The role I want
- This section will focus on the job I would like in the VFX industry, how to get there and what skills are required.
The end goal is to have a role as a Effects technical director (FX TD). Their role is to create simulations that are realistic both visually and physically. As an FX TD your job is to create tools for other artists to use when they create FXs such as smoke, water or fire. They do this through programming and coding, and they test and build software that others can use in their work.
The reason I would like this job is because I have an interest for science and creativity. This role lets you be creative and make amazing VFX while also needing to incorporate physics and having an understanding of how particles and organisms work. Currently my coding and programming knowledge is limited, but I have done some coding and programming in the past and have found it rather enjoyable and easy to understand.
Skills Required:
- Have a good attention to detail
- Technical skills such as coding and programming
- Understanding of physics and science
- Being good at problem solving
- Communication skills to be able to understand the needs of artists and supervisors
- Knowledge and passion, keeping up to date with latest technology and watching a lot of films
How to get there:
FX Artist
One way is to start as an FX artist and through working you develop the technical skills such as coding and programming. This will also help develop skills such as problem solving and communication, as well as deepening your understanding of the software and pipeline.
Apprenticeship
Many companies offer apprenticeships for new artists that are fresh out of university. An apprenticeship is a paid job while you learn and train. This allows you to further learn and develop skills while working at a company.
Degree
Most companies look for artists that have a degree that is relevant to their job posting. This could be something in VFX or in Computer Science and Programming. In addition, there are many courses online that you can enroll in and earn certificates that will further develop your skills and validate them for employers.
Internships
There are paid internships in many companies that run in the summer months where you will gain the skills while working at a company. Some of the ones that are live right now are these:
- ILM Summer Internship, 12 week program, may/june – aug/sep, FX/FX TD.
- Viridian FX Internship, flexible, FX.
- Side FX Internship, Flexible, FX.
Current Job Postings:
- Mid Level FX Artist at Primary Visual Effects in Bristol, UK.
The qualifications of the job listing line up with some of the ones mentioned above. This role is more specific for the FX aspect, not the technical aspect. In this role you would focus on creating the FX sequences rather than building the tools for it. This job requires experience and knowledge so it would not be a job for someone fresh out of university.
- All Levels FX TD at ILM in Sydney, Australia.
This jobs includes other particular skills such as lighting and rendering. These are skills that will vary from companies whether it is required or not.
CV, Cover Letter and Showreel
Industry Interviews
Potential Questions
- How did you learn Houdini?
- What is your best advice for a young aspiring FX artist?
- Would you say its necessary to know Python?
- What does a typical day at job for you look like?
- Is there any field within FX that you would say you on the most? Example: Pyro, Particles, FLIPs etc.
- Do you think it’s necessary to know crowds and CFX as an FX/FX TD?
- What would you say is your biggest technical strength?
- What render engines are you familiar with, and which do you use the most?
- Which render engines would you say is required as a entry level/junior artist to know?
- Do you use any other softwares when you work, like nuke, maya or unreal?
- Do you work with the USD pipeline?
Potential People
- Arif Nizam – FX & Crowd Artist at Ghost VFX in London.
- Joachim Henriksen – FX TD at Storm Studios in Oslo.
- Eirik Schorpen – FX & Crowd at Ghost VFX in Copenhagen.
- Razvan Teodor Cristea – FX Artist at RISE Visual Effects Studio in London.
- Dimitri Allonneau – FX artist at The Mill in United Kingdom.
- Nicolas Chan – Junior FX TD at ILM in London.
- Martin B. – FX Artist at Storm Studios in Oslo.
- Paolo Mercogliano – FX Artist at Outpost VFX in London.
- Andreas Hansen – Junior FX Artist at Important Looking Pirates in Stockholm.
Joachim Henriksen
Joachim Henriksen works as a senior FX TD at Storm Studios in Oslo. He has many years of experience and has worked in companies such as DNEG and Framestore previously. Some of the movies he has worked on are Avengers: Endgame, Venom and Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness. I have connected with him earlier and had a little chat about FX and he’s given me advice as a student for getting into the industry.
Questions:
- How did you learn Houdini? Education, courses, research etc.
- Is it necessary to know Python, is that something you learn on the job?
- Which render engines are you familiar with, and which do you use at work?
- What does a typical day of work look like for you?
- Do you work with the USD pipeline?
- What would you say is the most important thing for a new FX artist coming into the industry?
His LinkedIn profile:
The projects he has worked on listed on his IMDB page:
Parts of the conversation on LinkedIn:
He presented his answers to my questions in a separate document that is attached above.
Arif Nizam
Arif Nizam is an FX & Crowd artist at Ghost VFX in London. He describes himself as a fresh artist but has around 5 years of experience in the industry according to his LinkedIn. We connected via LinkedIn previous to this interview and some of his answers are referring back to previous conversations. He preferred we talked via Whatsapp so our conversation happened on that platform.
Questions:
- How did you learn Houdini? Education, courses, research etc.
- How much coding do you use at work, both VEX and Python, and how much would you say you need to know before starting to work as FX artist?
- Which render engines are you the most familiar with, and which do you use at work?
- Do you work with the USD pipeline?
- What would you say is the most important thing for a fresh FX artist coming into the industry?
His LinkedIn profile:
His FX showreel from 2018:
The conversation we had over whatsapp:
Eirik Schorpen
Eirik Schorpen is a Norwegian FX & Crowd artist working at Ghost VFX in Copenhagen, Denmark. He has worked as an FX artist for a year and a half. We connected back in the beginning of 2023 when I was first learning Houdini. He was hired by my course to come to a two week beginner course in Houdini and since that we have stayed in touch. We have had Houdini jams online and he has mentored and helped me with previous projects. He started out only as an FX artist, and while working he learned to do crowds as well.
Questions:
- How did you learn Houdini? Education, courses, research etc.
- Is it necessary to know Python, is that something you learn on the job?
- Which render engines are you familiar with, and which do you use at work?
- What does a typical day of work look like for you?
- Do you work with the USD pipeline?
- What would you say is the most important thing for a new FX artist coming into the industry?
His LinkedIn profile:
Our conversation:
Paolo Mercogliano
Paolo Mercogliano has works as an FX artist at Outpost VFX in London, UK. He a few years of experience in the industry. Previously he studied a masters degree in Digital Effects at Bournemouth University. We connected on LinkedIn for this interview but had some things in common and had a chat about things like Harry Potter and his previous studies prior to the interview questions.
Questions:
- How did you learn Houdini? Education, courses, research etc.
- How much coding do you use at work, both VEX and Python, and how much would you say you need to know before starting to work as FX artist?
- Which render engines are you the most familiar with, and which do you use at work?
- When you were just starting to work would you say you were still learning as you worked, or are you expected to know mostly everything?
- What would you say is the most important thing for a fresh FX artist coming into the industry?
His LinkedIn profile:
His final project from his MA Digital Effects studies 2020/2021:
Our conversation:
Andreas Hansen
Andreas Hansen works as an FX artist at Important Looking Pirates in Stockholm, Sweden. He has around 2 years of experience in the industry with some also being as a 3D generalist. I reached out to him as he is working in one of the companies I admire very much. When I looked at his student showreel I was very impressed with the realism of his work, and how visually stunning it was. Therefor, I was very eager to speak to him as I really enjoyed his work.
Questions:
- How did you learn Houdini? Education, courses, research etc.
- How much coding do you use at work, both VEX and Python, and how much would you say you need to know before starting to work as FX artist?
- Which render engines are you the most familiar with, and which do you use at work?
- As a junior would you say you are still learning as you work, or are you expected to know mostly everything?
- What would you say is the most important thing for a fresh FX artist coming into the industry?
His LinkedIn profile:
His student showreel from 2022:
Student Showreel 2022 from Andreas Hansen on Vimeo.
Our conversation:
Nicolas Chan
Nicolas Chan works as a Junior FX TD at Industrial Light and Magic in London, UK. He has around 2 years of experience as an FX artist in the industry. I originally wanted to reach out to him because he works as a Junior at ILM, and that is a role that I am interested in. While looking at his profile I was impressed with some of his previous work which further peaked my interest in contacting him.
Questions:
- How did you learn Houdini? Education, courses, research etc.
- How much coding do you use at work, both VEX and Python, and how much would you say you need to know before starting to work as FX artist?
- Which render engines are you the most familiar with, and which do you use at work?
- As a junior would you say you are still learning as you work, or are you expected to know mostly everything?
- What would you say is the most important thing for a fresh FX artist coming into the industry?
His LinkedIn profile:
His FX Showreel from 2023:
Our conversation:
Professional Industry Interview Presentation
Job Description
PDF: Job Description FX Artist Junior
