Follow your passion with a career in VFX

Visual Effects or VFX is the art of combining Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) that is photo realistic with live action. It involves the creation of seamless visuals that would be otherwise impossible to bring to life with the help of a camera. Furthermore, the technique also involves the beautification or enhancement of live-action camera shots.

VFX has myriad attributes

In order for the finished product to be a captivating cinematic experience, its VFX has to undergo multiple stages of development. The most crucial stage is, without doubt, the pre-visualisation of the creative idea put forth by the director. A significant amount of effort and time goes into creating designs and concepts before initiating production. Subject to the concept that has received the final go-ahead, live components may or may not be a part of the production stage. If the process involved props or actors shot in green or blue chroma, they will have to go through the process of Keying or Rotoscopy. This isolates each of the props or characters so as to gain control of each object, layer or character in the background, mid-ground or foreground.

The VFX industry in India is growing in leaps and bounds

The VFX industry in India has been enjoying an accelerated rate of growth in the past few years. In addition to complementing the domestic Media and Entertainment sector, the Indian VFX companies also cater to some of the biggest studios in the world. As per the FICCI EY M&E report of 2018, by 2020, this vertical is expected to be valued at INR 63.5 billion.

The recent trends in the industry only point towards a very bright and promising future

The following trends noticeable in India with relation to the VFX industry only promises a very bright future for the domain –

• Digital platforms such as Netflix and Amazon are soon going to come up with original content for domestic consumption, driving the demand for high quality visual effects production.
• Some of the biggest international studios are increasingly outsourcing their special effects operations to India owing to the formidable prowess of the production houses as well as cost advantages. According to the FICCI report, 70% of all revenues presently reported in the industry are from international operations.
• In order to take advantage of the talent pool that India has to offer, several production studios of international repute are setting up their offices here
• The explosion in demand for high quality visual effects and its widespread applications across industries is driving the present domain requirements.
• Recent domestic productions such as Bahubali and Zero have raised the bar for special effect quality across the board that every film maker in India now aspires to achieve in his or her own movies.

VFX comprises of a plethora of softwares

Before moving to software, one must be mindful of the age-old adage within the industry – it is not the software that makes the VFX artist but the other way around. Individuals who hope to make their names in this vertical must acquire the indispensable skills of

• Particle Dynamics
• Rotoscopy
• Animation
• Digital Paint
• Texturing
• MatchMove
• Lighting
• RotoMation
• CG modelling
• Compositing

Some of the most popular software for VFX includes

• 3D Equaliser for MatchMove
• Silhouette for Paint and Roto
• Maya for RotoMation and CG
• Nuke for Compositing
• A course in VFX opens up a world of opportunities

With a degree in special effects, you’ll be spoilt for choices when it comes to career options. VFX professionals are gainfully employed as

• VFX Supervisors
• Modellers
• CG Producers
• Texture Artists
• VFX Producers
• Rigging Artists
• Pipeline Artists
• Animators
• Matte Painting Artists
• FX Artists
• MatchMove Artists
• Lighting Artists
• Roto Artists
• Compositors