5 Steps To Increase VFX Productivity During A VFX Production Crisis

Recently a co-worker sent me a video titled “The Visual Effects Crisis” where film editor Andrew Saladino describes a VFX industry on the brink. Studio demands for higher output at lower costs are forcing Visual Effects companies to work long hours and cut corners, creating financial burdens and hostile work environments. Solutions like unionization and film residuals are covered by Saladino, but these are complex topics I will not discuss here. The question raised by my co-worker is what could be done now. That led to a list of 5 simple steps every company should take to improve productivity.

The measures all stem from one core concept: communication is hard and creative communication is harder. In any conversation barriers of bias and context have to be overcome making complete understanding difficult. In artistic discussions, those barriers are even greater because the subjects are less concrete. Fantastical or emotional ideas are harder to relay and the skilled imaginations of artists listening are a liability. Without guidance, various interpretations are created that threaten a single coherent vision.

To maintain clear direction, creative information has to be delivered effectively. Proper communication then increases productivity and synchronizes artists, giving them the knowledge to navigate challenges ahead. This alone won’t save the industry, but it can change the reactive state many companies find themselves in. Given the current state, it’s essential to improve wherever possible. Improving conversations that are the foundation of creative work is a great place to start.

Step 1. Don’t assume understanding

The best presentations end with questions. If a talk or lecture ends without them, it’s almost certainly a failure. A creative review is no different. Artistic feedback is crucial for understanding and highlighting where further exploration is needed. Sessions that end without discussion make a dangerous assumption. If ideas are not clearly understood, needless iterations are spawned leaving artists to account for the lack of supervision.

Limited feedback also hinders leadership. For those driving reviews, an absence of questions becomes a validation. This misplaced confidence is called the curse of knowledge. It’s a bias that assumes others have the same point of view as the speaker and it becomes even worse with expertise. Complex subjects appear simple to the presenter, leading to confusion when artists fail to deliver.

Companies may think the creative expression of their employees helps in these matters, but that is a trap. Creativity does not mean everyone creates the same. Words without context carry different meanings and if assumptions are made uncertainty follows. If indecision is prolonged, confidence and even motivation are lost. Ending reviews with feedback avoids this downward spiral. Artists feel invested in the process and everyone can leave conversations trusting the next steps are a team effort.

Step 2. Visualize every conversation.

We are all visual creatures, and all people (creative or not) process visual information faster than written or oral. Adding images to any conversation makes it more effective by giving the language an intuitive reference. In creative work, adding visuals establishes a “source of truth” that defines assets and adds launch points for ideation. Multiple sources then combine to create a "visual language" for the project, aligning creative direction and unifying production.

When world-building, having a visual language is critical. But even common ideas can benefit from observable information. For instance, the word apple can have a variety of meanings even when restricted to fruit. Color, shape, texture, and taste can all vary. The word cloud also inspires different visions depending on experience. Adding pictures to these words clarifies concepts and further narrows descriptive adjectives like waxy or fluffy. Without context, divergent concepts are bound to arise.

It is important to note that all of these interpretations are technically correct. Every instance is valid even though it differs from the truth of production. Understanding why variations happen and countering them with a centralized vision avoids parallel work and unproductive tangents. A unified direction also inspires confidence, empowering artists to make informed decisions regardless of a shifting landscape.

Step 3. Be inclusive

One pitfall detailed by Saladino is the huge creative disconnect between studios and effects companies. High-level changes of direction constantly derail production downstream and generate artistic and financial difficulties. When the reasons behind these changes are then siloed by Visual Effects leadership, it compounds the issue and additionally fractures the pipeline.

An inclusive culture strengthens the feedback loop by sharing information widely, increasing the chance artists will absorb demands. Details on why and how changes occur give artists the ability to process information and make productive decisions. This environment may counter the asks of Directors who request limited access, but companies must fight for representation.?

To be clear, I am not advocating for a free for all. Decisions by committee can be disruptive, but tools exist today that enable responsible participation. Inclusion provides invaluable first-hand?knowledge and fosters trust. Artists that feel part of the process are also more likely to stay at their job, keeping production teams unified even when the studios are not.

Step 4. Unify your language

My first job was at Rhythm & Hues long before the bankruptcy caused by The Life of Pi. R&H was already known for Oscar award-winning animation and techniques. The core of the company was a proprietary pipeline that unified work from concept to final. Other well-known studios at the time had similar workflows, and it was often the first job of an artist to learn the pipeline before any creative work could be assigned.

Since then, 3rd party software has become the dominant choice throughout the entertainment industry. Specialized tools replaced unified environments, creating targeted approaches and arguably more proficient artists. But the by-product of this progress is a diverging technical language that silos disciplines while not making the overall process faster. Individual proficiency does not equal organizational efficiency. Handoffs must always be interpreted and diverging teams struggle to work as a single unit.

Re-unifying the pipeline where possible closes the gap. Standardizing custom toolsets across platforms and organizing group feedback sessions can bring artists back together. Even recognizing that artists use different syntax helps productions, ending the assumption that artists natively understand each other and avoiding confusion when they don’t. By speaking the same language, departments will recognize differences and take advantage of common practices. A single unified pipeline may be a thing of the past, but working together can still be greater than the sum of its parts.

Step 5. Look back, lean forward

During the premiere of Apollo 13, Ron Howard was famously asked where he found the extra footage. The answer was it was not lost NASA film, but newly created visual effects. Now it is common for audiences to be unaware of what is real and what is not. Saladino explains that this is a big problem. Digital effects are now so pervasive that people assume they must be easy.?

This reality is far from the truth. With every solved process comes new demand. Companies must also contend with exploding shot numbers while maintaining or exceeding past quality. But it’s not just an issue of content, it’s also a problem of tracking it. The waterfall pipelines many companies use measure projects by approvals without gauging efficiency. Eyes are so focused on the goal, it’s hard to remember where work started.

The games industry is not fully absolved of this, but evolving from an agile software environment gave a different perspective. Tasks are tracked by tickets and progress is measured by burn rates, a metric showing a completion rate relative to scope. The film industry could learn from this. Not only for production evaluation but also to communicate a project overview.

The knowledge may be shared with artists and studios, keeping entire productions informed while numerically defining progress. Unfortunately holding stakeholders accountable is another issue, but framing conversations around meaningful data will give discussions a broader impact. Knowing the beginning, middle, and end of a story is the hallmark of a good storyteller. The same goes for Visual Effects. Companies that intuitively understand their position can use that information to benefit every conversation and better balance their work.

About the author

Tobin Jones has worked in the entertainment industry for 25 years as an artist, manager, and supervisor. He is currently driving solutions at SyncSketch and spends his off time mentoring and acting as a freelance creative director for social good projects.