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Welcome to the world of VFX. And even better, welcome to the world of being an on-set VFX Supervisor. You’ll love it here… I promise. Even though the days may be chaotic, the budget may be lacking, and the crew 4hrs into overtime… when all is said and delivered, you can stand back and say “I helped make the impossible possible.”
The best VFX supervisors know exactly how a shot gets made, know how to talk to clients and producers, and often have extensive 3D and/or compositing experience. They also know how to utilize every tool of the trade to the best of their abilities… which is exactly what we will be covering in this article. Now, VFX is constantly evolving. This means that what I say is the best now might become outdated a few years down the line. However, besides planning how a shot is to go off, a VFX supervisor’s role is to accurately capture camera telemetry, reference photos, lighting references, measurements, and basically anything and everything that can ensure that the VFX team in post-production has the smoothest (and fastest) ride possible. This results in staying within budget and more time focusing on the creative rather than trying to figure out what the hell was going on on set.
What does a VFX supervisor do on set?
Short version: you’re the bridge between what the camera shoots and what gets built in post, and this is the on-set VFX equipment I haul to every shoot to make that happen:
- A 360° HDRi camera (the Ricoh Theta Z1) to capture scene lighting
- A professional color chart to match color across cameras and CG
- Chrome and grey spheres for reflections, lighting, and shadow roll-off
- A laser measure for fast on-set measurements
- A reference camera (a Sony a7C II and a 35mm) for textures and continuity
- Gaff tape for tracking markers
- A MacBook Pro to run PTGui, ARRI Meta Extractor, and quick comps
- A camera backpack to haul all of it
What you need to make your on-set VFX look realistic.
VFX should not look like VFX. It should look real. Even if it is a gargantuan hyper-dimensional shark swimming next to the Golden Gate Bridge shooting freakn’ laser beams at aliens invading earth; the lighting, colors, and camera/camera lenses should all align with what could exist. Even if your 3D object could never exist in reality, the aforementioned components do. In the end, all those attributes are combined and if done correctly, will make the end product real.
But yes yes… there are still many other factors in determining what makes a 3D object real or not but that is outside the scope of this article. Here we are just talking about the tools needed to track, log, and capture data on set to ensure that the rest of the VFX pipeline isn’t having to perform tedious trial and error which would result in worse VFX.
Item 1: Panoramic HDR camera to create an HDRi
Okay. What the hell is an HDRi? As crazy as it sounds… it is actually pretty simple:
An HDRi (High Dynamic Range Image) is an image file that holds a much wider range of brightness and color than a normal photo. You make one by shooting the same scene at a bunch of different exposures and merging them into a single image. Why do you care? Your 3D artists use it to drive reflections, refractions, and global illumination, which are ridiculously important if you want the CG to look like it was lit by the same lights that were on set. More accurate lighting and color means… (drum roll) more realism in your VFX.
How do you capture an HDRi? Well, a few years back you would have to set up a DSLR, a fancy tripod head, and basically scan the room for 20 minutes. Now, almost every VFX supervisor uses a Theta Z1. No joke… it really is the best.
I own the RICOH Theta Z1 and have used it on countless shoots. From Tyler, The Creator to a spot for Amazon, it has served me well and I will continue to use it for shoots to come. Works great with a basic photography tripod.
The Theta has modes that can capture a series of shots at different exposures for later merging in a necessary (and all-around amazing) software like PTGui.
The new Theta Z1 camera has a significantly larger capacity than the previous model and can capture high-quality 360 degree images and videos. It has advanced features such as suppression of ghosting, flare, and fringing, as well as dynamic range correction and automatic overexposure suppression. The camera also supports efficient transfer speeds via USB 3.0 and allows for RAW development and stitching with compatible software.
Before we move on though, here is a tutorial on how to make an HDRi from the multiple panoramic images you captured on set:
Item 2: Color Chart
Lenses have different color profiles and so do cameras. Doing VFX where multiple cameras are in play can be a nightmare for consistency in post and will cause budget overages and delays. When working in VFX, ensuring the colors produced by your VFX software match the colors captured by your camera system is crucial.
“Well the slate has color bars… why should I need this?” The slate’s colors are very rudimentary and usually wrong in the technical sense. That is where a professional color chart comes in. Always grab footage of a color chart on set when you have crazy lighting or during VFX-intensive scenes. Sometimes it is best to capture these during the camera and lens testing in pre-production. While you are at it, film a distortion grid (in pre-pro) to help your VFX artists match the lens geometry.
The Passport Photo 2 combines four photographic targets into one pocket-size protective case that adjusts to any scene, allowing you to set exposure, create custom white balance, color profiles, and much more.
Item 3: Chrome and grey spheres
Chrome and grey spheres are used to capture the lighting, color, and reflections of a real-world environment… just like the HDRi. However, these spheres don’t have to be stationary like an HDRi and can move with an object. This is very useful when shooting a “to-be” creature for example.
A grey sphere is your diffuse lighting reference. It is made of a neutral grey material that does not reflect color, so it shows how the light in the room falls on a matte surface. What is especially important here is the shadow roll off, which changes depending on the shape and intensity of the light source.
A chrome sphere, also known as a “mirror ball” or “light probe,” is your environment reference. It is made of a highly reflective chrome-plated material that captures the reflections of everything around it, and it goes in the same position as the grey sphere. What you get off it is a quick-and-dirty environment map: the same concept as the HDRi, except it can be tethered to an object that might be moving between drastically different lighting environments.
In summary, an HDRi captures the lighting and color information of a static scene while chrome and grey spheres capture the lighting, color, and reflections of an evolving environment. All these tools are used to light 3D models and environments in VFX to achieve what we all want… realism.
Oh… also… you don’t need the fancy motion-picture-grade set. A plain chrome and grey ball set like the one below does the job. Welcome to VFX ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Item 4: Laser measuring tape
Perspective is very important in VFX and in order to line up objects properly in VFX post-production, sometimes you just have to measure some things on set. Don’t bother with a tape measure, use a laser. It is faster, covers a much longer distance, and doesn’t get in the way of the rest of the crew.
Features long-range measuring with extreme accuracy and measures distances up to 65 feet to within 1/8 inch.
Item 5: Reference image camera
Reference images are insanely important in VFX because they are the artists’ only look at what was really on set. Recreating the texture of an actor’s jacket, painting on an extra wall, duplicating a prop that was in frame… every one of those jobs goes faster and matches the plate better when someone shot a few stills of the real thing.
The best camera for the job is a Sony a7C II. It’s small enough to disappear into a camera bag, and the second-gen body added a sharper 33MP sensor and much better autofocus over the original a7C. Pair it with a 35mm lens and you got yourself a perfect duo.
Features a bright maximum aperture of F2.8, compact dimensions, and outstanding optical performance in a versatile 35mm focal length.
Item 6: Gaff tape
Use it for tracking markers and other random things! I don’t know what else to say about it… it’s tape.
Item 7: A laptop
Generally speaking, MacOS is not a good choice for VFX work simply because there is a ton of VFX software that only runs on Linux or Windows. However, as a VFX supervisor, you will not be needing to perform VFX on set. Leave that to the guys at the VFX studio. Occasionally though, you might be needing to test a few compositions using Flame, Fusion, or After Effects. The MacBook can run all three at speeds that rival massive custom-built PCs. Macs also have AirDrop and an insane battery that will last all day.
Personally, my MacBook Pro comes to every set and… I can’t live without it. I use it to organize my files, run PTGui, ARRI Meta Extractor, and occasionally test files airdropped from the DIT. If you’re buying one today, get the current 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip below. As a VFX Supervisor, I highly recommend it.
Item 8: The backpack
You just bought all of this expensive gear… are you going to lug it around in their cardboard boxes now? No, of course not. I’ve owned this backpack for over 6 years and it’s still going strong, so I must recommend Lowepro.
This backpack is infinitely customizable and will withstand anything you throw at it… or in it. 11/10: a must-have for VFX Supervisors. Plus, it looks cool af and is super comfy for those long treks to set.
Versatile Daypack Designed for VFX Supervisors... and photographers too.
In Conclusion
And that’s it! This is all you need to get started as a VFX Supervisor. Thanks to high rates and kit fees, you will make back your investment in no time… However, in order to be constantly hired you have to always expand your skills and understand the techniques and theories behind VFX. Learning Nuke or Flame is not good enough… understand the why and the how. A commonality in almost every VFX artist’s career is this book: Digital Compositing for Film and Video. It teaches all the basics of how to be not just a good VFX artist… but a great one.
Between the cameras for HDRi creation and reference images, plus the spheres, tape, and laser measure, I’m confident this guide will have you set for many years of creating the impossible.
