VFX film careers – an introduction
Transforming Futures with Technology
Yen YauTalent Development Manager
Into Film
The Bigger Picture
The Bigger Picture
Creative Industries Strategy 2014
Examples of technology impacting on film-making
• 3D printing
• Cloud and collaborative workflows
• Drone cameras
Source of image: CosProp http://www.cosprop.com/
Some Statistics
Key Findings
•The UK’s creative economy had 2.6 million jobs in 2013,
consisting of 1.7 million jobs in the creative industries.
•The UK’s high–tech economy had 3.2 million jobs in
2013, 2.4 million of which were jobs in high–tech
industries (825,000 in STEM occupations)
•Employment in the creative economy grew on average
over three times faster than the workforce as a whole
(4.3 per cent per annum (p.a.) vs 1.2 per cent p.a.)
between 2011 and 2013.
•Employment in the high–tech economy also grew faster
than the workforce over this period (2.1 per cent p.a. vs
1.2 per cent p.a.).
Where are the Opportunities?
.
• Management, leadership and business skills
• A key gap for the future is new and digital technology and particularly managing the change from traditional to digital media.
• In production digital camera skills and awareness are lacking
• For exhibition and distribution employers a key focus is exploiting opportunities such as online and digital sales, marketing and distribution and dealing with threats eg. file sharing.
• In post production, the VFX industry is facing a skills shortage of new entrants with strong STEM backgrounds
Good time to be working in the VFX industry
Did you know…..
Stages of making a film
Development
Pre-Production
Production
Post -Production
Distribution and Exhibition
Connecting to the Curriculum
Science
Design and Technology
Music
Art and Design
Languages
Computing
Maths
The Skills Shortage
UK National Shortage Occupation
List
Relates to jobs under Tier 2 of the
new five-tier system.
If the job is on the shortage
occupation list then an employer can
offer the job to an overseas person
without having first fulfilled the
Resident Labour Market Test by
advertising the vacancy in the UK.
The list is current at 14 November,
2011 but is subject to change at any
time..
Producers and directors in the
following roles within visual effects
and 2D / 3D computer animation
for film, television or video games:
2D supervisor, 3D supervisor,
computer graphics supervisor,
producer, production manager,
technical director, visual effects
supervisor.
Graphic Designers roles within
visual effects and 2D / 3D
computer animation for film,
television or video games:
compositing artist, matte painter,
modeller, rigger, stereo artist,
texture artist
Getting on – the VFX skills spectrum
.
Stages of making a film
VFX Careers Doc-2.jpg
Routes In
Historically, entry into VFX
was informal, usually
through the runner route.
However, the industry is
changing and most entrants
now study a course offered
by a private vocational
training provider or a
university.
Suspension of disbelief
Creating the hair and a wet dress
VFX Film Resources
•The Core Skills of VFX
http://www.skillset.org/animation/qualifications/article_8377_1.
asp
•Breakdown showreels
http://www.artofvfx.com/?p=6591
http://www.moving-picture.com/showreels/vfx-breakdowns/
•Individual Career Profiles and Case studies
http://www.dneg.com/career_profiles/
Developing a Portfolio
• The FoundryNUKE – The award-winning tool for visual effects and the industry’s standard
software (http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/nuke/non-commercial/)• AutodeskMaya – 3D computer animation, modeling, visual effects and rendering software
tool(http://www.autodesk.com/education/home)• FusionTools for compositing, keying, painting, animation, stereoscopic 3D and more, all in
a single application. Currently only available for windows(https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/fusion)• SculptrisIf you're new to the world of digital sculpting, Sculptris is the ideal ground on which
to get started(http://pixologic.com/sculptris/)
Useful Websites
• BAFTA Guru
• Double Negative
• Escape Studios
• Shooting People
• Screen International
• The CG Society
• College of Production
Getting in Touch
Skills FusionSecond Light Labs
@yenyau@getintofilm