Image Engine VFX supervisor Robin Hackl on how big-budget television is changing the industry | www.CGHOW.com

We're entering a new age of visual effects. Netflix, HBO, Amazon and more have pioneered a television revolution, bringing increasingly impressive content on the smaller screen. What does this influx of new work mean for the visual effects industry? As Deadpool 2 is released in the UK, Robin Hackl, Image Engine VFX supervisor on projects such as The X-Files and Deadpool explains.

VFX is a service industry

We're here to help, and we’re happy to step in at any point during production. But the earlier, the better; no question. There are just so many problems that can come up along the way in a production – from the very first stages right through to hitting send on final delivery. Thankfully, productions always have a VFX supervisor or production team present who massively alleviate these issues along the way. But to get the vendors involved as early as possible always benefits the end result, without a doubt.

And by "as early as possible", I mean from the concept process. If we can be involved in that creative process and contribute ideas with regards to a creature, for example, it can really mitigate issues later down the line. Many times we’ve been presented with creative artwork – ideas that have even been run up the flagpole and approved – but when it comes to physically creating and animating the concept in 3D, being as accurate as possible, we’ll find it can’t move in a specific way without losing its sense of realism.

This is one area where Image Engine excels: we have a team of talented artists tailored towards creature effects. They know anatomy and how a creature moves, from the skeletal system that holds it up to the muscles that make it locomote and the skin that holds everything in place. Thus, when they’re designing something they bear anatomy in mind. They don’t simply design for fantasy, but for physicality too. Having that knowledge and understanding involved in the process from the very first stages is hugely beneficial to a production. It eases issues later on in the pipeline, and that leaves more time for creative iteration on final shots.

To put this into context, when working on season 11 of The X-Files, we worked on a number of shots that contained an alien craft hanging inside a hangar. The production team brought us in early and gave us blueprints of the stage in which they were shooting. Forearmed with this knowledge, we knew the exact dimensions we needed to work to for a great final shot. From the concept stage onwards we knew what we were working with, and knew we wouldn’t have to start hacking bits off whatever we created in the eleventh hour.

VFX needs to be collaborative

Whether collaborating with fellow artists across the office aisle or collaborating with production teams in another country or even continent. The technology is there to enable this today.

The back and forth is extremely important. At a basic level, it’s a way to generate ideas. Sometimes the production has insight from their end that impacts on the work we do. Sometimes it’s vice versa. Sometimes they’ll come to us with a bunch of reference footage and say “this concept needs to be like this, but we need you to give us your spin on it.” Working together on this, from as early on in the process as possible, leads you down a more appropriate path.

These conversations can’t just happen in post. Ideally they’re starting in pre, and continuing into production, enabling us to capture the data we need on set to move things forward. Take a look at Image Engine's digital-double work for Logan in the video below.