The visual effects industry has been with us in more or less some form since we first started performing plays, operas, and musicals. The transition into film and animation would be a clear one, but this transition changed VFX as much as it changed movies. This is of course a field of practice that is held deep in the arts, and therefore one must be somewhat in tune with their artistic side to get proficient, but as years progress, this is less and less the case as new innovations and implementations bring the artist closer to the technician. The result? An explosion of new ideas and career opportunities.
-Film was only the beginning.
Back when movies were one of the only few peaks of visual entertainment, VFX was a smaller and more concentrated department, mostly due to the fact that good movies required the best. This left opportunities extremely slim for those wanting to get involved. Not so as we've moved to the modern age. Movies still require an impressive job of effects, but now we've got a lot more people at the helm, and not just artists! But on top of that we've moved into using VFX more extensively for television, and now making insane progress, video games.
-The work is very demanding, but getting in isn't nearly as impossible as one might think.
To put it in a realistic lens, not everyone can do VFX. This is a field that still requires people who can do all and do more. You need passion like no other and dedication for excellence. This is a job to get because it's the job you want. But that's a bit dramatic considering how it's not extremely difficult to gain the skills required for such a career. Technical and artistic values are key, but you need not be an expert at either to get somewhere. If you can carry yourself well in one or both, you've just made the first step. The challenge comes from how hard you're willing to push yourself.
-There's a lot of options once you're in.
The involvement of tech and art varies, but there's elements of both for the wide selection of jobs you can take part in from just entering the professional zone. The deal is these jobs must work together. Lighting, color, editing, final touches, and digital enhancements all work together. And that's not even close to summarizing all the individual positions.
As far as animation and effects go, I'm happy entertainment coexists with the industry. However, I do feel the intensity of this field is partially due to how much today's media relies on it.
On top of this, while I do love the amazing career openings happening as a result of this industry's gradual expansion, it's a bit of a shame that the skillsets needed for it are a bit narrow. I feel like there's still room for other talents outside of art and technology.
Are we ever going to really see the end of visual effects?
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