Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/100015
OUTLOOK VFX work on visual effects and get them as good as they could be, irrespective of resources. There is never enough time, and that is a big threat. But we always rise to the challenge, and that is pretty much true of everyone in the visual effects industry, and this goes back to what I mean about the resilience of the companies. There are some really great companies out there doing really great work, but it would be great to have more time. The compressed schedules mean you have longer hours and don���t necessarily get the time to refine the work.��� OUTLOOK FOR 2013: ���I am optimistic. The industry is used to dealing with the issues, and while we have seen companies go under, there are still a lot of companies out there. I feel like we will continue to see great visual effects work, but there will be some sort of attrition on the way there.��� JONI JACOBSON Executive Producer Pixomondo www.pixomondo.com Santa Monica Method���s commercial work includes these hip hamsters for Kia���s Soul. PATRICK DAVENPORT VP of Creative Operations Method Studios www.methodstudios.com Santa Monica Method Studios, a visual effects company with studios in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, provides a full range of services to film and spot clients. STRENGTHS: ���It���s a very resilient industry, given the economic pressures on it. The industry has been very adaptable and inventive in coming up with ways to do more with less. And it���s not just less money, but less time too. We are also seeing new levels of artistry, and the level of creativity is getting ever more sophisticated. There is a still a huge demand for visual effects, so that���s a strength.��� WEAKNESSES: ���The margins are razor thin, so the threat is having the necessary money to keep reinvesting in people, technology and equipment. That could ultimately hamper the continued development of the industry. ���Also, we are always needing more artists, and it���s often a challenge to find the right teams for certain shows. We���ve always been able to figure it out, but it���s an ongoing challenge.��� OPPORTUNITIES: ���It���s very much a global business, and companies like Method Studios are hoping to take advantage of having offices in different locations to service our client needs. We hope to become greater than the sum of our parts. ���Even in the current economic climate, we���ve had success here in LA this year working on features; doing a lot of highly-creative work. I still feel that LA has a great part to play in the world of features, even when work is heading to areas with tax incentives. ���There is also continuing high demand for visual effects in features, commercials and games, and that is an opportunity.��� THREATS: ���These threats go back to not being able to make decent enough margins to keep investing in the business. I think we will see a few more companies go under; that���s probably inevitable in 2013. ���Another threat is getting less and less time to do the work. The industry works on such fast turnaround times and being always willing to pull off the impossible, we become our own worst enemies! ���Tighter schedules also mean you don���t get enough time to really 36 Post���������December���2012��� www.postmagazine.com Pixomondo is an international visual effects company that specializes in VFX production and supervision, CG character creation, 3D animation and previsualization, and stereo 3D production for the feature film, television and commercial industries. STRENGTHS: ���With visual effects, the strengths are always artists and talent. It���s great that a movie like Hugo (Pixomondo won the VFX Oscar for this one) was recognized for VFX because it tells me that the Academy is looking not just at technical achievement, but also the art. 2012 has shown some amazing work across the board. From John Carter of Mars to The Avengers, artists continue to prove that VFX can do anything, and that���s a wonderful power to have. ���In addition, the Internet is starting to provide some interesting opportunities in technology. Much like artistry that can be accessed worldwide, companies are starting to embrace the concept of the cloud. Many facilities, including Pixomondo, are now running servers and rendering remotely, meaning in datacenters as opposed to in the facility. I see this type of opportunity expanding in the future, including cloud-based rendering services that are much more accessible than current models, increasing connectivity around the world.��� WEAKNESSES: ���The sad truth is visual effects artists garner little respect in the industry, regardless of the quality of the work. This has been as evident as ever in 2012, where there has been much heated argument about unionization and globalization. Artists lack a significant voice in all aspects of the industry, regardless of the fact that the most successful films rely heavily on visual effects for their success. This became grossly evident as well when Digital Domain was forced to close its doors in Florida, stranding artists who thought their jobs were safe. Events like this show us just how precarious the VFX industry is.��� OPPORTUNITIES: ���As clich�� as it sounds, our industry is in a place where it seems like we can do anything. 2012 has opened the doors for new approaches to the spectacle of movie making and in the ���experiential��� world. Though stereo seems to have leveled off, it continues to develop as a new business, though perhaps in more sparing use. The Hobbit will show us the value, or the downfall, of 48 frames per second, and the pending need for 4K film projection, along with 4K VFX, looms. This could be seen as a threat to many, and will certainly continued on page 46