Dive into the complete episode list for The VFX Artists Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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08 Feb 2022
How Animation Changed My Life - Michael Morgan - Part 1 | TVAP EP23
01:03:46
In this episode, we chat to Michael Morgan, a U.K. based senior character animator and animation mentor about his journey into the industry and working with some of the most highly respected studios in the world.
Michael has over two decades of experience in the VFX industry, and has contributed to some of your favourite movies and characters on the big screen, ranging from Marvel's Black Panther, Guarians Of The Galaxy: Vol 2, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Venom, Pacific Rim: Uprising and more!
In this episode, we discus his journey into the industry, his experiences leading and supervising teams. We also go on to discuss what qualities he looks for in animators, as well as the common practices and mistakes animators do, showreel advice, motion capture, and more
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters: 00:00 - Pre roll and what to expect in this episode 03:24 - Welcoming Michael on the show 05:28 - Did you always want to be an animator? 07:10 - Journey into the industry 14:20 - Doing 3D animation at home in the late 99's and 2000's 15:43 - Getting into the industry 17:07 - Preference between being a senior animator and supervisor 23:20 - Best way for animators to get in the industry or transition into, from different departments 27:05 - Traits you see in those who go on to be successful 28:31 - Qualities you look for in animators on your team? 29:52 - Why has 2D animmation mostly become redundant 37:31 - Will Maya remain the industry standard for animators? 39:05 - Would you hire an animator, if you liked their work but had never used Maya? 40:10 - Parents thoughts about your career choice 44:25 - Preference between animation for VFX and full animated feature 49:27 - Achieving realism in animation with/without motion capture 53:34 - Approaching a new sequence or shot 57:08 - Confidence with filming your own references 59:45 - Managing stressful days End of Part 1
How Animation Changed My Life - Michael Morgan - Part 2 | TVAP EP24
00:52:51
In this episode, we conclude our two-part episode with Michael Morgan, a U.K. based senior character animator and animation mentor about his journey into the industry and working with some of the most highly respected studios in the world.
Michael has over two decades of experience in the VFX industry, and has contributed to some of your favourite movies and characters on the big screen, ranging from Marvel's Black Panther, Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol 2, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Venom, Pacific Rim: Uprising and more!
In this episode, we discus his journey into the industry, his experiences leading and supervising teams. We also go on to discuss what qualities he looks for in animators, as well as the common practices and mistakes animators do, showreel advice, motion capture, and more
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters: 00:00 - Pre roll and what to expect in this episode 00:38 - Imposters syndrome 10:02 - Common mistakes animators make 16:16 - What transferable skills or knowledge can be passed on to a 2D animator or a stop motion animator? 19:32 - What advice would you give to anyone putting together an animation showreel 24:34 - Recommending good universities and courses 31:46 - What’s been a memorable highlight of your career so far 36:46 - As a family man, how do you organise things with loved ones, when you have to leave for work 44:04 - What are you aspiring for in the next few years? 48:57 - Working with Daniel Miller on Broken Toy short film 50:58 - How to engage with Michael online 52:02 - Conclusion
A Love of Film with Carolina Jiménez García, Lead Layout Artist, Scanline | TVAP EP25
00:57:19
This week Daniel caught up with Layout Artist who has 7 Oscar Nominated films, as well as an Emmy and a Goya under her belt!
Many of our Spanish speaking audience may already be familiar with Carolina as she runs an incredibly popular VFX and film Youtube, blog and Twitter account as Okingrafia. Carolina is a Lead Layout Artist at Scanline, most recently on projects like Free Guy, Moonfall and Eternals. Her career spans the Globe and major studios such as Dneg in London, Scanline in Canada, and Weta in New Zealand where she fulfilled her dream by working with the Lord of Rings crew on the Hobbit trilogy.
In this episode we roll back the curtain on the Layout Department, a little understood and vitally important part of VFX and animation pipelines. We find out what it takes to become a Layout Artist and Layout Lead, hear Carolina’s advice for artists, learn a little about working in Canada and find out about her favourite projects.
íDisfrutamos!
Timestamps:
00:00:00 : What to expect and Intro 00:02:25 : Meet Carolina 00:05:47 : He's a pandemic dog 00:06:48 : Layout and overview of the department 00:12:29 : The start of Carolina's Career 00:15:16 : Software used in Layout 00:18:03 : OKinGrafia - Carolina's filmmaking channel 00:19:50 : A snippet from OKinGrafia (Spanish) 00:20:15 : Carolin'a research for her content channels 00:24:06 : Favourite Project to Work on: The Hobbit Trilogy 00:26:39 : Taking those first steps in the industry 00:28:04 : Planet of the Apes 00:30:20 : When your work gets cut from the movie 00:31:59 : Overtime and keeping the team happy 00:33:01 : Working in different countries 00:38:23 : Different perspectives on filmmaking 00:39:20 : Typical working day and working from home 00:41:15 : Why working from home is more productive 00:44:05 : Blended working 00:45:24 : Vancouver 00:46:47 : Are Leads involved in recruitment 00:47:55 : Maya, custom tools and the pipeline 00:51:00 : Layout for Animation vs Live-Action 00:52:02 : The hierarchy and approval process 00:53:49 : Reshoots 00:55:06 : Where to find Carolina online 00:56:56 : Goodbye and outro
Rendered: 2022-02-14 19:49:27 Powered by [Chaptered.app](https://Chaptered.app)
What is Previs, and why it's important - with Jamie Bakewell, founder of Bigtooth Studios | TVAP EP26
01:31:45
On today’s episode, we have Jamie Bakewell in the hot seat to discuss all things previs and postvis, starting from his journey into the industry , to the decisions which led to the creation of his Previs studio in the midlands - Bigtooth Studios.
Jamie’s incredible first job with Aardman, soon after graduating in 2009 from Staffordshire University led him to work on The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!, spiralling a great friendship with Pawl Fulker, co-owner of Proof Inc, (before it was called Proof!), who then ended up inspiring Jamie to set up his previs studio.
We dive into what it takes Jamie to wear two hats on a daily basis, as an artist and entrepreneur, as well as what it took for him to transition into that role.
Of course, focusing the topic around previs, we couldn’t leave out what previs and postvis is all about and the use of Blender vs Maya for previs.
Strap in, and we hope you enjoy this episode.
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters: 00:00:00 Coming up.. 00:03:05 Episode overview 00:03:30 Jamie intro 00:04:43 Story behind the name 00:06:00 Industry journey before Bigtooth Studios 00:19:30 Shows worked on 00:22:39 Epiphany moment, leading to the creation of Bigtooth Studios 00:58:00 Runing and managing Bigtooth Studios during the pandemic 01:03:22 Advantages and disadvantages of running your business in the midlands 01:06:00 Tools and software 01:14:16 Why should anyone decide to work in the visualisation industry 01:15:55 Would you recommend working in previs and postvis before working in VFX studios to deliver finals? 01:17:52 Balancing being an artist and an entrepreneur on a daily basis 01:21:06 Best and worst decisions made as an artist and a business owner 01:24:21 What should be the key differences for anyone making a previs/postvis reel and a VFX finals reel 01:27:31 Unreal engine and Virtual Production 01:30:43 Conclusion
An Unreal Engine Discussion, with Filipe Magalhães, Realtime Supervisor at NVIZ | TVAP EP27
01:19:55
In this episode, Kofi chats to Filipe Magalhães, Realtime supervisor at NVIZ about Unreal engine and all things realtime.
We do a deep dive into Unreal engine in the use for previs, VFX, and Virtual production, compare it to Unity, and retrace Filipe's journey into the industry.
Following up on that, we discus the education, diversity and representation in the VFX industry, neurodiversity and more.
A very well packed episode, not to be missed!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters: 00:00:00 Episode Overview 00:02:05 intro 00:02:32 Introductions and a bit about Filipe 00:09:52 When did you realise you had a creative interest? 00:13:10 Differences between unreal and unity and why the previs/postvis, VFX and virtual production industries have adopted unreal over Unity 00:18:06 What do you generally use unreal for and how does the workflow differ between previs/postvis, VFX and or virtual production 00:32:33 What are the common requests/demands from directors and what does it take to provide the right tools and results in a fast environment 00:40:48 Non handheld virtual camera challenges in Unreal 00:42:44 What does Unreal lack or can be improved 00:48:23 How technical does one need to be when using unreal 00:55:44 Is non-realtime rendering a thing of the past 00:58:45 Favourite non-real time renderers and why 01:00:27 Achieving diversification and representation in the VFX industry 01:05:44 Assets and Unreal showreel advice 01:08:10 Career path advice 01:14:29 The importance of parental support in finding self 01:18:31 Conclusion
From the Amiga to Houdini, Nuke and Digital Domain with Sean Cunningham Part 1 | TVAP EP28
00:59:30
We go all the way back the 1990's in this 2 part interview with Sean Cunningham, a veteran of the VFX industry whose credits as an FX Artists include films such as True Lies, Strange Days, The Fifth Element, Godzilla, Oh Brother Where Art Thou and who has directed and produced independent feature films in his own right.
This journey takes us from the excitement of the Commodore Amiga, missed proms, the inspiration of T2 and the founding days of James Cameron's Digital Domain studios.
We learn about the origins of industry standard tools SideFX Houdini and Foundry Nuke from someone who was using both in their earliest incarnations as SideFX Prisms and Digital Domain's in house compositing tool - Nuke.
We go deep and geeky so be warned.
00:00 : What to Expect 01:53 : Meet Sean Cunningham 03:01 : How I got started in the industry 05:29 : The importance of the Amiga for creative computing 07:00 : Sculpt 3D on the Amiga 07:52 : Lightwave 14:10 : The inspirational effect of T2 14:33 : First VFX online bulletin board 16:15 : T2 Comes out, a turning point 17:47 : Calarts 23:36 : : Metrolight Studios and Sexy Robot 28:07 : The Role of TD in the 1990's 31:05 : You had to build up an intuition - working without UI feedback 36:22 : Elastic Reality, morphs and splines 39:28 : James Cameron founds Digital Domain 42:05 : Digital Domain in Stan Winston's Creature Shop 42:53 : Stealing Artists and the pirate mentality 45:18 : True Lies 49:51 : Side FX Prisms (which became Houdini) 51:51 : Learning VFX software in the 1990's 58:06 : My Approach to learning at Digital Domain and since
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Sean Cunningham Part 2, From Digital Domain to Indie Film and Rooster Teeth | TVAP EP29
01:35:01
In the second installment of our interview with veteran VFX Artist and filmmaker, Sean Cunningham we go into detail about the process used on the 1990's action movie True Lies for the missile sequence - featuring some of the earliest uses of Nuke digital compositing at Digital Domain as well as an early version of SideFX Houdini (Prisms).
We talk about his role supervising on Strange Days and working on Oh Brother Where Art Thou with the first use of full DI on feature film. We discuss how he raised funds, produced and distributed two indie feature films and his return to VFX.
It's a great tour for VFX artists interested in some of the early history of digital FX and the tools we use everyday as well as a case study in indie filmmaking.
Full timestamps below:
00:00:05 : The Team on True Lies 00:00:05 : Marker 1 00:03:34 : The origin of the name "Nuke" 00:04:42 : Nuke always planned as a commercial project 00:06:43 : Th Pixel was sacred 00:07:56 : Talking through the workflow on a missile shot 00:09:09 : The use of Amigas at DD for playback 00:10:45 : Everybody would have to queue up their tests 00:21:39 : How FVX work teaches you to think about things 00:32:46 : Running out to film 00:33:30 : First time as Supervisor and the fear 00:35:00 : O Brother Where Art Thou - first film with end to end DI 00:35:31 : Working with Roger Deakins 00:41:13 : Presentation to PETA 00:42:28 : From Hollywood to indie filmmaking 00:45:50 : Fundraising first indie feature film 00:49:47 : Shooting in a small town 00:56:02 : Distribution 01:00:09 : After release - back to VFX 01:02:03 : A kidnapping 01:03:18 : Sick Boy - finally making a horror movie 01:08:06 : The response to Sick Boy 01:24:37 : Working at Rooster Teeth 01:28:12 : How to get out of a creative rut 01:29:44 : Remote work opportunities 01:32:31 : Final words and advice
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
Perspective of a Senior Houdini FX TD, with Baptiste Jaquemet | TVAP EP30
00:56:21
In this episode, we chat to Baptiste Jaquemet, a senior Houdini FX TD and generalist, about his journey into the VFX industry and how his journey has led him to work at the studio that inspired his interest in VFX - Weta.
Baptiste's journey is an interesting one, and we talk about his early beginnings, his love for Blender, and Houdini, negative experiences in the VFX industry, and his dreams for the future.
We hope you enjoy! You can find our audio podcast on your favourite podcast player.
Chapters: 00:00:00 Episode Overview 00:01:24 Intro 00:01:47 Introducing Baptiste 00:03:44 Weta 00:05:10 Who/What inspired your VFX journey 00:08:08 Realisation of creative interest 00:09:28 Journey into the industry 00:13:08 Dark aspects of the industry - Part 1 00:16:20 VFX industry in France 00:17:39 Working as a Freelancer vs Contract 00:20:48 Let's talk Houdini 00:31:20 Watch Baptiste's short film 00:36:50 Best methods for learning Houdini 00:39:24 Pro's & Cons of working at different studios, as an FX TD 00:41:34 creative freeedom when it comes to simulating real world physics 00:43:49 Importance of understanding real world physics 00:45:31 Shading and lighting as an FX TD 00:47:58 FX showreel advice 00:49:51 Dark aspects of the industry - Part 2 00:52:05 OOO and dreams 00:55:37 Conclusion As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
Becoming the Best Compositor You Can With Shonda Hunt | TVAP EP31
01:07:24
With credits including The Batman, Walking Dead: Worlds Beyond Thor, Love and Thunder its's no wonder we've been wanting to catch up with Freelance Compositor, Shonda Hunt. But in the end she got in touch with us after we asked about the issues facing mothers working in the VFX industry.
So in this two pronged interview Daniel and Shonda discuss the challenges of parenting while working compositing. We also discuss Shonda's career and inspirations. This interview gives valuable insights for working more efficiently in Foundry Nuke, building trust and credibility with producers and supervisors and tips for continual learning and improvement.
If you are interested in upping your compositing career you will not want to miss this one!
00:54 : How I got started 04:52 : Tutorials and Books 06:07 : Depper understanding 09:19 : Freelancing vs staff 28:33 : Advice to up your game 30:33 : Don't be afraid to test things out 31:32 : Read read read 33:50 : Custom tools and gizmos 37:35 : Being a parent in the VFX industry 40:44 : WFH and childcare 44:09 : Growing as an artist while working from home 45:24 : The value of blogging 49:37 : Hard greenscreens please! 56:30 : The value of feedback 58:45 : Becoming the go-to person for hard shots
Rendered: 2022-05-02 21:38:54 Powered by [Chaptered.app](https://Chaptered.app)
Not Your Starving Artist, with VFX Generalist Vicki Lau | TVAP EP32
00:36:12
In this episode, we chat to VFX generalist and author, Vicki Lau, about her take on being a female multi-disciplinary artist in the VFX industry.
We also find out why she chose to write two books about her experience in the VFX industry, titled 'Why I Do VFX' (The untold truths about working in visual effects) and 'Not your starving artist' (Making money in the arts).
Vicki also gives us a look into the misconception of the industry by the asian community, based on her own experience and what kept her determined to pursue her goals.
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:41 How I got into the VFX industry 00:07:36 Being a compositor for Postvis and finals 00:08:57 Volumetric and Stereoscopic compositing 00:11:05 Pro's and cons of being a generalist 00:13:10 Pro's and cons of being a postvis Compositor 00:15:43 Favourite show worked on 00:16:18 Being an oriental woman in the VFX industry 00:18:47 VFX industry in Singapore 00:19:56 What drives you? 00:21:45 Teaching others 00:24:35 Why I wrote these VFX books 00:29:53 Benefits of putting your VFX industry experience into a book 00:31:02 Where to find Vicki's books 00:31:34 Words of advice 00:34:48 Conclusion
Founding a Games Studio: VFX Entrepreneurs with Mohsen Mousavi and Hugh Behroozy | TVAP EP33
01:03:50
Have you got an idea for a game you would love to bring to life?
This week we catch up with VFX Supervisor, Mohsen Mousavi and Look Dev Artist, Hugh Behroozy who are doing exactly that with their new venture, Blinkmoon.
We discuss their impressive VFX careers and their time at Scanline, where they met and worked on projects such as Game of Thrones, The Meg, Guardians of The Galaxy and more...
Despite the wide availability of tools such as Unreal Engine and Unity, game dev is still hard - in this interview we learn why that is a good thing for those with the passion and dedication to follow through!
00:00:04 : Mohsen intro 00:01:40 : Hugh's career and teenage Second Life. 00:29:44 : Influences and inspiration 00:32:03 : Attracting the best talent 00:36:09 : Producing a game vs producing VFX: Agile and Waterfall 00:43:47 : Agile Plan vs No Plan 00:50:47 : Leaving VFX ? 00:57:20 : Learning how to learn Powered by [Chaptered.app](https://Chaptered.app)
Perception - Behind the HUD & Title sequences of your favourite movies | TVAP EP34
00:31:36
In this episode, we chat to Jeremy Lasky & Danny Gonzalez, founders of Perception to learn more about the creation of what's become one of the most influential and important VFX & creative studios globally.
Perception has brought us title sequences and HUD's (heads up displays) for films such as Iron Man, Black Panther, Loki, Wandavision, Spiderman Homecoming, Eternals, and many more. In fact, the list is endless!
Title sequences and great HUD's play a great part in the story-telling of movies, as well as real-world applications, and Perception is at the forefront of some of the most cutting-edge and most successful ones.
In this episode, we learn about the reason behind the creation of the studio, the ins and outs, the hustle and the failures turned to wins.
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:16 Why we created Perception 00:08:47 Differentiating Perception from VFX studios 00:14:11 Considering ethical concerns when designing 00:16:18 Can too much creative freedom be negative? 00:17:30 Secret In-house technologies 00:19:14 How to stay original 00:21:25 Expanding offices beyond North America 00:23:06 Learning from mistakes 00:28:46 Aspirations for the next decade
Becoming a mother made me an efficient VFX Animator - Part 1 | TVAP EP35
01:00:34
This week, we have the amazing Christina Mandia, animator at Cinesite London, giving us an insight into how she tackles her maternal role, whilst being a better, more efficient animator.
Christina goes on to share some very important information on maternity leave pay for employees and freelancers through the government schemes, as well as employee entitlements. Some really useful info for employees and freelancers in any career.
Christina’s journey as a VFX animator, starts with an entry into the VFX industry as a runner, following the completion of an animator degree at Ravensbourne university, leading on to a progression into the matchmove department, and finally into the much anticipated department she’d always been aspiring for - animation.
In this two-part episode, Christina shares her journey, her expertise advice as an animator & mother, and gives invaluable advice for aspiring animators and aspiring & existing parents in the working industry, more specifically, the VFX industry.
We hope you find this episode useful as we did.
Special thanks to Christina for kindly taking time out to share her experiences with us.
Subscribe and turn notifications on to be alerted when part 2 comes out!
Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:38 How it all started 00:07:04 Becoming pregnant as an artist 00:09:23 Deciding to speak to HR at 26 weeks of pregnancy 00:16:33 Confronting HR and recruiters about pregnancy 00:17:29 Maternity leave and pay laws in the U.K. 00:20:36 iAnimate during maternity leave 00:28:22 WFH - Mother's opinion 00:35:15 School! 00:39:36 Prove yourself and know your worth! 00:43:56 Hesitancy & Pressure on women choosing between work and starting a family 00:56:24 Getting back into work after Maternity leave
Becoming a mother made me an efficient VFX Animator - Part 2 | TVAP EP36
00:49:42
Part 2 of our discussion with Christina Mandia continues, with this last part focusing on Christina's VFX industry journey, going all the way back to her first interests and influence, education, as well as showreel and general advice for current and aspiring mothers and animators.
Christina’s journey as a VFX animator, begun with an entry into the VFX industry as a runner, following the completion of an animator degree at Ravensbourne university, leading on to a progression into the matchmove department, and finally into the much anticipated department she’d always been aspiring for - animation.
We hope you find this episode useful as we did.
Special thanks to Christina for kindly taking time out to share her experiences with us.
Subscribe and turn notifications on to be alerted when part 2 comes out!
Chapters: 00:00:00 Welcome to Part 2 00:00:05 What inspired your interest in Animation and VFX 00:09:26 Thoughts on Runner's positions as part-entry into the VFX industry 00:20:20 Filmography review 00:29:41 Advice for animators, and transitioning artists into maternal roles
Drinking from a fire-hydrant the ups and downs of life as a compositor with Josh Parks | TVAP EP37
01:11:36
This week we catch up with Senior Compositor and trainer, Josh Parks for a lively discussion of all things tech, industry and career related.
Starting out as "The wildcard choice" for MPC's training program, he has built an impressive career with credits including: Jungle Book, Transformers: The Last Knight, Ready Player One, Wonder Woman, Guardians of the Galaxy, Lovecraft Country, Stranger Things and much more
We also talk about Josh's training materials and how building this from early in his journey in VFX has not only helped other artists, but also helped himself to grow as a compositor.
We also discuss Unreal, volume, machine learning and the future of the industry so you will want to check this one out!
00:00:05 : Introductions 00:04:33 : Machine learning and the black box 00:09:04 : The Mailing List 00:11:41 : How creating learning materials can help the creator 00:13:04 : Keying and Dan's worst interview ever 00:18:48 : Josh's route into the industry 00:22:15 : The ups and downs of life as a comper 00:37:18 : Ownership of art and Caravaggio getting client notes 00:51:00 : Unreal in Nuke 00:57:34 : CompositingPro.com 01:07:12 : Outro and a bit of industry history
Rendered: 2022-07-24 20:30:49 Powered by [Chaptered.app](https://Chaptered.app)
In this episode, we chat to Atem Kuol about how he became a VFX coordinator.
Starting up as a witness camera operator and venturing into VFX production before embarking on 'Death on the Nile' as assistant coordinator, Atem gives us the low down on his experiences and how he made it into the VFX industry from his early beginnings in the live TV industry.
One not to be missed, from anyone looking to understand what VFX coordinators do, and the ins and outs of how one gets to be one.
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters 00:00:00 Ident 00:00:05 Intro 00:00:10 A bit about Atem 00:03:19 The role of a VFX coordinator explained 00:06:54 VFX journey - The inspiration 00:10:01 What's the entry route for VFX coordinators 00:11:35 Coordinating alongside covid 00:13:01 Working with departments on a day-to-day basis 00:14:05 Coordinator's relationship & process with VFX vendors 00:16:10 What's the best way to understand every department's needs 00:19:02 Features or Episodics 00:20:14 Advice for aspiring coordinators 00:21:40 Advice for coodinators looking to move between vendor side and production company 00:22:43 Humble Beginnings Films 00:23:58 Conclusion
Being An Artist In The Chinese VFX Industry | TVAP EP39
00:34:57
In this episode, I chat to Yin Wu, a Junior CG Artist at The Mill, Shanghai, about his experience and journey into the Chinese VFX industry.
My curiosity of the Chinese industry, leads me to chase for comparisons between the U.K. VFX industry - Finding similarities and differences on topics like work-life-balance and how the industry differentiates itself between Beijing and Shanghai.
Yin's story is that of dedication and merit.
As a developing CG artist, with background in Blender, we dive in to find out why Blender stands out for him. We also discuss his transition into Unreal engine, and Houdini.
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters: 00:00:00 Ident 00:00:05 Intro 00:00:46 Get to know Yin 00:01:04 How I got into the VFX industry 00:05:20 Getting my first VFX job in China 00:06:44 Becoming an artist at The Mill Shanghai 00:10:06 A bigger picture of the VFX industry in China 00:11:04 Work-life-balance in the Chinese VFX industry 00:14:20 Regulations for better work-life balance in the Chinese VFX industry 00:15:33 Working in Blender 00:18:23 Inspiration behind the cityscape 00:19:55 Transition to Unreal Engine 00:21:49 Typical route to entry into the Chinese VFX industry 00:23:50 Freedom of career direction in the Chinese community 00:25:14 What inspired your journey into the creative industry 00:26:10 Need for change in the Chinese VFX industry 00:31:48 Advice for aspiring VFX artists 00:33:16 Commercials vs Film, Shanghai vs Beijing 00:34:31 Conclusion
How We Created 3DEqualizer For The VFX Industry, with Rolf Schneider | TVAP EP40
00:54:10
In this episode, I had the biggest opportunity to chat to Rolf Schneider, owner of Science-D-Visions, about how he Created 3DEqualizer For The VFX Industry.
Looking back at the evolving digital scene in the 80's and 90's, we discuss working on the Commodore 64 and Amiga, to creating the first version of 3DEqualizer in 1996, to MPC and ILM purchasing their first licenses in 1996 and '97. We do a deep dive about the whole journey and how it all happened.
An episode not to be missed!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Chapters: 00:00:00 Ident 00:00:05 Introducing Rolf 00:00:35 A bit about Rolf, his background and role at Science-D-Vision 00:02:15 Working on the Commodore & Amiga in the 80's 00:04:32 How we started building 3DEqualizer 00:07:06 Coming up with a name for 3DEqualizer 00:08:07 The team 00:11:35 Developing animation & (ray tracing) rendering software in the 80's 00:16:09 Getting the first studio to buy 3DEqualizer 00:22:42 Tools over interface? 00:27:07 Playing a major role in the VFX industry 00:32:17 The future of matchmove & motion tracking within 3DE alongside AI 00:36:40 Industries outside of VFX using 3DE 00:38:50 Is it easier to impliment tools into 3DE 00:42:52 How 3DE became the industry standard for the VFX industry 00:46:21 Best Wins till date 00:49:13 What keeps you going and innovative 00:53:01 What should the industry expect in the future 00:53:18 Appreciation & Conclusion
How I manage being a VFX artist and a mother of two - Rebecca Holdstock | TVAP EP41
01:11:39
In this episode, we chat to Rebecca Holdstock, senior matchmove and rotomation artist at Cinesite London about her VFX career, spiralling over a decade in some of London's well known and biggest studios, through to becoming a mother of two and the change that comes with being a working mother.
I had the privilege of working with Rebecca at Cinesite on The Witcher season 2, and for the first time in my life, I was working with a mother, who was signing on in the middle of the day, on a customised working hours.
This blew my mind, and triggered my interest in the topic to which we sat down to discus.
Becoming a working mother, or choosing to become a working mother in any industry is often times a big challenge and decision that affects women in all sorts of life and industries. Whilst Rebecca's story focuses on the VFX industry, it very much is relatable to all women and working mothers in every industry, and will be for every generation to come.
It therefore is a rightful and important subject to be discussing and brining it to light, to create awareness, and hopefully encourage and or prepare other women in the VFX and wider working industries.
Chapters 00:00:00 Ident 00:00:05 Introductions 00:01:40 A bit about Rebecca 00:02:31 Journey into the VFX industry 00:09:32 Getting foot in the door of the VFX industry 00:13:19 Settling in the Matchmove department 00:23:49 Motherhood and being an artist in the VFX industry 00:31:59 Managing kids and shots during early days of covid 00:51:46 Planing to start a family, vs having kids unexpectedly 00:54:10 What can be improved for women working in the VFX industry 01:03:15 Advice to any artists looking to start a family 01:05:59 What should women look out for, when applying to join a VFX studio 01:10:51 Conclusion
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
On-Set in Extreme Environments with Jörundur Rafn Arnarson | TVAP EP42
01:45:25
Jörundur Rafn Arnarson returns after exchanging the frozen mountains of Iceland for the Deserts for his recent VFX Supervisor role on "Rise of The Witches".
We talk about how extreme environments influence filmmakers, the route from Compositing to VFX Supervision, "bad CGI", helicopters and much much more.
With a Supervisor whose body of work ranges from Icelandic indie films to Cannes Palm D'Or, Triangle of Sadness to Prehistoric Planet to franchise blockbusters Dr Strange - Multiverse of Madness and Game of Thrones, You won't want to miss this one!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
#vfxpodcast #compositing #motioncapture
00:03:43 : Triangle of Sadness 00:13:42 : The most sought after commodity on-set 00:16:03 : The mindset of extreme environments 00:23:15 : RIse of The Witches - a Saudi Arabian epic 00:28:07 : Dr Strange and Prehistoric Planet 00:36:25 : Issues I have with CG 00:45:45 : Guiding big and small budgets 00:49:17 : I will always cut out VFX if I can 00:53:04 : "Bad CGI" 01:26:04 : Advice for filmmakers using VFX for the first time.
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Share Knowledge - Keep Learning with María Carriedo | TVAP EP43
00:41:47
In this episode, we chat to María Carriedo, CG Lead at Freefolk and former colleague of Daniel's at The Mill.
Born in Mexico, María studied VFX at the prestigious Gnomon School in LA before working at Psyops on commercials. Since then she moved to London to work at The Mill before her current role. In this interview we learn about María's journey into VFX and her approach to continuous learning and development.
As a lead María is involved in the hiring process so her showreel advice will be invaluable to any 3D Artists seeking new projects. While trained in Maya, María mostly works with Houdini so we discuss the merits of the 2 giants in the 3D industry as well as touching on Zbrush, Unreal and the new Solaris/Karma renderer in Houdini.
There's a lot packed into this interview so you will want to check it out!
Powering Invisible VFX, with Paul Miller and Marco Paolini, creators of Boris Silhouette | TVAP EP44
01:30:37
This week it's been a real pleasure to meet Paul Miller and Marco Paolini - Software Developer and Product Manager behind the Oscar winning software, Boris Silhouette.
Despite advances in AI, manual rotoscoping and invisible paintouts are still an essential bullwark of the VFX industry and not going away anytime soon.
We begin our discussion with their work on Elastic Reality (used on classic shows like Quantum Leap) and talk about how they have built Silhouette for artists who need to paint 100 stokes a second and export mattes accurate to better than a 16th of a pixel.
Recently Silhouette has expanded it's compositing toolset so we discuss their choices around this. Of course machine learning is something cannot avoid discussing, so we look at both its promise and its limitations at the high end.
In closing both Paul and Marco give some excellent career advice for anyone entering or advancing in the VFX and Software Development industries.
Enjoy!
00:00:00 : Preview 00:01:39 : Introductions 00:02:20 : Founding the team 00:03:55 : Elastic Reality 00:06:51 : Original plan for Silhouette 00:07:43 : The Node Graph 00:10:56 : Marco's Journey from Artist to Software 00:14:01 : The Smallness of the Industry 00:20:05 : What Keeps the Team Busy 00:25:34 : The Scripting Engine 00:28:38 : The Decision to Add More Comp Features 00:31:28 : Performance and Paul's Nightmares 00:35:49 : Silhouette as OFX Plugin 00:41:15 : Limits of Machine Learning 01:06:26 : Retimes 01:17:38 : Paul's Advice for Aspiring Developers 01:20:50 : Learn Python! 01:22:41 : Marco's Advice for Getting into VFX and into Software 01:28:41 : Closing thoughts (chapters powered by [Chaptered.app](https://Chaptered.app))
Building the Biggest VFX Asset Library in The World! ActionVFX Founder and CEO, Rodolphe Pierre-Louis | TVAP EP46
01:08:40
I Sold Gum. Now I Blow Things Up! With Action VFX Founder and CEO Rodolphe Pierre-Louis | TVAP EP46
I am pretty sure you've heard of Action VFX, I've used them in my own shots! So we managed to get the Founder and CEO on the show to talk about his career. It's a success story that very nearly wasn't!
This is a great one for any artists or filmmakers who are thinking of starting a business because Rodolphe has a lot of insight into how to turn FX talent into a business model, as shown by the widespread use of Action VFX elements in the industry.
Join us and follow Rodolphe's journey from filmmaker to entrepreneur.
After the interview I cheekily asked if I could get our subscribers a discount code and they very kindly agreed! Details at the end of the video.
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
Watch our other videos 📣HD - AI in the VFX & Creative Industry: Impact, Issues & Solutions | TVAP EP45 https://youtu.be/i7VhV2WlzEA 📣Share Knowledge - Keep Learning with María Carriedo | TVAP EP43 https://youtu.be/BFQ21Nu5vQE
Chapters 00:00:00 : Preview 00:00:45 : A Special Offer for Subscribers 00:03:05 : starting in Filmmaking 00:04:24 : College Years, Freelancing 00:05:05 : My First Business 00:07:24 : The Idea for Action VVFX 00:08:36 : Things to bear in mind when shooting for Compositors 00:16:34 : The first shoot 00:19:33 : Launching on Kickstarter 00:52:15 : Advice for Starting a Business 00:56:56 : Firing Employees 01:05:00 : Plans for the future
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AI in the VFX & Creative Industry: Impact, Issues & Solutions | TVAP EP45
01:55:35
AI in the VFX & Creative Industry: Impact, Issues & Solutions | TVAP EP45
Join us, as we discuss the impact of AI in the VFX & Creative industry.
With the rise of platforms such as Midjourney, Dalle-2, and Stable Diffusion influencing artists, we bring forth this open discussion about what the impact could be for our industries if certain laws and rules aren't put into place to protect artists and creators worldwide.
We look to touch on copyright ownership and rights, privacy, ethics, and more!
Join us this Wednesday, Nov 2nd, 2022, for the discussion and to take part in our Q&A session with industry professionals in the VFX & creative industry.
Our guests are, in no particular order:
Simon Legrand - Realtime Supervisor at Untold Studios London Justin Braun - FX TD at Untold Studios London Vladimir Venkov - Modeler/Texture Artist Carlo Santoriello - 3d artist, Animator & Graphic designer Anthony Martin - Senior Lecturer & Course Leader for Concept Art at Staffordshire University Jamie Bakewell - Company Owner / Creative Director (Visualisation for Film, Game & TV) at Bigtooth Studios Tom Paton - Writer // Director // Producer focused on integrating AI, UE5.
Hugo Guerra, Director, VFX supervisor, and creator of Hugo's Desk.
In this episode, Kofi chats to Hugo about his career in the VFX industry. Uncovering decisions and steps that have made Hugo the Director and Supervisor he is today.
With an incredible industry footprint, Hugo has a huge voice across the VFX industry, and I felt it quite relevant to learn more about the man behind the glasses, or as our title says, 'Behind The Desk'.
In this episode, we discuss the creative and VFX industry in Portugal, and Sweden, remote working, industry overtime, Hugo's VFX journey in London during his time at The Mill, mistakes VFX artists to make when looking for work, steps they could take to protect themselves from being taken advantage of, best video games, movies, series of 2022, industry-wide issues, how we could tackle them, and many more.
It was a packed and insightful discussion worth listening to the end, as well as one to be shared!
A massive thank you to Hugo for his time and for being such a gem to the industry.
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
Chapters 00:00:00 Coming up... 00:01:32 Introductions 00:03:11 Who is Hugo? 00:10:24 The Portuguese creative industry could be better 00:16:30 Reminiscing the London, Soho VFX industry in the 2000's 00:19:27 The unhealthy traits of the VFX industry - Overtime work 00:32:16 Chasing The Goal 00:37:05 How I ended up in the VFX & creative industry 00:39:37 Love-Hate relationship with the VFX industry 00:46:37 What I teach Nuke Compositors 00:49:49 What Junior compositors need to know when job seeking 01:02:41 Achieving targets on a creative journey 01:05:25 Films on Hugo's list for 2022 01:09:29 Where to find Hugo! 01:10:46 Thank you for watching! Subscribe!
Creativity, Money and the Freelance Career, with Courtney Pryce | TVAP EP 48
01:05:03
This week we caught up with Courtney Pryce. The industry veterans know him from his years as a Creative Specialist at Foundry.
We cover a lot of ground, beginning in the "Rock&Roll" years of London VFX in the early 2000s. Also covering the role of the Creative Specialist and the secrets of financial stability as a Compositor. Courtney worked with UK Film and TV industry Union, BECTU, to put together a suggested rate card for freelance and contract staff in VFX. We get to engage with the methodology and consequences of open disclosure of the often taboo subject of the pay scale.
Courtney also engaged strongly with the industry-wide discussion of racism sparked by the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. We don't shy away from tackling the issue of racism and nepotism in the workplace and there is a forthright but ultimately optimistic discussion.
Nevertheless, we never lost sight of Courtney's key skills as a solid professional compositor and reactive as he shares a wealth of knowledge that will benefit artists of all levels and from all backgrounds.
You won't want to miss out on this discussion!
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
Watch our other videos 📣The Effective Freelance Compositor, with Shonda Hunt | TVAP EP31 https://youtu.be/Ggz82uk6KxI 📣How I manage being a VFX artist and a mother of two - Rebecca Holdstock | TVAP EP41 https://youtu.be/D6zzhlay_Ac
00:00:00 : Intro - what to expect 00:18:17 : The Role of a Creative Specialist at Foundry 00:20:06 : When you're too comfortable 00:24:00 : Freelancing "Year Zero" 00:27:01 : Having kids as a freelancer 00:31:01 : Burnout 00:34:52 : VFX Rate cards: methodology and controversy 00:43:41 : Black Lives Matter and Racism in the Industry 00:54:25 : Projects most proud of
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What does it take to be a lighting artist? with Jasmine Katatikarn | TVAP EP49
01:21:08
What does it take to be a lighting artist? with Jasmine Katatikarn | TVAP EP49
This week we catch up with Jasmine Katatikarn, lighting artist and co-founder of the Academy of Animated Art.
We discuss finding your career path at any stage in life, what it takes to be a lighting artist, what makes a successful lighting application to top VFX, and animation studios, working in the VFX and animation as a woman and POC, diversity in the industry and more.
Without a doubt, we also go on to find out about Jasmine's career path in the industry, as well as how she co-founded the Academy of Animated Art, and what her academy teaches lighting artists.
Jasmine has over two decades of industry experience as both, being a lighting artist in the VFX industry, and the feature animation industry. Jasmine has gone to work for studios such as Blue Sky Studios (Disney), The Mill, Framestore, and many more incredible studios, stamping her signature on shows such as Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Rio, Rio 2, Spies in Disguise and more.
Launching a Comp Career in India | Rishabh Laheja | TVAP EP50
00:46:58
This week we catch up with a rising star in the industry, Rishabh Laheja, a Junior Digital Compositor at MPC.
Realizing that a career in IT was not for him. Rishabh began studying nights and eventually putting together a compositing showreel with the help of working industry teachers and mentors he reached out to via Linkedin.
Launching his new career exactly in the middle of the Covid lockdowns. Rishabh won a remote role at MPC Bangalore and has already worked as a compositor on huge shows such as Prehistoric Planet and HBO's House of Dragons.
As he says in the opening, "It's a rollercoaster ride, you may want to buckle up!"
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
You can click on up below links to get the courses of some brilliant instructors.
Our own interview with @joshvfxify : https://youtu.be/tgqlS2BswZ0
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
Watch our other videos 📣What does it take to be a lighting artist? with Jasmine Katatikarn | TVAP EP49 https://youtu.be/ikFiHXeDP1M 📣Behind The Desk with Hugo Guerra | TVAP EP47 https://youtu.be/jGJruJHOx2g
00:00:00 : Intro - What to Expect 00:01:24 : There's a Tipping POint for Every Artist 00:02:19 : I Didn't Know How to Get into VFX 00:02:45 : Why Compositing? 00:03:20 : Getting in Touch via Linkein, Josh Parks 00:03:47 : Online Courses 00:05:18 : Keagan Haris Patreon and Marseile 00:07:42 : Studying While Working in Another Industry 00:09:51 : London Siggraph , Bring Your Own Comp 00:12:10 : First Freelance Job 00:13:31 : Finally Getting Into The Industry 00:15:03 : The Rookies: Dragon Personal Project 00:17:51 : Bangalore and Mumbai 00:22:58 : Work Life in India 00:26:43 : Being Creative in School 00:34:38 : Indian Work Culture 00:42:00 : Advice for Other New Entrants
A VFX Recruiter's Guide To Getting Hired | TVAP EP51
01:03:51
In the first episode of 2023, we felt it quite important to start the year right, by bringing you some much necessary tips from a VFX recruiter, should you be looking to take on a new role.
We are therefore pleased to have Sophie Maydon, former VFX Global Head of HR, Recruitment and PR at DNEG (Double Negative), and Director, VFX Talent & Recruitment Consultant at her firm PXL Talent
Sophie has over a decade's experience recruiting 100's of VFX and animation artists across many levels and departments.
In this episode, we discuss many topics to do with recruitment, focusing on the perspective of a VFX recruiter, as well as the applicant. We discuss and find out about the best practices and ways one could go about successfully coming on top in an interview, the do's and don'ts, try to understand if there are recruitment prejudices and more.
This is a very insightful, useful and long awaited episode, and we hope you find it so.
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 leave us a comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
Chapters 00:00:00 : Coming Up 00:00:29 : Intro 00:01:48 : Overview 00:02:21 : A bit about Sophie Maydon 00:05:59 : Sophie's background as a recuiter at DNEG 00:10:32 : Power comes with pressure, as a recruiter 00:12:42 : Are generic applications a good idea? 00:14:57 : Going through job portals vs LinkedIn DM 00:17:41 : Are Resume's necessary in the VFX industry? 00:21:19 : Showreel advice from a VFX recruiter 00:27:37 : Showreel advice for returning mothers into the industry 00:31:17 : Flexible/Part-Time hours for Mothers in the VFX industry 00:33:41 : In-person vs remote interviewing advice 00:35:25 : Salary expectations - How to respond 00:41:39 : Budget vs experience 00:44:39 : Artists demand by studios 00:47:26 : Should I go to university before working in VFX? 00:52:48 Discrimination in recruiting 00:59:33 Leave a question in the comment section 00:59:55 How to get in touch with Pixel Talent 01:01:28 What not to do, as an applicant 01:03:19 Conclusion
AI - a Historical Moment, with Alvaro García Martínez from Mayhem Mirror
01:10:14
This is a hot topic with "No AI" trending on Artstation and pending court cases we spoke to Director, Filmmaker and Game Designer Alvaro García Martínezwho has been heavily engaged with this topic.
Alvaro worked as VFX Artist for 10 years at London's top studios before founding Mayhem Mirror, his own Game Design studio. So he has experience as an employee an independent creator and as an employer of artists.
As Alvaro says, "I am not against AI, but against the unethical use of AI". But what does that mean? Tune in and join the debate!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
Inside VFX Recruitment, with Global Head of Talent at Crafty Apes, Melissa Blakey | TVAP EP53
01:07:10
Inside VFX Recruitment with Melissa Blakey, Global Head of Talent at Crafty Apes | TVAP EP53 (P-1)
For many VFX Recruitment is a bit of a black box - we send off our reels and CV and then hope for the best. This week we go behind the curtain with Crafty Apes, Global Head of talent, Melissa Blakey.
We cover Melissa's own fascinating career - she started working on-set before moving into post and then worked for almost 20 years in VFX Production before moving into Recruitment! We discuss why she decided a career on set was not for her and start to unpick the way recruiters and VFX houses select candidates.
Next we laser in on her best practices for candidates as well as the Crafty Apes philosophy for hiring and retaining staff.
WFH resumes, showreel interviews, changing departments we will be discussing all this and more.
Unusually for many VFX Houses, Crafty Apes tends to focus on Generalists and on permanent positions so we go into what that means in a market largely dominated by specialists and freelancing.
The Importance of Matchmove within the VFX pipeline | TVAP EP54
01:10:55
In this episode with Matt Merkovich of The Matchmoving Company, we talk about the importance of 3D tracking/matchmove in the VFX industry and what it means to be a matchmove artist.
Matt is an expert user of Syntheyes and has been a great influencer in getting it where it is today. He also uses it for almost all of his work, spiralling almost three decades in the VFX industry.
Matt believes #Syntheyes is by far the best 3D tracking software out there and has by far "the best 2D tracking system in the world!", so in this episode, I sit him down to find out why he believes so.
Being a Matchmove artist myself, having been a user of PFTrack in the past and an ongoing user of 3DEqualizer I was very curious to hear why Matt thinks so.
3D tracking or Matchmove as you may call it, ties perfectly with all the other departments in the VFX pipeline, to complete VFX shots in the biggest visual effects movies out there, making this episode an important one, to gain insights from an industry veteran like Matt.
Matt's filmography spars from Minority Report, Star Trek Voyager, Doctor Dolittle 2, The Amazing Spider-Man and more. Here's Matt's IMDB.
Matt's company The Matchmoving Company provides 3D tracking services globally and can currently be reached through https://www.mattmerk.com/
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
Chapters 00:00:00 Coming Up 00:02:19 Introductions 00:03:54 Who is Matt Merkovich 00:07:17 Where my interest for film originated 00:14:59 From Lightwave to Matchmoving on Minority Report 00:23:28 Minority Report Matchmoving Pipeline in the 2000's 00:26:24 Evolution of Aspect Ratios 00:30:18 Comparing Syntheyes, 3dequalizer, Boujou, PFTrack and more 00:35:13 Good & Bad Tracking Markers 00:38:54 Staying relevant in an evolving industry 00:44:36 Being a VFX artist in the mid 90's 00:46:45 Shot talk - Challenges 00:48:38 The future of 3D tracking 00:53:41 Comparing 3dequalizer and Syntheyes 01:01:01 Matchmove Artists - The underappreciated department 01:03:53 About The Matchmoving Company 01:04:11 Unionize the VFX industry 01:04:11 Conclusion
Machine Learning, AI and Compositing with Mike Seymour | TVAP EP55
01:30:11
This week's guest is co-founder of FXGuide, arguably the first and foremost podcast and blog in our field. He also co-founded FXPhd which was my route into the industry so this was a massive honor for me.
We dive deep into Neural Rendering (which Mike has been involved with since 1999) machine learning and practical applications within visual effects and filmmaking.
We then discuss the ethics of machine learning and art, why there won't "a metaverse" and some of the most likely applications of AR and VR.
This raises some general points about the application of new technology which it would be well of us to heed.
The Man Who Wrote The Book on Compositing with Ron Brinkmann
01:00:37
The Man Who Wrote The Book on Compositing with Ron Brinkman | TVAP EP56
When I embarked on my compositing journey, Ron Brinkmann's book, "The Art and Science of Digital Compositing," proved to be an invaluable resource. It provided a wealth of visual information and included a DVD with footage for hands-on practice. Even today, this book remains a seminal work and continues to be relevant for artists, thanks to its emphasis on developing the skill of visual perception.
Therefore, it was a tremendous honor to have Ron Brinkmann as a guest on our show. He served as the Compositing Supervisor at Sony Imageworks for films such as Speed, Contact, James and the Giant Peach, and more. Interestingly, despite being widely recognized for his expertise in compositing, Brinkmann initially started his journey in the field of 3D as a demonstration artist for Wavefront. (Wavefront later merged with Alias and played a significant role in the development of Maya, a renowned software).
Subsequently, Brinkmann co-founded Nothing Real with his colleagues and created Shake, a compositing software that held sway in the industry for many years, particularly in high-end compositing. (I believe it was most recently used by Dneg for their work on Inception).
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
The health of the VFX industry in 2024, with foudner of MOTUS Kurt Maclachlan | TVAP EP57
00:56:31
The health of the VFX industry in 2024, with foudner of MOTUS Kurt Maclachlan | TVAP EP57
In this episode, I chat to Kurt Maclachlan about the status of the VFX in 2024.
We discuss where things are at currently, what needs to be done for a better future of the VFX industry and more!
00:00 Introduction and Background 02:48 Causes of the Strikes 04:29 Key Concerns for Actors and Writers 04:59 Impact on VFX Artists 06:06 Duration of the Strikes 07:48 Current State of the Industry 08:09 Hiring and Recovery 09:07 Rate Negotiations and Holding the Line 10:06 Outsourcing and Global Rates 12:11 Impact of Strikes on Crew 15:04 Embracing AI and Automation 39:34 Positioning for Graduates 41:29 Improving Courses and Industry Collaboration 42:54 Networking and Job Search Strategies 47:02 Preventing Future Industry Disruptions 52:03 Introduction to Motus and its Mission 55:03 Staying Connected and Informed 57:04 Closing Remarks and Future Outlook
Watch the full videos 📣Inside VFX Recruitment with Melissa Blakey, Global Head of Talent at Crafty Apes | TVAP EP53 (Part-1) https://youtu.be/C6n0zndRPDI 📣Inside VFX Recruitment with Melissa Blakey, Global Head of Talent at Crafty Apes | TVAP EP53 (Part-2) https://youtu.be/BNXNMo32oes
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
Exploitation of VFX Artists - With Senior CG Generalist Mark Woodcock | TVAP EP58
01:01:00
Exploitation of VFX Artists - With Senior CG Generalist Mark Woodcock | TVAP EP58
In this episode, I chat to senior CG Generalist Mark Woodcock about the exploitation of Artists in the VFX industry, following his recent and ongoing dispute with IXOR Visual FX.
Mark joins the podcast to enlighten us, for the purpose of informing and educating other artists in order to be aware and avoid similar situations.
We hope you find this episode useful, and would encourage artists to fight and speak out about injustices, to protect other artists from falling into similar issues.
Disclaimer: The information shared by Mark comes from his recent experience with a Visual Effects studio and includes knowledge gained from former employees of that studio. Whilst he endeavours to provide factual information, he has asked me to specify that some incites such as ex-employees thoughts and a few instances of speculation cannot be 100% verified. His contract payment dispute is still on-going and verifiable which is the focus of the discussion.
00:00 Introduction & Disclaimer 01:17 Mark's story 04:39 The Recruitment Process 07:38 Lack of Communication and Organization 15:37 Payment Issues and Lack of Accountability 17:07 Introduction and Background 17:52 Unresolved Payment Issue 18:36 Impact on Freelancers 19:36 Financial Consequences 21:02 Limited Company and Financial Buffer 22:32 Fear of Speaking Up 23:58 Concerns from Other VFX Companies 24:58 Ownership and Legal Issues 28:43 Cracked Software and Legal Troubles 30:10 False Image and Misrepresentation 31:01 Manipulation of Services Offered 32:23 Poor Quality of Work 33:16 Resolution and Awareness 35:29 Manipulation of Reviews 36:43 Investigation and Glassdoor Reviews 38:29 Prioritizing Job Security 39:21 False Offices and Deterrence 39:50 Lack of Resolution and Communication 40:24 Exploitation in the UK 41:30 Importance of Contracts 43:38 Exploitation in Other Studios 47:25 Working Without Contracts 48:43 Other Sketchy Experiences 51:44 Protecting Artists and Changing the Industry 52:43 Diversifying and Finding Other Opportunities
Watch the full videos 📣Inside VFX Recruitment with Melissa Blakey, Global Head of Talent at Crafty Apes | TVAP EP53 (Part-1) https://youtu.be/C6n0zndRPDI 📣Inside VFX Recruitment with Melissa Blakey, Global Head of Talent at Crafty Apes | TVAP EP53 (Part-2) https://youtu.be/BNXNMo32oes
As always, if you liked this episode, please 👍 like, 📝 comment, 📢 subscribe, and 📣 share!
Listen to all episodes on our website https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/
The State of The VFX Industry in 2024, with VFX Comp Supervisor Ruth Meridjen | TVAP EP59
00:43:28
In this episode, I chat to VFX Comp Supervisor Ruth Meridjen about the state of the VFX industry in 2024 and the impact of the pandemic on production.
The slow ramp-up of production and the greenlighting of projects are discussed. The future of the industry and the role of AI in filmmaking are examined, with a focus on the limitations and regulations surrounding AI. The importance of storytelling and the need for more unique and diverse stories are emphasized, as well as the need for VFX to support the story rather than overshadow it. The conversation covers topics such as representation in movies and TV shows, attitudes towards AI in the VFX industry, the impact of AI on job security, adapting to changes in Nuke, balancing work and learning, Ruth's journey in the VFX industry, and addressing burnout in the VFX industry.
Takeaways
The VFX industry has faced challenges due to the pandemic, with a slow ramp-up of production and the greenlighting of projects that may not have been approved in normal circumstances.
AI has the potential to impact the industry, but regulations and laws are still being developed, and the role of AI in reproducing human artistry is limited.
The industry should prioritize storytelling and the creation of unique and diverse stories to engage audiences and avoid repetitive content.
VFX should be a supporting cast member to the story, enhancing it without overshadowing it. There is a need for more diverse and inclusive representation in movies and TV shows.
Attitudes towards AI in the VFX industry range from excitement to fear of job loss.
While AI may pose risks to certain jobs in the industry, it is unlikely to completely replace artists.
Staying updated with software upgrades and new workflows is important in the VFX industry.
Finding a work-life balance and setting boundaries is crucial to avoid burnout in the industry.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage 01:18 The State of the Industry in 2024 04:44 Slow Ramp-up of Production 05:29 The Future of the Industry and AI 07:29 The Role of AI in Filmmaking 09:32 Regulations and Laws around AI 11:15 The Limitations of AI in Reproducing Human Artistry 13:09 The Future of AI and the Flattening Curve of Progress 14:08 The Impact of AI on VFX Processes 15:11 The Quantity vs Quality Dilemma 18:30 Audience Fatigue with Repetitive Content 19:25 VFX as a Supporting Cast Member 20:24 Playing It Safe and Lack of Unique Stories 21:29 The Need for More Diverse Stories 21:33 Representation in Movies and TV Shows 23:08 Attitudes Towards AI in the VFX Industry 25:18 The Impact of AI on Job Security 26:23 Adapting to Changes in Nuke 29:32 Balancing Work and Learning 32:39 Ruth's Journey in the VFX Industry 37:21 Addressing Burnout in the VFX Industry
The Power of Real-Time Tools in Visualisation, with Richard Clarke, Head of Visualisation at Cinesite | TVAP EP60
00:58:39
In this conversation, Kofi interviews Richard Clark, the head of visualisation and VFX supervisor at Cinesite, to discuss the role of visualisation in the industry. We explore the origins and evolution of visualisation, the use of real-time tools like Unreal Engine, and the impact of virtual production.
Richard emphasizes the importance of quick workflows and the ability to think visually in the visualisation process. He also highlights the trend of studios taking back pre-production work and the potential for students to enter the industry through visualisation.
Richard suggests exploring other areas of VFX, such as medical visualisation and motion graphics, to start earning and learning. He advises patience and mentions that the industry is slowly recovering from the effects of the strike.
Richard shares his journey into the VFX industry, starting with his early interest in computer art and his experience working on various films. He discusses the potential impact of AI on the industry, noting that while AI has the potential to automate certain tasks, it may not replace the creativity and expertise of artists.
Takeaways
- Visualisation is a quick way of seeing and planning what a sequence or shot will look like before it is filmed or created.
- Real-time tools like Unreal Engine have revolutionized visualisation by allowing for faster and more efficient workflows.
- Visualisation departments in studios offer an end-to-end solution and allow for more flexibility and collaboration in the production process.
- Students interested in entering the industry can explore visualisation in areas like architectural visualisation or working with companies that contract with the Ministry of Defense.
- The industry is currently experiencing a slowdown, but there is potential for a surge in demand once production ramps up again. Explore other areas of VFX, such as medical visualisation and motion graphics, to start earning and learning.
- Be patient as the industry recovers from the effects of the strike. Motion graphics is still in demand and can be a good career path for 2D artists.
- Richard shares his journey into the VFX industry, starting with his early interest in computer art and his experience working on various films.
- While AI has the potential to automate certain tasks, it may not replace the creativity and expertise of artists.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background 01:49 The Use Cases and Need for Visualisation 07:07 The Evolution of Visualisation Tools 10:58 Post-Vis and Tech-Vis 28:30 The Future of Visualisation and the Role of Generalists 34:22 Challenges in the VFX Industry 38:56 Richard's Journey into the VFX Industry 46:18 Exploring Opportunities in Other Areas 51:50 The Potential Impact of AI in VFX
B-corp and sustainability in VFX, with Robin Chowdhury, COO of Dupe VFX | TVAP EP61
00:26:53
B-corp and sustainability in VFX, with Robin Chowdhury, COO of Dupe VFX | TVAP EP61
Join us for an insightful discussion on what it means to be sustainable in post production. B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
It was great speaking with Robin, COO of Dupe VFX about how he worked towards making their studio the first B Corp certified VFX company, the considerations for any studio wanting to pursue this and the ongoing commitment.
📌Takeaways
Sustainability in VFX is often overlooked but essential.
Becoming a B-Corp involves a rigorous assessment process.
New companies may find it easier to implement sustainable practices from the start.
Established companies face challenges in changing existing processes.
Data tracking is crucial for measuring sustainability efforts.
Community engagement can enhance a company's sustainability profile.
B-Corp certification is a benchmark, not a guarantee of perfection.
Internal communication is key to understanding sustainability goals.
Volunteering initiatives can foster community ties.
The industry is gradually moving towards more sustainable practices.
You can get in touch with Robin via LinkedIn or via hello@dupevfx.com
📌Below are some useful links to find out more.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22155.Let_My_People_Go_Surfing https://www.bemorepirate.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY_AEvvFQ9U (What is a B Corp) https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/programs-and-tools/b-impact-assessment/https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/ https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification/
📌Chapters
00:00 Introduction to VFX and Sustainability 01:40 Journey to B-Corp Certification 04:21 Challenges for Established Studios 07:19 Sustainability in Practice 10:28 Balancing Business and Sustainability 12:10 Embedding Sustainability in Operations 14:46 Encouraging Industry-Wide Change 16:03 Understanding B-Corp Challenges 18:41 Community Engagement and Volunteering 23:18 Recommendations for VFX Artists
Navigating the VFX Landscape, with Freefolk VFX Supervisor Rob Sheridan | TVAP EP62
00:33:49
In this episode of the VFX Artists Podcast, Kofi interviews Freefolk VFX supervisor Rob Sheridan, about his journey in the visual effects industry, the importance of internships, and the evolving landscape of VFX jobs.
Rob shares insights on how he progressed from a runner to a supervisor, the significance of the Futurefolk internship program, and advice for aspiring VFX artists.
The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by the industry and the importance of communication and collaboration in career advancement.
Takeaways
- Rob Sheridan has been with Free Folk for 11 years. - Starting as a runner can provide valuable insights into the industry. - Internships like Futurefolk are crucial for gaining experience. - Strong communication skills are essential for career progression. - Applicants should focus on showcasing their best work in reels. - The VFX industry is changing, with fewer runner positions available. - Commercial work can provide quick opportunities for building a portfolio. - Networking and reaching out on LinkedIn can open doors. - It's important to be proactive and aware of industry changes. - Positivity and attitude play a significant role in career success.
📌Chapters
00:00 Coming up 03:13 Rob Sheridan's Journey in VFX 06:18 The Role of a Runner in VFX 09:12 Transitioning from Runner to Supervisor 12:13 Future Folk Internship Program Overview 15:09 What Makes a Strong Internship Candidate? 18:15 Advice for Unsuccessful Applicants 21:13 Industry Challenges and Opportunities 23:57 Career Progression and Communication in VFX 27:07 Highlights of Working in VFX 29:31 The Value of Commercial Work in VFX
Motion Capture for film and video video games, with Ace Ruele | TVAP EP01
00:35:51
In this episode, I chat to Ace Ruele, a brilliant actor and motion capture artist to discus more about his journey into becoming one of the go-to creature motion capture artists in the U.K.
A journey which started as a back up dancer, to catching his first break as a creature motion capture artist on Warner Brother’s “Legend of Tarzan” feature film.
Ace goes on to share his experience in the industry, and shares his advice on how to stand out from the crowd in the industry.
If this episode has been enlightening, please "like", subscribe and share this episode on to anyone else who might find it interesting.
Game Of Thrones and On-Set VFX Supervising, with Jorundur Rafn Arnarson | TVAP EP02
00:37:45
In this episode, I chat to Jorundur (Jorri) Rafn Arnarson about his career as one of the leading Icelandic VFX, and on set supervisors for feature films and TV episodics such as 'Game of Thrones', 'Black Mirror', 'Where the wild things are' and more.
During the discussion Jorri shared insights of his journey, which begun as a compositor for major London based VFX studio Framestore, to starting his own company and venturing on to becoming one of Iceland's leading VFX supervisors.
As always, if this episode has been enlightening, please "like", subscribe and share on to anyone else who might find it interesting.
If you want us to bring on someone from any specific VFX department, please let me know in the comments below.
How I became a Character Modeler, with Vladimir Venkov | TVAP EP03
00:27:25
In this episode, I chat to Vladmir Venkov about his journey to becoming an organic, hard surface, sculpting and texture artist for the London based VFX industry.
Vlad goes on to share some insights on what he does to tackle different briefs from varied studios, as well as what he's had to do to become the artist he is.
As always, if this episode has been enlightening, please "like", subscribe and share on to anyone else who might find it interesting.
If you want us to bring on someone from any specific VFX or film/tv department, please let me know in the comments below.
How I became an Actor & Stunt Performer, with David Cheung | TVAP EP04
00:23:16
In this episode, I chat to David Cheung, a U.K based actor and stunt performer about how he got into acting and stunt performing on movies such as 47 Ronin, 6 Underground, Now You See Me 2, Fast & Furious 6 and more!
David shares insights about how his love for martial arts was influenced by his grandfather at a young age, leading him to follow in his grandfather's footsteps.
David has gone one to work on some incredible films you've probably watched or due to!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Thanks!
Watch this episode on our Youtube channel for a visual experience. Simply search The VFX Artists Podcast on Youtube.
Lidars and Photogrammetry for film with Joseph Steel - Co-founder of Visualskies Studios | TVAP EP05
00:40:46
Lidars, we use them almost everyday in our daily roles as VFX artists, and we miss them when they aren't available for shows, but do we really understand how lidars are captured?
In this episode, I chat to Joseph Steel, co-founder of London based Visualskies Studios about his journey to starting his company, and becoming one of the leading providers for Lidars, 3D scanning, Photogrammetry and more for the film industry.
Joe's interest in drones begun with building and soldering his own in his kitchen, leading on to creating his company, which has had the responsibility of creating lidars and photogrammetry for movies such as Artemis Fowl, Kingsman The Golden Circle, HBO's Watchmen, and many more.
At the time of posting, Visualskies is looking to recruit. Watch/listen to find out about how to apply.
As always, if you've been inspired by this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Matchmove for film, AR, VR & XR with Sarah Gatefield | TVAP EP06
01:07:05
In this episode, I chat to senior matchmove artist and supervisor Sarah Gatefield about her experience and journey into the VFX industry. A journey which begun as a runner at Framestore London, leading on to freelancing at VFX studios such as MPC, DNEG, Trixter, Method Studios, Prime Focus Film, Pixomondo, Rise and more, on incredible films such as Harry Potter, Iron Man 3, Total Recall, The Martian, Jungle Book and many more!
We also go on to touch base on Sarah's route to dabbling a bit in the VR and AR industry.
Overall, an incredible experience and journey Sarah has been on and is still on, and one that can inspire generations to come!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
VFX Compositing for film with Prince Yiadom | TVAP EP07
00:26:17
Welcome to The VFX Artists Podcast!
In this episode, I have Prince Yiadom from Framestore London, to share his journey to becoming a compositor for film.
Prince's VFX industry journey begun very early on whilst he was still at University and progressed on to freelancing and eventually settling in with Framestore, beginning with Paint and roto, to progressing to becoming a compositor for the film department.
Not to forget, his love for videography and photography.
Great story and journey Prince has been on so far! The future is bright!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
VFX On Set Supervising for film with Rory Bryans at MPC London | TVAP EP08
00:45:22
Welcome to The VFX Artists Podcast!
In this episode, I chat to Rory Bryans, VFX on set supervisor at MPC London about his journey and progression in the industry, which begun at Framestore London, as a receptionist, to becoming an on set supervisor for one of the leading VFX studios worldwide.
A great VFX journey not to be missed!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Listen to all episodes on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0N6CL5b6MvEkklP9L97tON?si=6Dw7wLg_S2aGakc-VoQlJw&dl_branch=1
Listen to all episodes on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vfx-artists-podcast/id1567749088
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Listen to all episodes on other audio streaming platforms https://thevfxartistspodcast.buzzsprout.com
What is Previs and Postvis vs finals animation, with Paris Marin | TVAP EP10
00:28:52
In this episode, I chat to Paris Marin, a U.K based animator about the differences between Previs, Postvis and finals quality animation.
I wanted to discuss and highlight an important department of the VFX industry, which is somewhat rarely understood or known by the broader audience.
Paris has been part of teams who have brought us films such as Dumbo, Men In Black, Artemis Fowl, Mary Poppings, Fantastic Beasts, The Kangaroo Chronicles, Jurassic Park and many more for studios such as The Third Floor, Trixter, and Proof Inc.
I hope this episode is filled with great information for your curiosity.
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Growing up with VFX, with 3D Generalist Ty Robillard | TVAP EP11
00:45:50
Welcome back to The VFX Artists Podcast!
In this episode, I chat to 18 year old VFX enthusiast, inspired and brilliant 3D Generalist Ty Robillard about how be discovered VFX, and how he picked up his multitude of skills at an early age, with more potential to flourish into a fledgling VFX artist.
Ty's inspiration for VFX, derived from the beautiful visuals that came from #starwars, and he aspires to venture into the VFX industry and work on a Star Wars film in the future.
At such an early age in a developing career, Ty has accomplished so much already, and it needed to be highlighted, celebrated and encouraged, as part of the motto of this podcast, which is to inspire the next generation looking to venture into the VFX industry.
As always, don't forget to like, comment, subscribe and share this episode!
Costume Set & Designing For Film & TV, with Rianna Charles and Jodie-Simone Howe | TVAP EP12
01:32:04
In this episode, I have an incredibly detailed chat to the founders of the Black Costume Network, Rianna Charles and Jodie-Simone Howe about how their role as costume designers and makers, work in the film and TV industry.
During this discussion, I get to find out about their individual journeys/paths into the industry, discuss the difference between the fashion industry versus costume making and designing for the film and TV industry, as well as find out more about what the Black Costume Network is and why it was created.
Between Rianna and Jodie-Simone, they have been involved in some amazing TV shows and films which you can learn more about in this episode.
I hope you enjoy this episode.
You can find the Black Costume Network on instagram, and can find more about Rianna and Jodie-Simone's work on IMDB.
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Being a VFX artist at some of the top VFX studios in the world, with Simon Legrand | TVAP EP13
01:46:37
In this episode, I chat to Simon Legrand, realtime Supervisor at Untold Studios in London about his journey into the VFX industry.
During this discussion, Simon shares his unsugarcoated journey and story of the realities of the VFX industry, worth listening to.
We talk about some of the pros and cons of working in the VFX industry, and touch on topics such as overtime work and realties of how that and the industry culture can sometimes be dangerous for the mind frame, and in some unfortunate cases, temporarily or permanently hurt relationships, which is common to Simon's story.
Simon, in my opinion is a legend of an artist, with so much experience, having worked at incredible studios such as Animal Logic, Weta, ILM, DNEG, MPC and more, and on some incredible shows such as Avatar, Star Wars, Xmen, Rise of the planet of the apes and many many more!
As always, if you liked this episode, please like, comment, subscribe and share!
Becoming a VFX Supervisor, Realtime, Virtual Production with Chaos Group Labs Director: Chris Nichols | TVAP EP14
01:11:22
This week we meet Christopher Nichols, veteran VFX Supervisor and Director of the Chaos Group Labs. Chris’s career in computer graphics spans over 20 years, beginning in architecture and quickly moving to major motion pictures and later commercials at: Digital Domain, Sony Pictures, Method, Sway Studios and others.
As this is Daniel’s first time hosting the show it’s lucky that Chris is himself a veteran podcaster - helming CG Garage (where Kofi and Daniel are also appearing as guests) in addition to the Martini Giant film podcast.
We take a whirlwind tour and learn about true real time ray tracing, how to become a VFX Supervisor and how to rob a bank with V-Ray.
Being a black artist in the games and VFX industry, pre-rendered cinematics vs unreal engine, with Floyd Billingy | TVAP EP15
00:43:39
In this episode, we chat to Floyd Billingy, a U.K. based realtime supervisor and environment artist for the games and VFX industry about his transition into the industry, how he became an environment artist and a realtime supervisor, as well as how black artists perceive and feel about working in the gaming and VFX industry.
Floyd's career is colourful, and it's led him to be part of artists who have brought us some great cinematics and video games for some incredible AAA games, such as Gears of War, Diablo II Resurrected, War of the Spark, Throne of Eldraine and more.
Of course, we couldn't talk about video games, without talking about unreal engine. We go on to discuss the evolution of unreal engine, as well as discuss pre-rendered cinematics versus realtime workflow, and how life was life for video game artists before unreal engine.
Timestamps: 00:00 - What to expect in this episode 1:45 - Host intro 2:08 - Journey as a student into entering the industry 5:26 - First industry job 6:03 - Working at Rare studios 7:26 - Working in mobile video game industry and living abroad 8:08 - Working at Splash damage 10:17 - Transitioning from the game industry into the vfx and animation industry 12:30 - What/who inspired the moving into the gaming and vfx industry 14:35 - What’s the role of an environment artist 15:54 - How competitive is it when trying to get into thee gaming or vfx industry 18:33 - What’s the difference between environments for games vs cinematics 22:45 - Titles/credits of shows worked on 27:08 - Unreal engine 31:39 - Diversity in the industry 40:19 - Highlights of working in the industry so far 41:34 - Advice from an industry professional 43:09 - Conclusion
Christy Anzelmo: USD, Machine Learning, surprising uses for Nuke and Foundry software and a career VFX software | TVAP EP16
01:09:32
This week we talk with Christy Anzelmo, Chief Product Officer at Foundry and before that Director of Product for the Nuke family of projects.
We take a tour of her career, beginning in the fashion industry before moving in to VFX, her role in leading development on one of the most widely used compositing softwares in the industry, and on the uses of Foundry products outside of VFX in product design, architecture and even car configuration. We talk about the rising importance of machine learning and USD in VFX, interoperability and finally we talk about working in software as a career path for VFX Artists.
Apologies for the occasional echoes in this episode - I had my headphones a little too loud.
Time codes
00:00:00What to expect in this episode
00:01:36Introduction to Christy Anzelmo
00:04:10Career beginning and work in the Fashion industry
00:09:30Foundry Products in product design
00:12:00Use of digital in the fashion industry
00:13:30Starting working on Nuke
00:15:30How Daniel and Christy met at her first client facing meeting
00:17:30The diversity of the Nuke userbase
00:18:30Can Christy use Nuke?
00:20:09The Nuke team
00:21:02Product Management and working in the industry
00:24:30What Foundry does with that long survey they send you
00:26:00A feature added to Nuke as a result of the survey
00:26:40Cara VR and 360 video
00:28:00Unusual uses of Nuke
00:30:00Car configuration with Nuke
00:32:46Different priorities for different companies
00:33:20Shake to disconnect and Apple Shake
00:34:00Improving usability in professional software
00:36:50Looking at rival software and consistency
00:39:00Interoperability and less linear pipelines
00:41:30USD and “The Dream”
00:43:12Copy Cat and machine learning in Nuke 13
00:48:15Pre-trained tools in Nuke 13
00:48:50IP and copyright obstacles to machine learning
Marcus Flemmings: Life as an award-winning Indie Film Maker | TVAP EP17
00:50:07
This week, on The VFX Artists Podcast, my curiosity with how movies are made and brought to life, brought me to a discussion with London based film director, writer and producer Marcus Flemmings.
On this episode, I find out about Marcus’ background and journey to becoming a film director, talk about his new film Blonde Purple, out on November 30th, and discuss realities of inspiration, competition, originality, ego, mistakes and more, in the life of an indie film maker.
Marcus’s latest film Blonde purple can be watched on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Voodoo and on the Xbox.
Beaumont Loewenthal: How I became a VFX Editor at Lucasfilm | TVAP EP18
00:40:44
This week, on The VFX Artists Podcast, we speak to Beaumont Loewenthal about his journey to the industry and delve into his path to VFX assisting and editing at some great studios, on some very familiar feature films, to becoming a VFX editor on Star Wars Andor at Lucasfilm.
In this episode, we discuss routes to entry into the VFX industry, and discuss the differences between an editors role compared to a VFX editor, editors assistant and VFX editors assistant's role on both production and VFX side.
Beau has had a great career so far, leading him to working on films such as Fantastic Beasts, Maleficent 2, Venom 2, and is still growing into an ever demanding role.
A lot to be discovered and learned in this episode. For audio versions on this or our previous episodes, you can listen on our website or on your favourite podcast platform.
Chapters: 0:00 - Highlights of what to expect in this episode 2:37 - Guest intro 3:43 - Where the love for VFX and editing came from 6:40 - What’s the difference between a VFX editor and a VFX assistant editor 8:51 - Responsibility as a VFX editor 9:23 - How I got my first job in the industry 11:30 - Shows worked on as a VFX editor 12:40 - Day to day life of a VFX editor 16:50 - Importance of starting off as a VFX editor’s assistant 17:35 - Who decides how a film should be cut 19:15 - How early on are you brought on a show? 20:52 - How do you feel about having an integral role in the film industry 22:49 - How close tied is the role of a VFX editor tot the director? 25:19 - VFX finals coming back through editorial 28:41 - Working on retimed shots 29:48 - What do VFX editors transition into 34:37 - Favourite show till date 35:51 - What are the best things about what you do and what advice would you give? 40:00 - Conclusion
The VFX Artists Podcast 2021 Rundown pt1 | TVAP EP19
00:52:45
This has been a rollercoaster year for many of us and The VFX Artists Podcast is no exception.
A toddlers decision to play with toy cars at 3am changed the fate of 2 VFX artists who met up to reflect on how far the podcast has come in less than a year. With guests ranging from Matchmove Artists to Compositors, VR Developers to Stunt Performers, Character Modellers to VFX Supervisors, On-Set Data collectors, a Black Widow and more.
Originally planned as a single episode we cover a lot of ground. There are helicopters, career tips, kung fu masters.
So don your headphones, kick back and join Kofi and Daniel as they take you through the highlights.
The VFX Artists Podcast 2021 Rundown pt2 | TVAP EP20
01:07:14
In this episode we complete our rundown of 2021. Daniel and Kofi discuss some of the themes raised in the episodes, as well as clips. Topics include VFX Editing, Previs, Realtime and Unreal Engine, discrimination and racism in the industry, independent filmmaking, Nuke, Blender, Unreal, VFX software development, Costume Design, VFX Editing, game cinematics and more!
Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:00 Previs and PostViz( EP10 with Paris Marin: https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/what-is-previs-and-postvis-vs-finals-animation-with-paris-marin) 00:05:19 Growing up with VFX, Blender, After Effects, Social Media (EP11 with Ty Robillard: https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/growing-up-with-vfx-with-3d-generalist-ty-robillard) 00:10:45 Costume and Set-Design (EP12 with Rianna Charles and Jodie-Simone-Howe https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/costume-set-and-designing-for-film-and-tv-with-rianna-charles-and-jodie-simone-howe) 00:15:23 Working at top studios and the Realtime pipeline (EP13 with Simon Legrand https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/being-a-vfx-artist-at-some-of-the-top-vfx-studios-in-the-world-with-simon-legrand) 00:22:11 Realtime, V-Ray and Vantage, Unreal, CG Garage and Chris Nichols (https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/becoming-a-vfx-supervisor-realtime-virtual-production-with-chaos-group-labs-director-chris-nichols) 00:29:52 More Unreal and VFX Supervisor talk, racism and representation in the industy, Floyd Billingy (https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/being-a-black-artist-in-the-games-and-vfx-industry-pre-rendered-cinematics-vs-unreal-engine-floyd-billingy) 00:41:58 Foundry, software development, Nuke and USD clip from Christy Anzelmo(https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/christy-anzelmo-usd-machine-learning-surprising-uses-for-nuke-and-foundry-software-and-a-career-vfx-software) 00:48:56 Indie Filmmaking and the mainstream VFX industry with Marcus Flemmings (https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/marcus-flemmings-life-as-an-award-winning-indie-film-maker) 00:56:26 The role of the VFX Editor - Beaumony Loewenthal (https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/beaumont-loewenthal-how-i-became-a-vfx-editor-at-lucasfilm) 01:02:24 Roundup, plans for 2022 and outro
From Matchmove Lead to Lighting TD - How I did it - Maik Pham Quang | TVAP EP21
00:57:08
In this episode we chat to Maik Pham Quang, a Matchmove lead at Framestore London, about his career progression, as a runner, through to becoming a matchmove lead, with a decade's experience, to transitioning and changing departments to pursue his interest in the lighting department as a lighting TD.
Maik tells us about how it is leading and managing teams, managing pressure and expectations, fitting into a new department, and more. We hope you enjoy the show!
Chapters: 00:00 - What to expect in this episode 03:19 - Guest intro 05:19 - Entry into the industry 14:40 - Getting into the matchmove department 19:18 - Seniority progression through the matchmove department 21:33 - Watch Maik's 2021 Lead Matchmove reel 24:50 - What artists think about you as a lead 25:41 - What are the common mistakes matchmove artists make 27:33 - What do matchmove leads and supervisors expect to see in showreels? 29:42 - Which matchmove tasks are requested more lately on shows? 33:46 - Switching from matchmove to the lighting department 38:50 - Do you see yourself transitioning to another department in the future? 44:43 - What advice would you give to the aspiring artists? 48:10 - Conclusions 48:52 - Should artists work at different studios to validate their skills? 51:26 - Extras
Listen to all episodes at https://www.thevfxartistspodcast.com/ #vfxpodcast #matchmove #lighting
How VFX changes your view of the World, with Arpita Venugopal, Head of FX at One of Us | TVAP EP22
01:08:02
In this episode we meet with Arpita Venugopal, Head of FX at One of Us and a highly accomplished Houdini Artist.
We talk about her career in FX and how it has increased her appreciation for the beauty in the World. She gives advice for showreels and applications based on her role as a Head of Department and in recruitment. We discuss managing artists, her favourite projects, her plant-based Instagram @platefulofbliss and what makes SideFX Houdini so powerful in the field of FX in particular.
You will not want to miss this one and if you are an FXTD or aspiring FX-TD you may want to take notes!
Timestamps:
00:00 : What to expect and intro 02:19 : Meet Arpita, career outline 03:55 : Bollywood movies and VFX 08:53 : Getting into 3D and Houdini 10:10 : First job at MPC - Voyage of the Dawn Treader 11:35 : Why FX is so rewarding 12:10 : Research process for film FX 14:46 : Does working on FX change your perception of the World? 16:05 : A feline digression 17:20 : How Arpita broke into the industry 18:28 : Showreel advice and showing good attitude 20:00 : What is a technical reel? 21:41 : Do Houdini artists need to be science experts? 23:56 : The place of FX in the pipeline 27:40 : Show based vs department based organisatoin 32:26 : Work from Home and blended workflows 36:36 : The role of the Head of Department 38:42 : Specialities within FX 40:27 : More does and don'ts in job applications 44:56 : Favourite shows 46:58 : Important new developments in workflow and software 49:21 : Bringing people in for specific experience 49:54 : Marker 23 52:04 : A Plateful of Bliss: plant-based cookery 57:40 : Houdini is like a recipe book 01:01:29 : FX Artists use of Nuke 01:01:58 : I wish every artist got to spend a week in every department 01:03:55 : Houdini's tools for helping comp 01:07:05 : Goodbyes and outro
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