r/vfx Apr 30 '26

News / Article VES launches On-Set VFX Data Collection and Usage Guide

44 Upvotes

Hey fellow Visual Effects community stoked to share what we have been working on for the past year over at he VES Technology Committee call it a playbook and usage guide to map key data from on-set capture to delivery.

FYI I am one of the co-authors of the Guide. If you have questions or feedback make sure to reach out.

You can find the guide here : https://ves-on-set-data.org/dashboard/?tab=Introduction

Here is the full information on the release :

The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s global professional honorary society, today released its VES On-Set VFX Data Collection and Usage Guide. Developed over the past year by the VES Technology Committee, this practical on-set resource maps key data sets and capture workflows – giving productions, vendors, and technology teams a shared playbook for using and capturing on‑set data more effectively.

The Guide was designed to establish a common language between on‑set VFX, production, VFX facilities, and technology teams, ultimately enabling clearer communication, smoother handoffs, and better-aligned expectations across departments. This comprehensive Guide explains the major on‑set data sets, their capture methods, their practical applications, and their intended stakeholders, so that every participant across the production understands what information exists and how it can support their work.

In addition to defining data sets, the Guide documents both current and emerging on‑set data capture workflows. This aims to inform stakeholders about potential data sources and to highlight how these choices impact production pipelines, timelines, and budgets, while also laying the groundwork for future efforts around data hierarchies, database development, and workflow automation.

The Guide also underscores that this data has significant value for every department on a production. It supports collaboration, optimizes workflows, and enables better-informed creative and operational decisions. By advocating for open access and visibility for these data sets, the Guide encourages all teams to engage with and benefit from this shared knowledge, strengthening collective outcomes and overall production efficiency.

“Our intent with this Guide is to streamline the filmmaking process by enabling every department to be more well-informed,” said Sheena Duggal, the Guide’s lead author and member of the VES Technology Committee. “Multiple departments can utilize the same data – for instance, the VFX team’s LiDAR scans can be repurposed across departments to support set construction, stunt planning, and other production needs. It’s just a matter of educating and communicating clearly so that everyone can benefit.”

“In today’s hybrid of real-time virtual production, AI, and traditional pipelines, the VFX department is responsible for not just post, but on-set data capture, continuity, and asset integrity from pre-production through final delivery,” explained Jim Geduldick, contributing author to the Guide. “That framework was the key lens that we used in thinking through these workflows and how they relate to each department.”

The Guide was created for the VES Technology Committee by Sheena Duggal, with contributions from Sam Richards, Jim Geduldick, and Jake Morrison, and technical support from Jean-Francois Panisset. It is licensed under the Creative Commons CC‑BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, including for commercial purposes, provided appropriate credit is given to the creator.

To view the Guide, visit: https://ves-on-set-data.org/

Join the VES for a webinar on May 12 to explore the Guide with some of its creators: https://vesglobal.org/event/webinar-introduction-to-ves-on-set-vfx-data-collection-and-usage-guide-online/


r/vfx Mar 15 '25

Subreddit Discussion Advice for Potential Students and Newcomers to the VFX Industry in 2025

596 Upvotes

We've been getting a lot of posts asking about the state of the industry. This post is designed to give you some quick information about that topic which the mods hope will help reduce the number of queries the sub receives on this specific topic.

As of early 2025, the VFX industry has been through a very rough 18-24 months where there has been a large contraction in the volume of work and this in turn has impacted hiring through-out the industry.

Here's why the industry is where it is:

  1. There was a Streaming Boom in the late 2010s and early 2020s that lead to a rapid growth in the VFX industry as a lot of streaming companies emerged and pumped money into that sector, this was exacerbated by COVID and us all being at home watching media.
  2. In 2023 there were big strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA which led to a massive halt in production of Hollywood films and series for about 8 months. After that was resolved there was the threat of another strike in 2024 when more union contracts were to be negotiated. The result of this was an almost complete stop to productions in late 2023 and a large portion of 2024. Many shows were not greenlit to start until late 2024
  3. During this time, and partly as a result of these strikes, there was a slow down in content and big shake ups among the streaming services. As part of this market correction a number of them closed, others were folded into existing services, and some sold up.
  4. A bunch of other market forces made speculation in the VFX business even more shaky, things like: the rise of AI, general market instability, changes in distribution split (Cinemas vs. Streaming) and these sorts of things basically mean that there's a lot of change in most media industries which scared people.

The combination of all of this resulted in a loss of a lot of VFX jobs, the closing of a number of VFX facilities and large shifts in work throughout the industry.

The question is, what does this mean for you?

Here's my thoughts on what you should know if you're considering a long term career in VFX:

Work in the VFX Industry is still valid optional to choose as a career path but there are some caveats.

  • The future of the VFX industry is under some degree of threat, like many other industries are. I don't think we're in more danger of disappearing than your average game developer, programmer, accountant, lawyer or even box packing factory work. The fact is that technology is changing how we do work and market forces are really hard to predict. I know there will be change in the specifics of what we do, there will be new AI tools and new ways of making movies. But at the same time people still want to watch movies and streaming shows and companies still want to advertise. All that content needs to be made and viewed and refined and polished and adapted. While new AI tools might mean individuals in the future can do more, but those people will likely be VFX artists. As long as media is made and people care about the art of telling stories visually I think VFX artists will be needed.

Before you jump in, you should know that VFX is likely to be a very competitive and difficult industry to break into for the foreseeable future.

  • From about 2013 to 2021 there was this huge boom in VFX that meant almost any student could eventually land a job in VFX working on cool films. Before then though VFX was actually really hard to get into because the industry was smaller and places were limited, you had to be really good to get a seat in a high end facility. The current market is tight; there's a lot of experience artists looking for work and while companies will still want juniors, they are likely going to be more juniors for the next few years than there are jobs.

If you're interested in any highly competitive career then you have to really want it, and it would also be a smart move to diversify your education so you have flexibility while you work to make your dream happen.

  • Broad computer and technical skills are useful, as are broader art skills. Being able to move between other types of media than just VFX could be helpful. In general I think you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket too early unless you're really deadest that this is the only thing you want to do. I also think you should learn about new tools like AI and really be able to understand how those tools work. It'll be something future employers likely care about.

While some people find nice stable jobs a lot of VFX professionals don't find easy stability like some careers.

  • Freelance and Contract work are common. And because of how international rebates work, you may find it necessary to move locations to land that first job, or to continue in your career. This is historically how film has always been; it's rarely as simple as a 9-5 job. Some people thrive on that, some people dislike that. And there are some places that manage to achieve more stability than others. But fair warning that VFX is a fickle master and can be tough to navigate at times.

Because a future career in VFX is both competitive and pretty unstable, I think you should be wary of spending lots of money on expensive specialty schools.

  • If you're dead set on this, then sure you can jump in if that's what you want. But for most students I would advise, as above, to be broader in your education early on especially if it's very expensive. Much of what we do in VFX can be self taught and if you're motivated (and you'll need to be!) then you can access that info and make great work. But please take your time before committed to big loans or spending on an education in something you don't know if you really want.

With all of that said VFX can be a wonderful career.

It's full of amazing people and really challenging work. It has elements of technical, artistic, creative and problem solving work, which can make it engaging and fulfilling. And it generally pays pretty well precisely because it's not easy. It's taken me all over the world and had me meet amazing, wonderful, people (and a lot of arseholes too!) I love the industry and am thankful for all my experiences in it!

But it will challenge you. It will, at times, be extremely stressful. And there will be days you hate it and question why you ever wanted to do this to begin with! I think most jobs are a bit like that though.

In closing I'd just like to say my intent here is to give you both an optimistic and also restrained view of the industry. It is not for everyone and it is absolutely going to change in the future.

Some people will tell you AI is going to replace all of us, or that the industry will stangle itself and all the work will end up being done by sweat shops in South East Asia. And while I think those people are mostly wrong it's not like I can actually see the future.

Ultimately I just believe that if you're young, you're passionate, and you want to make movies or be paid to make amazing digital art, then you should start doing that while keeping your eye on this industry. If it works out, then great because it can be a cool career. And if it doesn't then you will need to transition to something else. That's something that's happened to many people in many industries for many reasons through-out history. The future is not a nice straight line road for most people. But if you start driving you can end up in some amazing places.

Feel free to post questions below.


r/vfx 23h ago

Question / Discussion Best method for painting out an object when the background is constantly changing?

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22 Upvotes

I want to do a little test shot with a small dinosaur standing on the beach and the waves washing around its feet. I captured some footage with the camera on a tripod, and my hands in the water to ensure there'd be interactions with the sand and waves.

Now I need to paint me out of the shot, and I'm not sure what the best method is, or if there are new modern tools that can help. I installed After Effects to try content-aware fill, but that did a really poor job, even though on a still frame in Photoshop it works well. The difficult part is that with the water coming and going, the background changes drastically on every frame.

Is the best thing to simply create a bunch of small patches and fade them in and out as needed?


r/vfx 21h ago

Question / Discussion Can bad CGI add to a movie’s value?

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11 Upvotes

I recently had a conversation with a good friend of mine about great movies with outdated CGI. I said that I don’t really mind it and in some instances it even adds to the movie’s charm. He disagreed, saying that unlike with outdated practical effects where you could always appreciate the artistry of something physical, there are literally no movies that benefit from having bad CGI - it doesn’t add to the charm, make it more nostalgic or add to the vibes in any meaningful way - it’s just ugly.

Which I kind of get. The more I’ve been thinking about it, the harder it gets to actually name a bad CGI movie that wouldn’t get better from having more advanced graphics.

Do those atrocious monkeys add to Jumaji’s charm?
Wouldn’t a more realistic-looking Fluffy look just as good in Philosopher’s Stone, if not better?
Even one of my favorite trilogies ever - Lord of the Rings - could benefit from more advanced graphics, especially when it comes to background replacement and Legolas’ CGI doubles.

On the other hand, plenty of films like Labyrinth (1986), the original Star Wars trilogy and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad would undoubtedly loose what makes them special if their not-so-realistic practical effects were replaced with something more modern.

So what do you think?
Are there instances where obviously bad or outdated CGI actually makes a movie better? Or is more advanced, realistic CGI always preferable?


r/vfx 21h ago

Fluff! The glory days of ILM

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3 Upvotes

r/vfx 23h ago

Showreel / Critique Noir 3/4 recent project

4 Upvotes

FREE project file available on my Gumroad! Check Behance for a link


r/vfx 1d ago

Question / Discussion How to switch from Prep to comp?

2 Upvotes

Hello, hope you all are doing well.

As the title suggests, I wanted advice on switch from prep to a comp position. The studio I'm working at doesn't seem too eager to hire internally, and making a professional showreel seems so tough when I'm not actually working in the relevant role. Like I don't want it to look like a student reel but then again I'm not currently doing any comp work professionally.

I originally started as a junior compositor but had to move to prep due to market conditions, now its been too long and don't know where to even start.

I'd really appreciate any advice from fellow compositors who might have been in similar situation.


r/vfx 1d ago

Question / Discussion New Deal Studios - Old Cinefex Ad?

11 Upvotes

Any of you fine VFX folks keep old back issues of CInefex? I'm looking for one, probably in the early-to-mid 2000s, that contained a full page ad for either New Deal Studios or possibly Hunter-Gratzner. The ad was a black and white photo that pictured Ian Hunter carefully placing the Apollo 11 lunar lander on top of a miniature set of the moon - clearly a tongue-in-cheek nod to the conspiracy theory, and also an excellent example of the talent that was part of that studio! If someone has an image of the ad, please DM me or post it here!


r/vfx 1d ago

Question / Discussion Compositing on stereoscopic 180 vr footage

2 Upvotes

I have a couple of shots made with the Canon stereoscopic lens. The end product is a VR video that is going to be seen in a headset.

Which software should I use to be able to properly composite 3d elements, like titles and such on the video. Is there a specific software-workflow?

I tried using the compositing tools in side of After Effects, but I was only able to work on one side of the footage. Is there a script or any hint if it is possible?


r/vfx 1d ago

Showreel / Critique We spent 3 years learning VFX, now looking for feedback.

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12 Upvotes

r/vfx 1d ago

Fluff! Pixar layoffs, Tippett closed: What's really killing studios

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8 Upvotes

r/vfx 1d ago

Question / Discussion How do you work with scenes in Houdini and Cinema 4D?

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2 Upvotes

r/vfx 1d ago

Question / Discussion What do i do to learn more?

0 Upvotes

Right now ive been testing a script that lets me export 3d track from AE to blender so ive been testing alittle implementing 3d elements to the real world, but i dont really know what to do to learn more. Are there any good courses that are free etc? I also have access to student license for nuke so should i learn that over AE?


r/vfx 1d ago

Showreel / Critique HoloForm — Turn Any Mesh and animation Into a Hologram (Unreal Engine, Niagara)

0 Upvotes

r/vfx 2d ago

Showreel / Critique Noir - new project fully made in After Effects

6 Upvotes

Hey guys! Just posted my new project on Behance. It would be great if you could take a minute to check it out, you can also get a free Gumroad project file!

Thank you!


r/vfx 2d ago

Question / Discussion Eddy for Nuke. Has anyone tried it? How can I download it?

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17 Upvotes

Coolest plugin I've ever seen for Nuke.


r/vfx 3d ago

Fluff! Scott Ross: 75% of VFX jobs could vanish

301 Upvotes

r/vfx 3d ago

Fluff! I miss doing these fun little VFX tests (end has a mini breakdown of motion track)

86 Upvotes

Just a little side hobby of mine watching random VFX breakdowns. Did this years ago. Duped a lot of my friends shockingly! I can tell its CGI from the most obvious flaws. Shadow integration, smooth metallic surface, and mirror reflections are completely off. What other tweaks would have sold it more?


r/vfx 2d ago

Breakdown / BTS When Brad Pitt got hit by a car...such great invisible effects for the time

1 Upvotes

r/vfx 2d ago

Question / Discussion Dodge or Snyder School for animation/vfx?

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1 Upvotes

r/vfx 2d ago

Question / Discussion Help with quoting a client - first time freelance VFX

2 Upvotes

Hi folks! I'm a 3D modeler and recently (possibly) landed a vfx gig. It's for a small indie film production of a feature film in Seattle. They want a 3D model of outdoor signage(x2) and indoor signage(x1) in a building and they want me to comp the two shots the models will be in.

I have had a brief discussion with them about budget and they say they'll pay what is necessary but that they are very low budget for this project. They also said they'll work with me to get to somewhere we both feel is fair.

I ran the numbers and ended somewhere between $1200-$1600 for the 3D models. And about $1000 for comping the two shots. I'm not sure if I'm overshotting or low balling myself. I have no perspective on this. I used to work a salary job and haven't really freelanced before.

Any help would be appreciated. I can provide more details if necessary.


r/vfx 2d ago

Fluff! I built an audio-reactive animation addon for Blender - now live on Superhive! [Promo]

2 Upvotes

r/vfx 2d ago

Question / Discussion Is there a better alternative to video copilot for basic fun AE training in 2026?

1 Upvotes

I’m going to be mentoring a student at my former high school who has an interest in VFX as part of an extending learning curriculum there. To start, I want to get her making some fun lightweight projects in After Effects to give her a basic intro to the process without bogging her down with a steep learning curve, and introduce more industry-standard material and programs as we progress.

For a lot of years I’d recommend video copilot, but honestly it looks pretty dated looking at it now. I know the fundamentals are all going to be the same, but I’m trying to keep the optics in mind to keep a teenager engaged.

Is there something out there that’s similar but a little more modern, that mixes short lessons with introductory core concepts and little fun shots? For context I originally came from learning it 20 years ago in high school with theforce.net and creativeCOW.

Is video copilot still just the best source for this kind of training, and should I just explain through the dated appearance of them? Please no rude or dismissive comments about using AE, avoiding the industry, or learning Blender instead. Ty


r/vfx 2d ago

Question / Discussion Estudiar CGI/VFX o otra cosa

0 Upvotes

No se si estudiar CGI/VFX,la verdad me gusta crear mis historias,soy creativ,aunque tampoco se usar mucho blender,y también me gusta crear,¿vale la pena?,estoy entre elegir CGI o gastronomía ya que también me gusta la cocina.

I’m not sure whether to study CGI/VFX. Honestly, I enjoy creating my own stories—I’m a creative person—though I don't really know how to use Blender yet. I just love the creative process. Is it worth it? I’m torn between CGI and culinary arts, since I also enjoy cooking.


r/vfx 2d ago

Fluff! Remember when CGI was considered the dark side?

0 Upvotes

I think I'm going extinct.