content creation
with digital effects has no doubt helped to sell his colleagues state: “There is a commonly held
what VFX artists can do and attracted a new
“At the director and
misconception that newer technology enables
generation of computer-based craftspeople to
producer level, there is
us to keep creating more and more work at a
the industry, it has also created a
not a terribly deep
faster and faster pace. It’s a ‘race to the
misconception that these people can do
anything given enough computing power.
understanding of what we
bottom’ attitude that leads to outsourcing work
to other countries for cheaper production. This
An extract from the white paper reads:
do, We have tended to be
is because we don’t fully acknowledge the
“Adapting the image of visual effects artists to categorised as those human factor… we have never sufficiently
new economic and production realities, while
techno geeks who just
explained that the ‘magic’ of visual effects has
also retaining the mystique that makes the
press buttons. There is a
never resided in the technology; it resides in
industry so special, is one of the cultural the people using the technology."
challenges we are facing today. The need to
notion that this is some
The document then returns to its central
clarify the digital visual effects process has kind of black magic. point, which is that, if VFX artists are included
never been greater. Producers are often under
We’ve almost done too
in the decision making up front, production
the impression that the bar to create the latest
good a job of creating a
costs will drop because the artists can then
visual effects work has been lowered and made help to streamline the production path.
easier. That now it is simply a matter of lining
mystery about the work
"That’s a hyper-reality for television
up rows of computers to process the work. This we do.” because it has much shorter schedules so all
has encouraged the unfortunate misperception
Eric Roth, executive director, VES
this applies even more," said Roth. "In fact, TV
and acceptance of what is approaching a digital and commercials often lead the way. They may
sweatshop environment. From the studio certainly more job titles involved now from not have the same size budget as film but
perspective, the visual effects ‘black box’ is model animator and texturing artist to VFX because they have extraordinary time
where the money goes in and visual effects supervisor and 2D and 3D artists. pressures, they often figure out how to do a lot
come out, and few in the industry know what But Roth stresses that, though digital more with a lot less."
happens in between. When a director talks to a technology may have added a new layer of But, on the whole, Roth observed: "We see
key grip, he or she is able to estimate how skills, it has not taken over traditional roles: that the number of VFX shots usually increases
much time it’s going to take for a set-up. When "The changing technologies are bringing about dramatically when we get closer to the end of
a director brings work into a digital effects different ways of doing things but the roles of a project. Whether you’re making a movie or
studio, the only indication of what it has taken the players are ever present so, even if you no building a house, you will make a better job of
to accomplish the shot is when the VFX team longer have film stock, you’re still going to it at a better price, if you’re given time to plan
begins to show signs of severe exhaustion.” have a DP and even if the VFX guy can put a it well up front. If you’re building a room and
In outlining how the demarcation between costume on a character, you still need a then just decide to build another one on top of
traditional jobs within the production pipeline costume designer," he said. "VFX can change it, and then another one at the back, you’re not
is less clear now, the paper poses some key so much about an actor’s appearance. Look at taking advantage of economies of scale and all
questions. For example, ‘How do you allocate Gollum (in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy), the creative input from all the people involved
the budget to include artists in various that was all done in a computer but with input - and you could miss your completion date
production departments that didn’t exist from all the players on the project." unless you pay double and triple overtime."
before?’ and ‘Where are department lines This is where the notion of digital If that sounds familiar, you can download
drawn and where do they overlap, and who is technology reducing the time needed to create the VES white paper from
in charge of the various phases’. There are an effect falls down too. In the paper, Roth and www.visualeffectssociety.com.
IBE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 11
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