content creation
VFX: Some kind of
black magic?
IAN WHITE reviews a report recently published by the Visual contractors. The VES also runs its own annual
Effects Society.
awards scheme for use of VFX in over a dozen
categories of film, television, commercials and
nce upon a time, a visual effect, as Entitled ‘The video games.
O
used in a film or television State of Visual As the white paper points out: “Visual
production, was something that was Effects in the effects are having a major impact on, or
achieved physically in front of the Entertainment replacing everything from stunt work to
camera, optically by means of different lenses Industry’, the costume-design to make-up even to the point
and filters, or in post-production by using a document of eliminating or replacing various
vast range of film and video processing examines departments.” How, then, does Roth, who co-
techniques. The divisions between the existing authored the paper with Renee Dunlop and
departments and companies which specialised conditions within Paul Malcolm, account for so many people
in different types of effects were clear - if you the VFX industry having so little idea about the work of VFX
wanted a certain look, you consulted the and how these artists?
lighting cameraman or director of photography issues affect the "At the director and producer level, there is
(DP), if you wanted an explosion or a fire you entertainment not a terribly deep understanding of what we
went to someone who specialised in business on a do," he said. "We have tended to be categorised
pyrotechnics and so on. There were three macro scale, from Eric Roth, executive as those techno geeks who just press buttons.
distinct phases to any film or TV project - pre- workflow to the
director of the Visual
There is a notion that this is some kind of
production, production and post-production. interaction of
Effects Society.
black magic. We’ve almost done too good a job
Digital technology has changed all that. It’s personnel within various departments. of creating a mystery about the work we do.
blurred such distinctions to a point where "It is just a recognition that, as technology Our people are artists who help move the
they’ve almost disappeared. However, these advances, budgets get bigger and the desires of creative and the technical processes along. If
profound changes in the way content is now directors to bring the more fantastical to the the people they’re doing these things for had a
produced have not been fully recognised by screen grow, so much of what we do as VFX greater understanding of their capabilities, they
many producers and directors and are often artists is becoming more and more central to might employ some of the artists earlier in the
not reflected in working practices and budgets. that entire equation," said Roth. "If there is a process. If the planning is done earlier, things
As Eric Roth, executive director of the central message to the white paper it is that don’t get rushed in post when you might be
Visual Effects Society (VES) puts it: "Everyone early collaboration can work in the interests of paying people double or triple overtime."
associates VFX with big summer blockbusters everyone." According to VFX supervisor and former
and Spider-Man flying through the streets of A non-profit organisation, the Visual VES chair, Jeffrey Okun, this misconception
New York but they are routinely used now to Effects Society describes itself as the about today’s VFX specialists goes back 30
change the mood of a cloud or the colour of entertainment industry's only body years to the first Star Wars feature in 1977. In
someone’s hair… they exist in every piece of representing the full breadth of visual effects the white paper, he notes: "In our earnest
delivered entertainment from film and practitioners including artists, technologists, desire to get a seat at that ‘adult’s table’ of the
television to video games. We have learned model makers, educators, studio leaders, business, we have been engaged in a 30-year
that there are a lot of people in different parts supervisors, marketing specialists and publicity campaign to make everyone aware of
of this industry who don’t really know what producers in all areas of entertainment from what we do and how we do it. In this process,
we do. Not only that, they don’t recognise the film, television and commercials to music we have focused on the success stories and
impact we have on the bottom line. If they videos and games. Spread across 17 countries, hidden away the terrible truth of how we got
utilised us earlier and fostered more of a it has over 1600 members of whom 80% work those successes. As far as the public, most
collaborative process all the way through, we in two or more media, including feature films directors and producers are concerned, they are
could probably help them create a better (70%), television (50%), commercials (50%), not at all aware of how time and hands-on
product for a better price." music videos (30%), games (10%), and live intensive the process really is. What we need to
It is with this in mind that the VES events (5%). Significantly, almost 50% of do is begin telling the painful truth."
published its first white paper in July this year. members are freelancers or independent Though the mystery and magic associated
10 IBE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
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