The VFX Artists Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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

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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

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 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.

📣 Keagan Harris Patreon: patreon.com/keaganharris
📣 Josh Parks Masterclasses: https://www.compositingpro.com/nuke-masterclass-courses/
📣 FXPhd: https://www.fxphd.com

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

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#thevfxartistspodcast #vfxpodcast #compositing #careerAdvice #NewEntrants #HouseOfDragons #India #PrehistoricPlanet #MPC #WorkInIndia


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

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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.
 
Enjoy!

◉ Academy of Animated Art
◉ Academy of Animated Art Courses
◉ Diversity Action Program

Social Media:
◉ Instagram
◉ LinkedIn

Connect with Jasmine on
◉ LinkedIn
◉ Instagram

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Watch our other videos
📣The Effective Freelance Compositor, with Shonda Hunt | TVAP EP31
     
📣Becoming a mother made me an efficient VFX Animator - Part 1 | TVAP EP35
     

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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

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#thevfxartistspodcast #vfxpodcast #compositing #FoundryNuke #vfxartist #Freelancing #financialliteracy 


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

Chapters by [Chaptered.app](https://Chaptered.app)

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Behind The Desk with Hugo Guerra | TVAP EP47

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!

Listen to all episodes on our website

Watch our other videos
📣Building the Biggest VFX Asset Library in The World! ActionVFX CEO Rodolphe Pierre-Louis | TVAP EP46
     
📣Share Knowledge - Keep Learning with María Carriedo | TVAP EP43
   

You can find Hugo on the following platforms:
Hugo's Desk
Befores & Afters
Hugo's Desk LinkedIn
Hugo's LinkedIn
Hugo's Twitter
Hugo's Desk Twitter

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#thevfxartistspodcast #vfxpodcast #hugoguerra #hugosdesk

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!

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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

Follow Us 👍👍📌📌
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#thevfxartistspodcast #vfxpodcast #compositing #motioncapture

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 

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.

Artwork created by Carlo Santoriello

Listen to all episodes on our website

#thevfxartistspodcast #vfxpodcast #aiart #midjourney

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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))



#Silhouette #Oscars #scitech #VFX #Podcast #rotoscoping #invisiblevfx


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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!

Einstein image credit: Smart Energy/The Mill, "Join the Revolution"

00:00:14 : Current role

00:00:32 : Education and beginning of career

00:14:34 : Showreel advice from the point of view of a hirer

00:19:15 : What seniors can learn from new entrants

00:20:33 : What qualities make a better 3D artist

00:26:17 : R&D Stages of a project

00:29:25 : Reference from everyday life

00:33:54 : Solaris and Unreal

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