Production manager
Production managers act on the decisions that have been made by the VFX producer. They create the detailed schedule for the project and look after the budget.
They oversee the work of the production coordinator in scheduling the work and might also be involved in casting or hiring artists and drafting contracts. They liaise with the VFX artists and technical directors (TDs) from all parts of the VFX pipeline to see that work is completed on time.
They are also important in communicating with the producer of company shooting the live-action footage and producing the film or TV programme.
Production managers tend to be employed by VFX companies or studios rather than freelancers.
- What’s a production manager good at?
- Communication: keep in contact with the various departments on a production in order to inform them of their schedules, relate to your colleagues and explain yourself well
- Organisation: plan, prioritise, multitask and use your own initiative to manage schedules
- Anticipation: listen and be one step ahead of what’s going on, enable everyone to be able to get on with their job
- Leadership: be confident in giving direction and leading a team, communicate well with everyone, create a positive atmosphere within the team
- Knowledge of VFX: understand all aspects of the VFX pipeline, know the processes, the creative challenges and the software
- Problem-solving: anticipate any issues that might occur during the project, adapt to changing timescales and technical issues
- Qualifications
Production Manager Essentials:
- Proven experience of strategic scheduling within VFX
- Highly organized and analytical
- Good use of initiative, decision-making and issue management with the ability to drive issues through to resolution; prioritization and delegation; time management
- Managing difficult conversations; managing remote teams; teamwork and training others
References
https://jobs.jobvite.com/lucascompanies/job/oLlxafwx
VFX editor
Based on a deep understanding of the script and the director’s overall concept, the editor uses the split-screen script as the basis for the film’s layered story, the smooth unfolding of the plot and natural changes in pace, which helps to highlight the characters, deepen the subject matter and increase the film’s artistic impact. As a close collaborator with the director, the editor plays a pivotal role in the success or failure of a film through meticulous and complex re-creation activities.
VFX editors work as the link between the film or TV production team, which shoots the live-action footage, and the VFX studio that does the visual effects. A VFX editor can be employed by a VFX studio or directly by the film or TV production company. The role varies depending on whether they are in-house (employed by the studio) or client-side (employed by the film or TV production company).
Client-side VFX editor:
Client-side VFX editors work on set, while the live-action footage is being shot. They check everything is being captured in a way that makes it possible for the VFX to be created and integrated effectively. They keep track of the director’s notes and make sure that the VFX editor employed by the VFX studio knows about any changes that will affect the way the VFX need to be created. The client-side VFX editor bring drafts of the shots together so that the director can see how they will look with the VFX incorporated and make sure the footage all comes together to create a cut of the film or TV programme that’s in keeping with what was signed off in previsualisation.
In-house VFX editor:
In-house VFX editors work closely with client-side VFX editors, but are responsible for ensuring that the VFX artists at the VFX studio have everything that they need to create their work.
While the project is being worked on, the VFX editor creates a workflow that allows the VFX supervisor to evaluate the VFX artists’ work and provide feedback on the aesthetic and on the technical direction. As the client approves shots or versions, the VFX editor incorporates them into the current cut (edit) and oversees the passing of work back to the team that is editing the film or TV programme.
- What’s a VFX editor good at?
- Attention to detail: be meticulous with a strong eye for detail, making sure all shots are of the highest possible quality
- Editing: have a good understanding of story-telling and be adept at using editing software
- Communication: have excellent communication skills, understand exactly what the desired effect is in each shot and give effective direction to achieve that, keep clients informed on progress
- Organisation: be on top of the work that needs to be done and its progress with a good understanding of the pipeline, keep track of any changes in the project and keep all staff informed
- Working to deadlines: have very good time-management skills, make sure the project stays on track for its deadline and cope well with working under pressure towards tight post-production deadlines at the end of the project.
References
https://90seconds.com/what-is/visual-effects-editor/
Data input/output (I/O) technician
Data input/output (I/O) technicians are responsible for organising, transferring and storing the computer files and data for a VFX production company.
They manage the computer storage and retrieval systems, including company hard drives. VFX companies process large amounts of data because they deal with high-quality video files and digital 3D animation files. They know different digital camera formats, for instance, Alexa, Cannon, Phantom and Red. Data I/O technicians troubleshoot any issues that come up to do with file storage.
Data I/O technicians ensure that all of transferring and storing of data is done securely and that files are encrypted wherever necessary. They follow company protocols to comply with safety standards. They make logs of all of the files that they receive and perform quality control checks on these files to see if there are problems or if the files are corrupted. They use file transfer programs in order to perform their role.
Data I/O technicians give technical support to people working in a VFX pipeline when needed. They are usually employed by VFX companies or studios rather than freelancers.
What’s a data I/O technician good at?
- Programming and coding skills: have knowledge of programming in C++ and Python with a high level of technical ability
- Computing technical skill: be able to work in Microsoft Windows, macOS (Apple), Linux or Unix operating systems, understand how the data sharing application FileMaker Pro works and be able to use it, understand file transfer protocols (FTPs)
- Understand the VFX pipeline: know the process of how VFX get created
- Communication and teamwork: communicate well with the other data I/O technicians, and VFX artists, when necessary, so that there is a cohesive and structured file storage system
- Organisation: be attentive to the detail of the files and data that you process and store, maintain a working system of file storage
- Efficiency: work quickly and accurately, organise and prioritise your tasks
References
https://vfx-montreal.com/job/vfx-editor-inputoutput-io-coordinator/
Concept artist
Concept artists create artwork to inspire the look of the visual effects (VFX) in a film or TV production.
They draw the characters or creatures and environments as well as vehicles, props and buildings. They begin with a brief, which might be a script, or the original concept of a film as told by its filmmaker. They carry out research and create mood boards, which they use as a starting point to create lots of versions of their designs. The artwork that concept artists create helps other members of a production, or in the VFX pipeline, to have a shared vision.
Concept artists use digital and traditional drawing and painting to create their work. A lot of the work they produce is in the form of still 2D images; however, concept artists can also produce work using 3D software to create 3D wireframe computer-generated images (CG). This can help speed up the VFX production pipeline.
Concept artists typically work on a freelance basis, and their job role is highly specialised. They may grow to be associated with a particular VFX company. On large-scale movie productions, concept artists can work in a film’s art department or costume department. They act as the point of contact between the film departments and the VFX team.
What’s a concept artist good at?
- Illustration: have a great ability to create inspirational art, understand image form, colour, composition and lighting
- Interpretation: understand the key aspects of the source material, translate into artwork
- Design appreciation: have a general cultural interest in design, architecture and film
- Software knowledge: be able to use computer illustration software and 3D VFX software to create concept art
- Flexibility: respond well to notes from senior creative production members and adapt and update artwork accordingly
References
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/OyxNgb
https://www.nutscomputergraphics.com/en/ispirational/aaron-sims-concept-artist-vfx/
Previs Artist (Previsualisation artist)
Previsualisation (previs) artists help to plan out what a film is going to look like. Previs is the process of visualising a scene before creating it.
Previs generally takes the form of a 3D animatics, namely a rough version of a scene or scenes. Previs artists usually start with a 2D storyboard from a concept artist. They create draft versions of the different moving image sequences and they put it all together using their compositing and editing skills.
The previs process is used to plan shots, work out the scale and timing and to show roughly where the characters are going to move. It’s used to map out how the visual effects (VFX) will fit into an otherwise live-action scene. Creating previs can save films and television series and shows valuable time and money on set or in post-production.
Once a film is in production, previs artists help the other VFX artists maintain a consistent style in their work.
Previs artists are either employed by VFX studios or they work as freelancers.
- Cinematography: have a good artistic eye for composition, particularly for camera shots and movements
- Creativity: be able to tell a story in the previs work that you produce, come up with original ideas for what the shots should look like and spark the director’s imagination
- 3D software: have a high level of skill using 3D animation and VFX software and a strong understanding of form and volume (the way that objects exist and move in 3D), coding skills are also useful
- Basic editing skills: have basic video editing skills as well as some knowledge of rendering and compositing, which you can use to create animatics
- Organisation: have excellent organisational skills, stick to production schedules and budgets, be on top of your data management
- Communication: work well within a team, understand and help to achieve the director’s vision
The position requires proven digital art and animation skills, including experience in modeling, rigging and character animation. Experience in using software applications such as Maya is required.
Understanding of cameras, staging, composition, cadence, timing and general shooting concepts, attention to detail, respect for studio, production and pipeline processes and requirements, clear and professional communication skills are all required for this precision and efficiency profession. The practice of English is a necessity, as it is often the case in this environment.
References
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/3d-layout-artist-previs-artist-cinematic-artist
https://www.beaumarisartgroup.org.au/p-artist/previs-artist-definition.html