The visual effects pipeline aims to allow artists to focus on creative challenges rather than technical ones. However, technicians must continually update the technology to ensure the best tools are used, and that implementation doesn’t cause costly production delays. The pipeline department comprises developers, engineers, leads, architects, technical directors, and supervisors from various career backgrounds. The major goal is to translate the artistic needs into programmable computer code.
Whiskytree has a mixture of generalists and specialized digital artists. “In our case, it has worked out well where the 3D artists are generalists and can dabble in a lot of different things,” explains JP Monroy, CG Supervisor and Director of Artist Development at Whiskytree. “But there are occasions when you need someone who is so specialized and focused on one tool that they’re the only ones who can work on it, so you need to cater to them.” Pipeline alterations are handled delicately. “Updates are done by our tool developers in the middle of the night or when fewer people are working. That way, it’s the least disruptive. Software is getting updated all the time. Most studios and people want to stay on a version to complete a project, so you can take the time to update and test out new things during that in-between period.” For the past three decades, the core computer programs in the visual effects industry have remained the same. Observes Monroy, “Maya, Nuke and Houdini stick around because they’ve been the basis for a lot of creative work, and a lot of studios have built a pipeline and workflow around them. Changing all of that at once is like trying to turn a tanker. It will take way too long and way too many resources. However, other studios coming up with people who have no experience in that, then they might start to try new things and make less use of some of those tools. For now, it seems they’re the standards, and it’s how many of us are used to working, but things are constantly changing. Who knows what five years from now will look like!”
Read more at VFXVoice
Image courtesy of Whiskytree and Apple+
