Do you dream of working in VFX? Aren\u2019t sure how to get into the VFX industry, or what a VFX career path even looks like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VFX is a world that\u2019s always changing but the core of the job stays the same. While tools are ever evolving, the VFX landscape looks much the same now as it did years ago only with one crucial difference. It has never been easier to start a career in VFX than in the 2020s and today we\u2019re going to talk about why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
None.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seriously, the VFX industry does not care about your qualifications anything like as much as they care about your portfolio. In fact, this is true for basically any artistic discipline. If you can prove that you have the skills to do the work, then that\u2019s all they need to see. VFX hiring managers are most interested in finding someone who knows the tools inside and out and will fit into their pipeline. In other words, you\u2019re being judged on what you can do, not where you learned it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course that\u2019s not to say going to college is worthless. While you can get into the VFX industry without going to college, you shouldn\u2019t underestimate the sheer value of networking. Colleges can offer a direct insight into the professional world as well as great opportunities for gaining experience and making contacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bottom line is that if you pick the right course at the right institution then VFX qualifications can be useful but you don\u2019t need them and for many, their time will be much better spent building a strong portfolio. Ultimately, it\u2019s not a question of what degree you need for VFX but a question of which software you\u2019ve learned and how well you can prove it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to be a VFX artist then your best investment isn\u2019t an expensive school. It\u2019s a good PC and a handful of software packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First things first you\u2019ll want to pick a specialisation. Don\u2019t try to become a generalist because nobody hires generalists. What hiring managers want is people who are very good at one thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve picked that specialisation do your research. Find out what the industry standard tool is and learn it. If you want to be a modeler, learn Maya. If you want to sculpt, learn Z-brush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can also help to learn a few tools as some studios don\u2019t use the industry standard. For example, Blender – which is more of an open source grab bag of tools – isn\u2019t the standard for any single job but many studios like to use it to fill in the blanks for applications they may not wish to pay for. As such, it\u2019s worth having a solid working knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also worth learning up-and-coming tools in your specialisation if you have time\/inclination and studios will sometimes hire experts in a particular workflow\/software to help them build a tool into their existing pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The point is, learn, learn, learn. Make projects and post them on Art Station. Build a portfolio that proves you know your specialist area inside and out. When all\u2019s said and done, the biggest competition is between your portfolio and someone else\u2019s, so that\u2019s where most of your time should go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the start, we said it\u2019s easier than ever to get a job in VFX and this is true with one major caveat. If you\u2019re strictly looking to get into big budget film and TV, then now is a difficult time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n