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On August 20 2013 13:33 Lysenko wrote:Show nested quote +On August 20 2013 12:22 deo.deo wrote:
Software like 3dsMax/Vray are getting easier to use with build in lighting options and enormous material libraries.
Even simple camera moves are easier to animate and can be done by somewhat trained architects.
Also former drafting software like Revit, Sketchup and Rhino getting their own render options which makes 3dsMax obsolete in the future.
The requirements for architectural visualization are much different than those in animation and visual effects, and I can see why one might be able to get by pretty well with off-the-shelf texture and material libraries, as well as why the economics of the business could be very different. Interesting that the work is being brought in-house. To VFX workers that would be a huge benefit, because it would mean it would be a lot easier to get favorable changes through unionization (like the rest of the major film industry trades did before us.)
Yes definitely very different, unfortunately..
VFX is much more complex and quality orientated, ArchViz on the other hand is trying to get the fastest and cheapest product that is presentable to the client. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule but only few...
Both industries are suffering, working the visual field can be tons of fun but who in their right mind wants to be chasing jobs in their 40s,50s and 60s.
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On August 20 2013 12:48 HCastorp wrote:
I have a friend who works a for a video editing shop (I do realize this is not the same as what you're doing) and he is always complaining about how disorganized the place is, how much time he wastes in file management, etc. Sounds like they need someone to do the kinds of things you do.
Well, also editing as a discipline is really all about the media management, and even going back to the days of film, that was the primary job of the junior and mid-level editor.
Prior to digital media taking over, apprentices would drive or bike rolls of film from the lab to the editing facility or from the facility to the studio, they'd spend hours applying edge numbering to the film itself so the individual frames could be identified, and all of that would be logged.
Meanwhile, assistant editors would be responsible for tasks like keeping records of and filing reels of film and preparing edit decision lists to send to the film lab for "conforming," where the original negative was cut to match the work reels.
Only the actual editor would typically make any creative decisions, though it was typical for an editor to let a favored assistant or two cut a scene together to see how they did, and perhaps recommend them for a step up later on.
How well do you need to understand the creative side of things to work as a pipeline developer?
The answer? Well, it all kind of depends.
Junior pipeline developers are usually hired from among candidates with software development backgrounds and pretty much without regard to experience on the production side (though hands-on familiarity with the tools is always a huge leg up for such candidates.) I've known even senior pipeline developers whose experience was entirely in tools development, and there's usually plenty of work for people with such backgrounds.
On the other hand, from my own experience, having several years as a lighting artist makes a huge difference in how I approach what I do and also how my coworkers on the art side interact with me. There can often be an "us-vs-them" feeling between developers and artists, and being able to look someone in the eye and say "I know exactly what it's like to be in a position to get work done on a schedule while working around bad tools, and I'm doing everything I can to avoid putting you in that position" can do a lot to prevent such an us-vs-them feeling from taking hold.
Also, I know what it's like as someone on the art side to be disregarded or ignored by a pipeline developer, and it's ridiculously frustrating. Having had that experience enables me to be much more attentive and diplomatic with my artist colleagues.
Finally, having been on the art side, I realize that the value I bring to the organization can be enormous IF I can find ways to cut make-work out of artists' tasks. Some pipeline people don't really understand what a tremendous impact they can have on artists' quality of life, and by making that my focus, I can help ensure that when the project is over, these folks will be there to tell management how much easier and faster my work made their work.
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On August 20 2013 13:50 deo.deo wrote:
Both industries are suffering, working the visual field can be tons of fun but who in their right mind wants to be chasing jobs in their 40s,50s and 60s.
Seems like everyone in that age range is in that position these days!
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On August 20 2013 13:55 Lysenko wrote:Show nested quote +On August 20 2013 13:50 deo.deo wrote:
Both industries are suffering, working the visual field can be tons of fun but who in their right mind wants to be chasing jobs in their 40s,50s and 60s. Seems like everyone in that age range is in that position these days!
Which terrifies me. I'm 4 years out of college now, I'm finally trying to find an artistic-type job for the first time since it feels like jobs are just difficult as shit to find, so I might as well look for something I'd enjoy.
Super depressing looking for something you're not good enough at to get a job in, especially when you know that you're probably not going to be making all that much. Live and learn, I guess.
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What happened to the idea that VFX boutiques could be a producer of the film they're working on ?
That way they could get paid the same as any producer and they get more control on the effects work as well.
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Congratulations on finding steady work, if its not the field that you ultimately want to work in then just keep your head up and pay the bills while you search for the opportunity your looking for 
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Thanks for the follow-up - more interesting than I expected!
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5/5.
one of my former professors from university works in vfx, so i've been aware of the plight of vfx artists. I'm glad you've been able to get a stable position.
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I've always found it so depressing that the Vfx field is so amazingly hard and shitty on the talented people doing it. I have a few friends from school who went into it. I always wanted to be a part of it, but I decided to just stay on the East Coast and do motion graphics. At first i wasn't too enthralled about it, but I've realized in the last few years that the (relative) stability and good pay it delivers probably made it the right decision.
Glad to hear you personally have found some work.
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EPT
