POST
HIGH-END TELEVISION CRAFT
JAMES WHITLAM
Md, Episodic, Framestore His Dark Materials s1 and 2, Christopher Robin, Paddington 2, Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol. 2
More and more episodic productions are turning to Framestore to provide consultancy services in early pre-production, and we are then on set from day one. If we are providing a show- side Visual Effects Supervisor, then we’re often working with the Showrunner, Producer, Production Designer and Cinematographer at a creative script level, as well as delving into the myriad of technical challenges associated with new shooting methodologies. This kind of early doors collaborative process has been further strengthened by the addition of FPS to our service offering. Having a team of VFX and
90 Spring 2021
televisual.com
VP supervisors and artists who are well versed in the needs and goals of pre production helps us shape the visual language of the show in a way that I think gives filmmakers and studios a confidence to focus their energies on their cast and story, which is where every great show wants to be.
On a studio based episodic show, your role on set is to be invisible until someone needs an answer. There are enough people on set already! As a production side visual effects producer you need to be aware of what is happening on the floor but trusting enough
of your team to not micro manage their day. A typical day will involve set visits when required, but also time spent in editorial, recce’s and prep meetings for upcoming blocks, budgeting, scheduling, contracting, reporting, organising turnover, negotiating with vendors, and reviewing early work. You need to be across all the details of decisions made in prep and what the knock on effects of those will be, what’s happening daily on set, how the edits are coming together, and what’s going on with your vendors.
It sounds simple, but to ensure communication with the visual effects department is happening on a daily, if not hourly basis, is crucial. Things happen so fast during a shoot, you need to ensure your team is feeding you the information you need, and that you’re processing and distributing that information in a timely and professional manner.
The golden triangle of vfx producing is being great with the numbers, the client, and the crew.
You need to be able to think on your feet, pivot from one scenario plan to the next in the blink of an eye, and accurately report both the current financial state of play and the forecast of where you are heading. You should be the kind of person who wants to build a trusting relationship with your clients, someone they want to pick up the phone to talk to, a true problem solver. And you want to make order out of chaos for your crew. It’s your job to shine a light in the darkness, hand them the map from A to B, set the milestones they will achieve and reward them for doing so. I think the great vfx producers I’ve met live in that place where optimism meets pragmatism, brilliantly summed up by Hanoi Hilton survivor Admiral James Stockdale in the Stockdale Paradox - You must never confuse unwavering faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.
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