Visual storytelling
As visual effects play an increasingly prominent role in television production, how do those working in this sector see the state of the industry and how can producers best work with them? There’s no denying visual effects (VFX) have become an important part of television production over the last decade. No longer simply an additional element – or an afterthought – to filmmaking, VFX are now key to the storytelling process, from development all the way to post-production. “Visual effects is one of the first departments that should be involved with the director once the scripts are in, even if it’s not at the final draft, because you’ve got to work out, ‘Can the script be made?’” said Duncan McWilliam, founder and CEO of Outpost VFX (The Wheel of Time, House of the Dragon). “We are a part of the entire lifecycle of the process and have very close relationships with a lot of directors who are entrusting the invisible bits of his or her film to us. Immediately, super-early engagement saves money. Fixing mistakes is a very expensive exercise and we will often help DOPs and directors understand the problems on set, and steer them away from visual effects due to cost and get it in-camera. We want the best creative output for everyone, so partnership and trust are absolutely key.” McWilliam was speaking on a VFX panel at Content London, where he was joined by Framestore CEO of film and episodic Fiona Walkinshaw, DNEG MD of episodic Tom … Continue reading Visual storytelling
