6 Superskills for VFX Producers & Supervisors

Realise Your Vision

A Guide to Collaboration 6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors Tried-and-tested tech and tips for keeping your teams on side, on time and on brief What’s in this guide?

Me, SuperSkills? 03

The 6 SuperSkills: 1 – Understanding the director’s vision 05 2 – Setting up for success 06 3 – Onboarding VFX artists 07 SUPERSKILLS 4 – Getting the best from your team 08 5 – Having the tough conversations 09 TIPS 6 – Leaning on others 10

The 3 key barriers to collaboration 11 Collaboration in action: FuseFX case study 12 Meet the ClearView family 13

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 2 Me? SuperSkills?

In filmmaking, if there’s a much-overlooked superpower, it’s collaboration.

The ability to build relationships, understand other people’s point of view and work as a well-oiled machine – vital skills that nobody wins awards for, but that every successful production needs. When things go wrong, on set or in post, it’s usually because someone, somewhere has failed to collaborate or communicate in the right way, or at the right time.

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 3 Yes, you, SuperSkills Can we bottle your SuperSkill? The responsibilities of VFX supervisor and To create this guide, we recently sat down VFX producer can vary from one production with two VFX pros to collect their thoughts to the next, but the one thing you have to be on collaboration in post. Read on to find good at in every role is collaboration. You’re some tried-and-tested ways for giving motivating and feeding back to VFX artists, diplomatic feedback, getting the most out you’re working alongside the director to bring of other people, and collaborating with their vision to life, and you’re balancing this creatives and crew from previs to post. with fixed budgets and tight timelines. And if you have tips of your own, please share them with us on:

Big thanks to our SuperSkilled contributors

Anne Akande, Sean H Farrow, VFX Producer/ VFX Supervisor VFX Line Producer • Total Recall • Altered Carbon • Batman Begins • Devs • Unknown • Doctor Who

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 4 SUPERSKILL 1: Understanding the director’s vision

As the linchpin between the “The more you absorb, the more you start “I think we have to question. We need to ideas and the execution, your to think like the director, the DPs and the assess how something’s helping the story: TECH TIP understanding of the director’s vision production designer. So, after a certain whose story are we telling – is it necessary? has to be watertight. period of time, as with all these things, you Do you need that to be in visual effects or, become a solid team who are all pulling can another department take care of it? It’s not just a case of knowing the references, in the same direction, with creativity and Because visual effects are just one part but truly immersing yourself in the world storytelling.” – SF of storytelling, there are other important of the production. But at what stage do you forms as well.” – AA bring your ideas? And is it okay to question Knowledge first, ideas second the vision? Question, question, question As you’re developing an understanding of the Character modelling, texture, rotoscoping, director’s grand plan, it can be really tempting Those onboarding meetings help you immerse final composing… VFX is a department to throw ideas in. You’re excited about the yourself in the world of the film. You’re used to collaborating. project – but try and take time to absorb absorbing references and finding common But this becomes trickier when – due the director’s vision fully or your ideas could ground. But questions are vital – especially to schedule clashes or geography – come off as guesswork. As you have more when it comes to your understanding of the collaboration needs to happen remotely. VFX artists need to understand how to bring meetings, your ideas will naturally coalesce film’s setting. Draw out the colours and the the director’s vision to life, and the director with the other team members. Your input aesthetic – do they want vivid greens in a needs to see how VFX are building the story. will also be better received by the decision- forest? What is the character’s motivation for This understanding simply isn’t possible makers: you’ll understand what excites your being here? How will they interact with the without real-time tools that bring everybody in the room virtually to discuss creative and director and DP and – crucially – you’ll know scenery? Questioning sequences directly can share their expertise frame by frame. how to frame an idea in their language. also help you understand the role of VFX and how it’s helping tell the story, or whether it’s VFX for VFX’s sake.

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 5 SUPERSKILL 2: Setting up for success

Organisation helps you to “The communication has to be constant. “So, you might think you need 10 cars on an communicate effectively and show When you’re talking to locations: ‘could I airfield during the middle of the day in the TECH TIP your creativity. take a look?’ Or ‘I’ve seen this location, do winter. But with the previs then they can go, you think it will help? Do you guys think you ‘Oh, well, we don’t need it in winter now or Without an initial effort on your part to open can work with this?’” - AA we don’t need it on airfield – we can do it on up key channels of communication and plan a car.’ And that process really helps narrow shots meticulously, you and your artists can Communicate from day one run into serious issues later down the line. down the VFX challenges.” – SF Ideally you’re part of the early conversations and are involved in the process while scripts Plan with previs are still being written and revisited. But, For VFX, the early planning phase works especially if you’re based in a VFX house, best when it involves previs. Of course you’ll there’s a chance you’re not brought in early be storyboarding the complex scenes, but You need to be able to guide your teams in enough. Or as you get further into the choreographed action sequences need the right direction from the word ‘go’, no production, there are conversations and much more attention. A storyboard can’t matter how spread out they are, and no matter what restrictions may exist on set. meetings happening – with location or the art always contain the detail you need. Having department – that would be helpful to be part previs animatics to help everyone visualise Tech has to be easy, and it has to support of. So how do you get into those conversations? large VFX teams all viewing simultaneously. sequences could mean the difference You need software that allows you or The first step is to start talking to people and between choosing one location over another multiple artists to view previs work, or see start earning their trust. Signal that you’re or rethinking a scene entirely. Previs allows what’s happening on set. Non-technical available to help and offer to share the burden you to stay perfectly in sync with your users should be able to simply log on and get a view of how work is shaping up, so you or support the decisions or the workload. director and allows you to demonstrate can all stay in sync, regardless of location. precisely how you’re bringing their vision to life – and testing it – before money is spent.

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 6 SUPERSKILL 3: Onboarding VFX artists

Whether you work within a VFX “Splitting up the work is nearly always a “VFX companies do their best work when house or you’re coordinating straightforward proposition. When it comes they’re involved. And they’re proud of TECH TIP outsourced VFX talent, bringing the to crunch time (which is on every show) what they’re doing. I give them as much creatives on board is an essential step then you’ve then got two horses in the race, information as I can. It may not actually be in every production. rather than one, pulling the same cart. strictly pertinent to a particular sequence We do get there more smoothly than if we that they’re doing at the time, but it gives But how do you give your artists the best had to rely on one company, however them a level of involvement, which then shot at creating knockout work? It starts with large they are.” – SF allows them to come back with ideas.” – SF giving them time, space, and context. Split the work Share the wider picture When you’re dealing with VFX houses, Involving VFX artists on a deeper level and The tech you’re using on your production splitting work between more than one can helping them to see the director’s wider should showcase creative work in the best be a great way to maximise creative output vision (context for their work) improves possible way. while hitting tight deadlines. This is especially your relationship with artists and empowers While your artists might always be at their beneficial for large-scale productions. them. They can come forward with ideas or desk with their tools to hand, there’s no Different sequences come with different ways of visualising sequences that elevate telling what devices the rest of the team are challenges, but by having more than one the production as a whole. VFX houses or working on. So look for tools specifically team on hand, you have all the talent you individual artists in your team feel involved designed for preserving picture quality across devices. Check tools don’t compress need. It’s more work for you as you’re and interested – it’s a win-win. images heavily, or you’ll lose the artistry of dealing with more moving parts; you’re the VFX work. You’re looking for tools that ensuring everybody’s delivering on-time and can support high resolution formats such everything’s coming in the right order, but it as 2K, 4K, UHD, all while preserving colour can reap rewards financially and creatively. space and frame accuracy.

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 7 SUPERSKILL 4: Getting the best from others

There’s no getting around it, how “Sometimes you can have a feeling that “I can spend days where I’m just catching you manage VFX teams can be VFX takes over the process. I’d much rather up with people, going, ‘How’re you doing, TECH TIP the difference between a good we had the DP, the production designer, I know your son’s teething, did you get some production and a great one. and all the other creatives all having a sleep?’ Because that just helps. What helps significant contribution to what the VFX is the work succeed is making sure that the How you interact both with your team and Thomas Menari Flora Muschamp Rob Lofthouse going to process. It still needs to land with team is okay.” – AA with other teams in post can also make your the story.” – SF Ben Roeder Damien Carroll job less stressful. Open communication Create an open atmosphere Julio Trigo Jason Pereira Drew Law helps you spot issues earlier and creates a Appreciate other departments sense of camaraderie that can only benefit You can’t help with things you don’t know the final production. Harmony with those outside the VFX team about, so creating a space where team is also hugely important. There are countless members feel they can come to you with Part of getting the best from others is people you need information and insight issues is vital. This starts with having open having tools that work on everyone’s terms. from: location scouts, the art department, lines of communication and water-cooler You likely work with a large team, and so any review software needs to support the production designer… the list goes on. It’s chatter that lets you learn about people, how multiple users, live streaming the review important to show you appreciate their work, they work and the things they’re struggling in perfect sync. And you haven’t got time and offer help where you can. You need to with. If you’re working remotely, set time to walk everybody through installations if know directly how their work impacts you. aside for that non-work chat. This approach is software is tricky to manage. If someone Everything you do needs to land with the especially important with junior members of wants to join a stream, they should be able to click a link and be there. characters and the story – and to look united. staff, who may feel they’re wasting your time with things they’re struggling to tackle, and you don’t find out until it’s too late.

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 8 SUPERSKILL 5: Having the tough conversations

As the linchpin between directors or “The director could just change their mind “Never start with ‘we need more money’. showrunners and post-production and say ‘I’d like this blue; I don’t want it to You have to take them along with the TECH TIP teams, you can find yourself acting as be orange any more.’ And the team could creative – you’re also educating the client, the bearer of bad news or the bringer have spent two weeks trying to get to this helping them understand why certain of negative feedback. Sometimes the deadline. And that’s kind of distressing things cost that much. The goal is to find hardest conversation is asking for a on the team, because you know how hard the solution, do the best with the money budget boost. they’ve worked. So, you reframe it and already available and deliver on the say ‘Guys, the director totally loved it, said creative intent.” – AA How do you maintain open, comfortable it was really good. They’re just taking a relationships when conversations get tricky? different direction’.” – AA Never lead with the money Money conversations can be some of the Make it impersonal hardest. And if you’re working for a VFX Feedback that isn’t crystal clear causes Experts say that even if the feedback is house, sooner or later something is going to problems and delays. be under-bid or need more attention than first personal, the job is to make it seem impersonal, Choose low-latency tools for lag-free always relating your requests to a project’s thought. While you can show willingness to be streaming. This can mean the difference wider aims and objectives. Explain the effect flexible and borrow budget from elsewhere, between perfect understanding, and artists of any changes on the final production: “We sometimes you simply need more cash. To reworking a shot 15 frames earlier than the one needed. By ‘true’ real-time, you’re need to recolour this because the director be successful in these conversations with looking for sub-100ms of latency from any clients, focus on the creative output not the wants the creatures to look more ‘Martian’”. source – where there’s zero perceptible Or, relate it to a wider production issue: “We money. Share what the extra budget will allow difference from being in the room together. need to change this slightly because of the you to achieve, exactly how it will benefit the direction they’ve taken in the edit.” director’s vision and elevate the sequences.

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 9 SUPERSKILL 6: Leaning on others

Delivering great VFX on time “Creative ideas are all over the internet now, and on budget takes an army not just from high-end VFX companies but TECH TIP “You’re one person and you don’t have to also from YouTube and LinkedIn, where And while it can feel that directors, producers carry everything. So, ask to move a meeting. people are doing visual effects at home. And and post crews are looking to you for input, Ask yourself if it’s really urgent. Or can there’s some brilliant ideas in there.” – SF not everything needs to fall on your shoulders. somebody else – your boss maybe – can go As the pressure ramps up, who can you Look to your network to the meeting?” – AA lean on? And where should you look for inspiration? It’s important for you to keep up with VFX Delegate to maintain flow innovation and technical shortcuts. Many You can’t be everywhere at once, and when other filmmakers aren’t aware of the speed of meetings clash or deadlines get tight, you change in tech – so your knowledge could be need ways of keeping conversation flowing the difference between a complex, expensive In VFX you’re dealing with really sensitive – no matter how busy you are. So, if you’re a sequence and a cheap workaround using a IP – you’re creating the first images of a new VFX producer, can you rely on your supervisor new tool. Or to prevent filmmakers designing superhero or the new branding for a client. to have that meeting with the director You need to be sure your team is working around a restriction that no longer applies. instead? Your team probably knows as much with tools that are backed by studio grade The VFX community is great for seeing security, for your own peace of mind as well about the show as you, so lean on them, and how others in the industry are breaking as for your clients. Ideally you’d also have spend your time where it’s needed most. boundaries and showing off new ways of 24/7 tech support with any product you buy, so, if you have questions or issues, you’re filming. Now anyone can create content, and not on your own trying to sort them out. tech is becoming more accessible, you can find inspiration in the wider world as well as in the VFX field.

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 10 THE TOP 3: Barriers to collaboration for VFX

While remote working isn’t new for There are 3 key challenges presented by this kind of workflow: VFX, before the pandemic it certainly relied fairly heavily on in-person You need to share your work in high quality Bandwidth often limits review or causes lag Reviews involve a large number of reviews. collaborators But as productions have grown global in scale and directors, producers and key decision-makers have found themselves either on-location or at home, the challenges to the over-the-shoulder collaboration experience …and 3 ways ClearView can help have been mounting. Visual effects shot reviews require the best There are many instances where time, Alternatively, Sohonet’s Emmy Award-winning possible quality output when streaming in real equipment/ room availability and bandwidth real-time review tool, ClearView Flex provides time, to ensure that you don’t lose a pixel of your limit the options. In particular, those working at sufficient quality, particularly at the higher bit- artist’s work in translation. Ideally, you’d use a home are unlikely to have enough bandwidth rate settings, to get the job done. For VFX review product like Sohonet’s real-time, high quality, for this kind of quality review. ClearView Pivot you also have the added complication of having a multi-point review tool, ClearView Pivot, to get Lite can help minimise some of the bandwidth greater number of stream viewers – as VFX artists projection quality on a 35-foot screen at 4:4:4 needed for your highest quality review sessions. are often working on one small piece of a larger colour chroma and 12-bit colour depth for all puzzle in large, distributed teams. Flex can handle VFX reviews. up to 30 viewers concurrently within a session and supports high quality streaming content of up to 2K DCI resolution with up to 10-bit, 4:2:0 colour.

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 11 COLLABORATION IN ACTION: FuseFX

Jason Fotter is the CTO at FuseFX, an Like the rest of the industry, Fuse FX has been The Fuse FX team is now relying heavily on “All the employees that have used it so far award-winning VFX studio. They’re dealing with the challenge of COVID-19 and Sohonet’s real-time review tool ClearView have told me how great it is and we are so responsible for some of the biggest getting to grips with working from home and Flex for remote VFX shot reviews. Flex’s thankful that this product exists so that we tackling the obstacles – both expected and HDMI desktop sharing option provides teams feature films, commercials and can continue to do our shot reviews.” unexpected – that appear in their path. with an ideal way to view shots remotely television series in the world. without having to render the content and Jason Fotter, CTO, FuseFX Fotter explains, “When we were all in the export work prior to sharing. This can save From the likes of Ozark, When They See Us, office, we would schedule reviews in a hours of render time across a project as well Mad Men and Annabelle, to ads for Marlboro, screening room and you’d have the shots up on as reducing compute requirements. Geico and Pacsun, their work holds the screen to comment and approve. That was numerous awards including HPAs, Golden initially the biggest hurdle in going to a remote Fotter comments that Flex is now “a critical Globes, and Emmys. workflow. We knew we could do remote and system for VFX reviews,” and adds “It’s very secure access and run the software we needed, easy to use and you can send requests to but real-time, high-quality reviews were the join a session. It would also be very easy to main issue.” include clients in those sessions too.”

Filmography

Ozark When They Annabelle See Us

6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 12 MEET THE CLEARVIEW FAMILY: Solve your remote review challenges

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6 SuperSkills for VFX Producers & Supervisors 13 For real-time collaboration, nothing beats ClearView. Discover the tools that bring your people together across studios, time zones and continents.

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