Ankit Uttam’s Post

#Hollywood Hustle: Where Passion Gets Pinched and VFX Artists Pay the Price (Literally) 🌟 Ahh, the magic of cinema. Explosions that rock your seat, creatures so real you could swear they breathe, fantastical worlds that leap off the screen. But behind the glitz and glam lies a hidden army – the VFX artists. These digital wizards breathe life into our wildest dreams, often for less than a hero's salary (think sidekick pay). - Let's face it, most VFX artists enter the industry with hearts full of passion and eyes sparkling with dreams of creating cinematic wonders. They spend years honing their skills and becoming masters of the digital universe. But then reality bites. Studios, with their million-dollar budgets, treat these artists like expendable pixels. The pay? Let's just say it wouldn't cover the rent for a hobbit hole in Middle Earth. - So, what's a passionate VFX artist to do? Juggle three jobs? Become a ramen noodle connoisseur? Unfortunately, for many, that's the harsh truth. Crazy deadlines mean nights that bleed into mornings, weekends become a distant memory, and that social life you once had evaporates faster than a Thanos snap. Work-life balance? More like work-life *warfare*. - And if you dare raise your voice against this culture of crunch? Studios might just unleash their inner Sauron, firing off warnings and making life even more miserable. Talk about putting the "FX" in effects! Here's the thing, VFX artists aren't orcs – they're talented people deserving of fair treatment. They deserve pay that reflects their contribution, hours that allow them to, you know, have a life, and a work environment that doesn't resemble Mordor. So, the next time you're blown away by a CGI spectacle, remember the artists behind it. Let's start a conversation, one where passion is valued, not exploited. Because without these digital wizards, all we'd be left with are cheesy monster costumes and unconvincing explosions (think those inflatable T-Rex costumes chasing a jeep). Is that the kind of future we want for cinema? Let's work together to create a fairer, more balanced VFX world, one where artists can thrive without sacrificing their well-being. After all, a happy artist is a creative artist, and that's the magic that truly brings the movies to life. 🎬 The article above 📰 is dedicated to every person who has contributed to the successful release to the silver screen 🎥, including production 🎬, lead actors 🌟, supervisors 🕵️♂️, and supporting staff 💼 as well. #VFXArtistsDeserveMore #PassionisNotEnough #PayTheFXHeroes #WeSeeYourLateNights #VFXLifeIsNotBalanced #NoVFXNoBlockbusters #RespectTheDigitalWizards #FairPayForFairytaleWorlds Dhruv Rathee #VFXArtistsArePeopleToo #WorkLifeBalanceForTheWin #UnionizeTheForce #VFXArtistsUnite #BehindTheScenesStruggles Ganz Ramalingam #MoreThanJustPixels IATSE #VFXLoveButStudiosLoveMoney Hugo Guerra #TimeForACinematicChange #WeWantOurWeekendBack #VFXArtistsAreTheRealSuperheroes Arvid Schneider

📢Why in Indian movies the vfx is not good enough as compared to Hollywood based VFX movies? ‼️Answer: Indians are not good enough for high end quality, and Indian Compers are not Compers, actually they are roto paint artist. Thats why we offer artist position to Indian Lead/ Supervisor in Hollywood land. Now let's come to the reality . ✅ Comparing to Hollywood Indian makers don't have that much of budget for a movie. ✅Makers even don't have patience to create a master piece, as makers wants profit over night. ✅Yes there are lots of talented artists in India who are working in Hollywood and international shows, but they didn't gets much time for Indian shows. ✅Even Indian Supervisor do apply and accept artist position in foreign land just to boost their experience/ Resume and bank balance too. You know the currency diffrences. ✅Its been a perspective that Indian brown race is inferior. Ohh please accept it, that's why high profile Company want to know about Race. ✅In India Managers are high paid, but the creative as like ARTIST LEADS SUPERVISORS are struggling and less valued. Rarely you find creative as guest in any VFX seminar. ✅Hollywood people can outsource their work in entire world, but its very difficult for Indians to make it outsource, again currency problem. ✅Hollywood people makes VFX look by their own choice, but Indian Supervisor always try to copy the same thing even the CC of a sky, they convert Indian sky to American sky. Pathetic but we do asper client call. ✅IT took long time to create a master piece like Taj Mahal, but for VFX Indian market want it right now. ✅Artist/ creative need to feel good to deliver a master piece, but most of Indian artists are getting the feeling of slaves, Corporate slavery is common practice in India. Hence it's reflects on work too. ✅Even Indian Creatives working in India to build nation strong don't gets much respect in their own land, But Same Indian coming from abroad or any NRI gets Royal treatment. Bitter but truth. ✅Everyone makes mistakes even Hollywood too, but we only point 👉 on Indian movie mistakes, which is big deal but Hollywood movies mistake is Style/ Oh it's okay/ it's situation call. Below image vfx done by Industrial Light & Magic mentioned in a post by vfxexpress . White Circle head area gets blur and transparent, smudged unnecessarily, I am not taking about suppressed highlights area that's DI lookout I guess . Now how do you judge this? Mistake or Style? Now it's just a single frame, a snapshot, now think about the whole movie. "Picture avi baki hai, galti sabse hoti hai " it's okay, pardonable. #connect with Subhashish Chakraborty #vfx #hollywood #Indiancinema #Bollywood #tollywood #Hyderabad #Mumbai #Compositing #Indianvfxindustry #Opentowork #Vfxjobs #linkedinfamily #Linkedinconnection #Marvel #Opentowork #Opentojob #Supervisor

How to Build a VFX World for Your Short With a $700 Budget https://ift.tt/rg0HJiD Written By Matthew DeLisi I’m just going to dive right in and say budgets have always been a sore subject for me. Whether it’s music videos, commercials, short films, or anything in between there never seems to be enough money to do exactly what's in your brain. Hilariously enough, it seems like that mindset never goes away. Hearing directors say they needed to get crafty with shots on their 20 million dollar feature feels like a wild statement. But, I’m sure in their shoes they are probably right and money just slips away no matter how big the budget. On the other side of the coin, lack of resources leads to every great advancement in cinema history, and for pretty much all of human history. Now I’m no stranger to roughing it and forcing a circle through a square to get a shot done. To be honest, I actually thrive in DIY situations. That’s exactly why I wanted to make my latest short film, "Mr. Claw", and why I set out to prove how little you actually need to make a film and build a world around it. And, as the title suggests, for around $700. Let’s bring it back to 2019. I was still directing music videos and commercials full time. I kept pitching these wild concepts (a lot of sci-fi back then) and it was getting harder and harder to get these ideas to come to life. Like most young directors, we were just trying to make mini movies with every job we could get. VFX was often too costly for me so I decided to start spending all my free time on YouTube learning 3D. I didn't even have the software yet, but I saw the potential to bring my ideas to the screen. After some weeks of studying and learning, I had a friend help me build a PC, I installed Cinema4D and hit the ground running. I wasn’t known for VFX so I started incorporating a few shots at a time into my own music videos and I would make them for free just to prove that I had the chops to do it. From there, it started snowballing right up until COVID hit. When everything shut down, enough friends knew I was doing this 3D thing and I really got to cut my teeth over those next few years locked away grinding out VFX shots. Fast forward and I’ve now built a small VFX house called BRAINCHILD VFX and it’s my primary job. After all these years of constantly figuring out how to do something for nothing, I wanted to embrace that mentality with a flagship short film for the company to promote our work and showcase our aesthetic. I wrote "Mr. Claw" mainly because I wanted to bring this cosmic horror film to life, but also, because I wanted to show how you could build an entire world for under $700 with a couple friends and a few pieces of gear. To talk about "Mr. Claw" for a little, the premise for the film came as an iteration to my previous horror short, "I Don't Want to Go Home". That film was about running from your demons, and for this one I wanted to explore what it looked like to give into your d...

VFX Masterclass 👇 I really enjoyed reading about VFX legend and Oscar winner George Murphy's career - someone who has been at the forefront of the evolution of visual effects, from pioneering digital compositing at Industrial Light & Magic to working on iconic films like Forrest Gump, Jurassic Park, and The Matrix sequels. His contributions have not only shaped the VFX industry, but he also reminds us why an open mindset on new technological advancements is soinvaluable. Speaking at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Murphy said the rise of AI and virtual production represents profound changes in filmmaking—but ultimately, these are “just new brushes in our paintbox.” From The Mandalorian’s LED set innovations to real-time engines like Unreal, he’s seen technology revolutionize the industry. Yet he emphasizes that these tools are here to serve the story, not replace the artist. “AI can process huge amounts of data…but it doesn’t experience emotions. Only artists who have lived and felt can bring that to a project.” Check out his work on Murder on the Orient Express where actors engaged with vivid, high-resolution landscapes on LED screens—“They were immersed,” he said, leading to a more authentic feel that audiences could sense. "We’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible," he says, predicting a fundamental shift as these immersive experiences grow. George Murphy’s career and insights remind us that as technology advances, the artist’s role becomes even more essential in crafting authentic, resonant stories. Find out more about this VFX great in The Hollywood Reporter - link in the comments. Image credit - britishcinematographer

Visual Effects (VFX) Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Movies, Television, Gaming, Advertisements) By Component (Software, Services, Hardware), Global Economy Insights, Regional Outlook, Growth Potential, Russia-Ukraine war analysis, Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2023 - 2031. The visual effects (VFX) market is an integral part of the entertainment and media industry, focusing on the creation and integration of visual imagery that cannot be achieved during live-action shooting. The demand for VFX has been significantly influenced by advancements in technology and the growing popularity of visual storytelling in films, television, gaming, and advertising. The VFX market is expected to experience substantial growth, with projections indicating a strong compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next several years. The growth will be driven by increasing investments in entertainment content, technological innovations in VFX production, and the expanding applications of VFX in gaming, advertising, and immersive experiences. IMIR Market Research Pvt. Ltd. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: https://lnkd.in/diQeaQ2j 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭: VFX PICK Method Studios Weta Digital Ghost VFX RISE | Visual Effects Studios BOT VFX Milk Visual Effects Union Visual Effects CoSA VFX Encore VFX Luma Pictures ZERO VFX SDFX Studios Tippett Studio LIGHT VISUAL EFFECTS Crafty Apes Outpost VFX SPIN VFX redchillies.vfx Hybride VFX Soho VFX Envision VFX Rocket Science VFX Important Looking Pirates VFX The Yard VFX Alt.vfx Mercury Visual Solutions Fin Design + Effects Automatik VFX Jellyfish Pictures Mavericks VFX Foundry Anibrain FOLKS Image Engine Design Inc. Fix Studio VFX ESCAPE STUDIOS LIMITED Digikore Studios Phantom FX #vfx #d #animation #cgi #art #aftereffects #vfxartist #kerala #cinema #motiongraphics #blender #digitalart #danimation #visualeffects #design #dart #render #motiondesign #filmmaking #graphicdesign #c #film #photoshop #vfxbreakdown #photography #adobe #artist #keralagodsowncountry #gfx

ENDA Episode 05→ The time when the Endless Apprentice met the Grand Line of VFX (Part 2) Along with the existence of the Grand Line, there were other concepts that I learned during my training that motivated me more to start my journey. Concepts that seem so foreign that were almost impossible to learn properly in any of the 4 Seas and that could be possible to learn in the Grand Line of VFX: the VFX Haki, which is divided into 3 types: ➡️Observation Haki: a sixth sense to detect and analyze a shot thoroughly and that would let you know if it looks photoreal or not. Not even the smaller pixels, edges, or color issues could escape this Haki. However, be aware that this Haki is not instant, it requires constant practice to improve and reach the color of Observation of a VFX Supervisor. ➡️Armament Haki: if the Observation Haki lets you analyze the shot, the Armament Haki gives you to skill to work on it. In essence is the ability to reinforce your body or the tip of your tablet pen or mouse with the skills and knowledge you have acquired: rotoscoping, painting, color correction, keying, etc, and use them correctly to tackle any shot you may find. There will not be a difficult shot to solve with the right Armament Haki. Nonetheless, one more time this Haki as the Observation one requires constant practice and training to improve and reach the Armament Haki of a VFX Supervisor or even Senior Compositor. ➡️Supreme King Haki: more than a skill is the innate ability that would allow you to take the step from artist to supervisor: the ability to lead a team and have a presence in front of the bigger fishes in the industry. The difference with the other Haki is that it cannot be learned by anyone, only those with the will to reach the highest status in the industry and able to communicate well with others will be the ones that could reach the higher ranks in the Grand Line. Additionally, this one is mandatory to become a Lead or Supervisor. Any good artist will have the Observation and Armament Haki and could reach a Senior position and be comfortable. In fact, many artists decide to stay as Seniors because they do not want to handle the additional responsibilities of being a Lead or Sup and because they are happy with the result of their journey. However, if you decide to go higher than that, be aware that achieving will be harder than you expected, especially if you want to unlock the Supreme King Haki. In my particular case, I knew from the start of my journey that I was traveling only with my Devil’s Fruit power, which I knew wouldn’t be enough to pass the “Paradise.” That’s why, before my arrival, I looked for a place and, more importantly, someone who could teach me the fundamentals of the VFX Haki, and I found the place. It would be one year full of intensive training, but I knew it would be worth it. How were my experiences in the first part of the Grand Line since my arrival? Well, that’s for the next update.

Ok following on from Asa Bailey, Nathan Bazley, David Gray, James Blevins & others commenting on the recent posts: Due to a range of technological changes, 'Hollywood' (whoever that still is) is undergoing rapid deleveraging. Assets that everyone paid a lot of money for even 5 years ago are not going to be worth anything, and corporations need to get them off balance sheets. The working-out will be painful for a while yet. So, the spending on production is not going to be what it was in the last decade. Studios and networks are going to be directly funding less content by an order of magnitude. This will suck for everybody involved. And here’s where we come in: Given enough shots, Virtual Production is going to be cheaper than traditional composited VFX. Let’s not compare ourselves to bad examples of VP- In a good VP LED volume shoot, lit correctly, and with the proper attention paid to your assets, you set up the scene, and try to get as many shots in the day as you can, in camera. The totality of VP (pre/tech vis, planning, collaboration) allows for efficient shooting. In VP, you are getting those shots directly into the edit- with traditional VFX, by definition, post-shoot there will always be an additional cost per shot to composite. And you may not know what that cost actually is until deep into editorial. Thinking like this means that the 8-person dialogue scene on a terrace overlooking a vista starts to come into focus, because compositing the unique background into the editorial coverage of the dialogue will kill you and you want to spend that kind of money on different parts of the project. Or you want to take those 120 shots off a back-end VFX team that’s already going out of business on the deal anyway- lets look around the landscape and be really honest about this end of the equation too. VFX teams, alongside every other team on your contact sheet, are going to have to do much more, with much, much less, and much less often. So it’s a matter of identifying *at the script stage*, in development, in breakdowns and planning, where you are going to deploy which assets and which technology in a very specific sense. Very few clients will be bulk-booking your mega volume for a 35 week shoot and they won’t be letting actors just wander around a green box either. So the ‘box of panels’ idea in Asa Bailey's first post comes into focus, because any application of the technology has to start at the scene requirements, not working backwards from the volume configuration. It has to be quite literally built into the scene. What we need to do as a VP-invested community is propagate the great use cases for VP into production design toolsets, shooting toolsets, planning tools and yes, even executive development and budgeting toolsets. This will allow composited VFX teams to do what they do best, and not have to do the bottom % of work thrust on them in the final days of a project because ‘we just need to get it done’. #virtualproductionrumble

ENDA Episode 10→ The time when the Endless Apprentice met the Artist, the Technician, and the Producer (Part 1) During my time in both college and the Animation and VFX school, I met and worked with different people who wanted to enter the industry. The more and more I knew different groups I started to notice that certain profiles were always present in every project group, even when I started working I noticed these profiles would still exist. Particularly three who englobe different areas in a production being a live-action or an animated one. I decided to call them the Artist, the Technician, and the Producer. → The Artist: a person with heavy artistic tendencies, most of them will have an innate talent for drawing or design. In some cases, it will even be a talent for crafts or handmade constructions. Most of the time it will be them who would have the drive to write and tell their own stories, even directing them. In a live-action production, they would end up in the Art, Photography, or Storyboard department. In an animated feature, they would end up in areas like Concept Art, Modelling, Animation, Lighting, or Compositing. Their weakness is wanting to reach the moon without having wings or a floor to start jumping. Their idealism is the drive of the project, but they need someone capable of turning their ideas into a reality. → The Technician: a person with a talent for the technical aspects. Usually, they would be the first to learn a new software and try to figure out how it works from the inside out. Some of them might start learning programming and even if they don’t, they would eventually learn in the future. They will also be the first to grab and experiment with film gear: lights, microphones, sensors, consoles, etc. You name it, they would need a few days to know every aspect of them. It is most of them that end up inclining towards the VFX world given the heavy technical knowledge required to start. In a live-action production, they would end up in the Photography, Sound, Editorial, or Postproduction department. In an animated feature, they would be part of departments like Animation, FX, Compositing, etc. Their weakness is that they are used to working with an existing art reference, rather than creating their own. This does not mean they do not have an artistic side, because they do, just not as big as an Artist. For that reason, they prefer to work on someone else’s stories. However, until this point, we have someone who has the vision and a person who can turn it into a reality. It would seem that we have the perfect match…. but NO. Experience would tell you that leaving two people like that alone with a project will mean that either that project never finishes or when it finishes it is already too expensive to recover the budget. So that’s why for better or for worse the figure of the Producer exists. How is their profile? Well, that would be for the next episode. Part 2 https://lnkd.in/ek3895NE

India's VFX Industry: A Rising Star India's VFX industry is experiencing a meteoric rise, leaving a global mark with its exceptional talent and cutting-edge technology. From the intricate CGI sequences in Hollywood blockbusters to the mesmerizing visuals in Indian television, the country's VFX artists are redefining the boundaries of imagination. Staggering Facts: * Market Size: India's VFX and post-production industry had a market size of over 79 billion Indian rupees in the financial year 2020, up from about 39 billion Indian rupees in the financial year of 2016. [Source: Statista] * Growth Rate: The industry is projected to reach USD 16.60 billion by FY2031 from USD 1.37 billion in FY2023, growing at a CAGR of 37.76% for the forecast period. [Source: MarketsandData] * Global Collaboration: Indian VFX studios have successfully collaborated with international production houses on some of the biggest films and TV shows, showcasing their expertise and capabilities. Top Industries Embracing VFX: * Bollywood: Indian cinema has embraced VFX to enhance storytelling and create visually spectacular films. * Television: Indian television shows, from daily soaps to historical dramas, have incorporated VFX to elevate their production values. * Advertising: Brands are leveraging VFX to create captivating commercials that leave a lasting impression. * Gaming: Indian gaming studios are utilizing VFX to develop immersive and visually appealing games. What do you think are the key factors driving the growth of India's VFX industry? Share your insights in the comments! Citations: * Statista (2023). India: market size of VFX and PP industry 2024. Retrieved from https://lnkd.in/dGNQ2bpA. * MarketsandData (2023). India Animation Market Share, Growth & Analysis Report 2030. Retrieved from https://lnkd.in/dy8hVrHw. * https://lnkd.in/dZvf_EGh * https://lnkd.in/dy8hVrHw

Just saw this VFX breakdown reel from Freefolk for the show *Kaos*. I think it's amazing how they use visual effects to create these larger-than-life mythological characters and worlds. Seems like a lot of work went into it and the results are stunning! #vfx #motiongraphics #animation #mythology