Common myths and misconceptions students have towards VFX

People in India have a lot of misconceptions about the VFX field since it’s a new and very less explored option. Students generally have many misunderstandings and queries. Below are some common misunderstandings & misconceptions that we will try to clear out:

• VFX means Animation – VFX is not just animation; numerous other departments work in VFX. The animation is just one small part of the VFX pipeline. Animation means to animate a character which is created by the modelling and texturing department in VFX pipeline. Movements given to the character is animation. It is a subset of VFX.

• To get into VFX one must have good drawing knowledge – You are not required to be a professional drawing or sketching artist to get into the VFX industry. VFX artist uses advanced software to create effects or animation. So, one must be clear in mind that even if she/he doesn’t know drawing and sketching can still pursue a specialized course in VFX.

• I want to learn the entire VFX – It is not possible to learn the entire VFX. VFX is just like a world in which there are multiple departments and specializations; one needs to select the specialization he/she would want to pursue as a career. For instance, there is engineering; where one needs to decide a specialization that whether he/she would want to become a Mechanical engineer, IT engineer or Civil engineer, etc. Similarly, in VFX there are multiple specializations such as Modelling, Texturing, Animation (2d & 3d), Lighting, FX, and Compositing. Each of these specializations requires different technical knowledge and different skill set and hence a student can learn and specialize in only one department of VFX and not entire VFX.

• Learning a greater number of the software will land me a good job – Here one must understand that he/she, first of all, needs to select the specialization and then learn relevant skills related to that specialization in the software relevant to that specialization. One must focus on specializing in one area i.e. having deep knowledge of one field instead of having little knowledge of every field. It doesn’t matter how many software ones know but how much deeper it is known is what matters. Individual specialized in one field will always have an upper hand, good and safe career as compared to one who has a generic approach. So, a person knowing only 3 software to perfection, for instance, is better than a person knowing 10 software generically.

• I want an international placement – VFX is an international career wherein one gets on-site opportunities. One may travel abroad to countries like UK, Australia, China, Canada, the USA in this industry however, it can be done only after having relevant experience in the VFX industry. If you are a very good VFX artist then you will surely get an opportunity to work internationally.

• Where can I get the job after course completion? – India now being a VFX hub that has studios located in cities like Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and now many studios are getting established across different cities in India. Being a fresher one must be flexible for all locations. Students must try, not to stay in a comfort zone and must take job in whichever part of India they are getting the best opportunity.

• How much a fresher earns in this field – In the VFX industry fresher starts his/her job as a junior artist wherein salary ranges from 12K to 15K per month. Going ahead sky is the limit for earning in this industry and one may also earn an annual package of 50 to 60 lakhs rupees per annum if he/she gets an onsite opportunity abroad or even more than this.

• The certificate should be govt authorized – Govt authorized certificate is not a criteria to get the job in the VFX industry. In this field, a showreel/portfolio is important to get a job. Skills are important to get a job. Students need to understand that they are going to work for production houses after course completion and not for any government institution. It’s just a marketing gimmick to attract students by saying that it’s a government authorized course so students should not fall prey to such plays.