performed by VFX artists, whether for small studios or large, can be repetitive and dont necessarily require a great deal of creative input. A flexible attitude will enable you to choose and employ better tools to reduce the time spent on such tasks, giving you more time to concentrate on the creative process.

It is important to remain flexible and be constantly open to learning new techniques whenever you have the chance

Communication is also an invaluable soft skill that will prove extremely helpful. Good communication may go unnoticed, but bad communication sticks out like a sore thumb. Being able to communicate clearly with a peer, subordinate, or a supervisor, is essential to ensure effective collaboration in getting the job done. Knowing where you stand at all times will enable you to focus your creativity and pulls together most of the skills that I have already mentioned. Good communication also puts you in the strong position of being able to ask for and analyse your own feedback, thus further improving your work.

A work in progress

These skills, like all things, can be learned. Creativity can be focused, communication enhanced, and technical skills developed. Like any VFX sequence, your own personal development is a work in progress, and should be treated as such. With any creative profession, maintaining your professional development not only brings with it personal development, enhanced learning and satisfaction of curiosity, but also new job opportunities.

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