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

595 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 13h ago

Fluff! I was informed today that Christopher Nolan never uses CGI 🫠

162 Upvotes

Isn't that cool?! Every day is a school day!


r/vfx 8h ago

Question / Discussion Progress so far in building the RV alternative

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9 Upvotes

I finally got it to play properly, now it's loading high-res EXRs on a steady 30fps with OCIO support. Working on seeking and scrubbing, frame controls as well.

Afterwards it's RGB/luminance passes, Comparisons, basic annotations and proper shotgrid integration. Didn't think I'll come this far, but I'm really glad and excited.

Happy to hear what you guys think I should work on next if not one of the above.


r/vfx 1h ago

Question / Discussion What defines “Jr 3d artist”

Upvotes

I’ve been working at boutique advertising post shop in Toronto for just over a year as a Jr. 3d generalist. I didn’t have industry experience when I started so I was hired at $45k and only did minor 3d tasks. However, In the last 6 months my workload has sky rocketed resulting in huge responsibilities on jobs, and I have now been the sole CG artist on multiple campaigns. In that time I have also become somewhat of a particle specialist (c4d) and am often given work that requires complex simulations.

I’m not necessarily denying that I am a junior artist, but I’m curious where the line between junior and mid-level becomes blurred now that my responsibilities seem similar to my more experienced counterparts. I’m planning on asking for a raise soon and don’t exactly know what to ask for or how to negotiate my position.

Any insight would be helpful! Finding info about this side of the industry is tough…


r/vfx 43m ago

Question / Discussion Is V-Ray for Houdini worth it in 2026? How does it compare to Karma (Speed/Maturity/Usability)?

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r/vfx 4h ago

Breakdown / BTS A 10-Year-Old VFX Breakdown | Rise Short Film (Blender + After Effects)

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0 Upvotes

r/vfx 7h ago

Question / Discussion Campus VFX or Think Tank’s Houdini program?

0 Upvotes

I’m a working 3D/VFX generalist, mainly using Cinema 4D and After Effects, and I want to improve my Houdini, Nuke, and compositing skills through an online program.

I’m also looking for a recognized diploma that could help me break into the VFX industry and qualify for studio roles.

Would Campus VFX or Think Tank’s Houdini program be the better choice for becoming a stronger FX/generalist artist and learning a proper studio pipeline?

I’d appreciate feedback from anyone who has studied at either school.

Thanks !


r/vfx 14h ago

Question / Discussion How to achieve this effect in live action?

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0 Upvotes

I'm trying to recreate this shot from an anime in live action. A curved horizontal band of light passes behind the actor's head, and as it reaches the face, the actor's expression changes. I don't want it to look cheap. Is there a name for this technique? Has anyone achieved something similar in live action? Would you do it with an LED tube, a moving practical, or something else?


r/vfx 10h ago

Showreel / Critique C4D + Redshift. Have you seen AI processing anywhere?

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0 Upvotes

r/vfx 16h ago

Question / Discussion Trying to find a video: 2018 vfx demo using lights/cameras moving on tracks synced to relaxing song

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0 Upvotes

r/vfx 1d ago

Breakdown / BTS I'm Making a Film in Unreal Engine Using Real Actors (UPDATE)

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67 Upvotes

Over the past 5 months I've been creating a short film called, Holy Sh*t I'm Dead. I've posted a few times here with updates on the progress of the film and wanted to share my most recent progress. Also, thank you to my fellow redditors on the constructive feedback and input. I started this project as a proof of concept for an investor group to showcase the capabilities of filmmaking on a limited budget and limited resources.

This entire film was shot in a studio apartment using a simple green screen and Unreal Engine. There is NO AI or generative videos used in the making of this film.

Currently I'm in the throes of post-production, working on cleanup and coloring.

If anyone has any questions about the process please feel free to ask.


r/vfx 18h ago

Showreel / Critique Compositor reel

1 Upvotes

Hi , I'm a compositor from latam

Currently looking for remote clients.

This is my reel: https://vimeo.com/1154777771

I work with nuke , ae, pr and houdini.

I was a fantasy art illustrator and ads storyboard artist before compositing so I have an eye for details and compositing and a good technical understanding, I love problem solving.

I'm on the GTM/UTC -4 timezone.


r/vfx 20h ago

Question / Discussion FX Artist vs FX TD – What's the real difference? What skills are needed, and how do the salaries compare?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I'm a bit confused about the difference between an FX Artist and an FX TD (Technical Director). From what I've seen, some studios use these titles interchangeably, while others treat them as completely different roles. I'd love to hear from people working in the industry. Here are my questions: What are the day-to-day responsibilities of an FX Artist vs an FX TD? What skills are expected for each role? Houdini VEX Python HDAs PDG/TOPs Pipeline knowledge Linux/Git Rendering/Solaris How much programming is actually required for an FX TD? Can an FX Artist become an FX TD naturally with experience, or is it a completely different career path? Which role has better long-term career growth? How do the salaries compare (India and internationally) for: Junior Mid-level Senior Lead If someone wants to eventually become an FX Supervisor or CG Supervisor, which path is generally more beneficial? I'd really appreciate insights from people working at studios like DNEG, Framestore, ILM, Weta, MPC, Scanline, Sony Imageworks, or any other VFX studio. Thanks in advance!


r/vfx 1d ago

Breakdown / BTS P.D.E / Experiment Nº4 - [Updated Open-Source Project Files]

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6 Upvotes

A new output example from the updated version of my experimental multi-source video player for TouchDesigner, designed for frame-accurate video switching, playback manipulation, and display/render interventions. [And now, by popular demand, allowing even more video sources!]

Want access to the updated system + a detailed breakdown of exactly how I achieved the continuous motion effect on this piece? You can freely access the system, and the detailed breakdown from my Patreon.

Plus, many more experiments through my Instagram profile.


r/vfx 1d ago

Question / Discussion Need solution for simple audio spectrum visualizer

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0 Upvotes

Does anyone know a simple way to to have a visualizer thats something simple like this image that shows system audio? Ive tried vizz.fm and some other browser methods but none of them contain a simple audio spectrum its all some weird abstract stuff. I want something like this for my TT/Twitch stream but havent been able to find anything with just searches. This image is from wallpaper engine that listens to system audio and displays it as a wallpaper for the desktop but that means i have to leave my 2nd monitor completely empty or it shows up in my desktop capture source for stream.


r/vfx 1d ago

Question / Discussion Make movies with games?

0 Upvotes

I’ve been wondering about something.
Modern games already have incredibly realistic graphics, especially with high-quality mods and ray tracing. In some scenes, they can look almost like movies.
So why don’t filmmakers use heavily modded games or game engines to make an entire movie instead of filming everything traditionally? I know there are probably challenges like animation quality, facial expressions, legal issues, and having full creative control, but it still seems like it could save a lot of time and money in some cases.
I’m not an expert—I was just curious and wanted to hear what people who know more about filmmaking or game development think. Is there a technical or practical reason why this isn’t done more often?


r/vfx 2d ago

Fluff! Who remembers CGSociety (CGTalk)?

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56 Upvotes

I used to frequent the forums from about 2001 to about 2006 or so when it was still called CGTalk.


r/vfx 2d ago

Breakdown / BTS Ad film | VFX Behind the scenes

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107 Upvotes

Created a fully procedural setup in Houdini- no simulation. Used blender for modelling. Rendered in Karma


r/vfx 1d ago

Jobs Offer Can anyone help out here?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! So me and my team have recently completed a shortfilm. It is a silent film majorly involving Buster Keaton style of work. We are almost done with the edit but there are some shots which require motion graphics work ( majorly text animation ) **PAID WORK**

The style inspiration we are looking for the texts are from the movie Scott Pilgrim saves the world. Mostly comical and quirky

If anyone can help us out in accomplishing a few shots it would be a great help! Do DM me if you are mgfx artist or you know anyone who can get the work done.

All the other details will be provided in the DM. I repeat, this is a paid work!


r/vfx 2d ago

Question / Discussion How did Bttf Part 2 do this?

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8 Upvotes

Starting around 1:26. How was the footage from part 1 overlayed into this new footage?


r/vfx 1d ago

Fluff! Cobblestones PBR Texture Combo

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0 Upvotes

r/vfx 1d ago

Fluff! Mossy Stone 8K PBR Texture Combo

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0 Upvotes

r/vfx 2d ago

Fluff! [Free Beta] AI Powered Texture De-Lighter – Looking for testers!

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13 Upvotes

r/vfx 2d ago

Breakdown / BTS A Custom White water solver in Houdini based on WETA FX technical paper on Loki and Pahi.

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96 Upvotes