“In the future there will be a lot more 3D stereoscopic work, greater access to worldwide 24hour pipelines, and an ever shrinking window of time to meet deadlines for big summer and Christmas releases.”
Please share with us some information about the Visual Effects Society?
VES is a professional, honorary society, dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of visual effects and to upholding the highest uniform standards and procedures for the visual effects profession. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary year, VES is the entertainment industry’s only official trade organization representing the extended community of visual effects practitioners including supervisors, artists, producers, technology developers, educators and studio executives. Its 1,500 plus global members contribute to all areas of entertainment from film, television and commercials to music videos, games and new media. VES strives to enrich and educate its members and the entertainment community at large through many domestic and international events, screenings and programs. Visual effects professionals constitute a vital creative force in content creation and are literally shaping the future of entertainment.
What made VES to look into India?
As the visual effects industry has become a global industry, and because we recognize that India is poised to become a major player in the visual effects arena, we wanted to make sure that India got the chance to learn about VES and that we in VES got an opportunity to learn more about India.
Who made the initiatives?
“Who made the initiatives?” First and foremost it was Madhu Sudhanan, a leading vfx practitioner in India and someone who approached VES almost two years ago with some creative thinking about how the Visual Effects Society could work more closely with visual effects artists in India. Madhu has spent a lot of time in both the US and India and is someone whose opinion on the Indian vfx community we at VES have a lot of respect for. Additionally, Tim McGovern, Vice Chair of the Visual Effects Society, has spent considerable time in India over the past two years and has been a strong advocate of better ties between VES and India as well.
Due to the efforts of both Madhu and Tim, we are much more mindful than ever of wanting to have a stronger relationship with our colleagues in India!
What kind of support will VES provide to the Indian artists community through FICCI VEC?
VES is ready to provide access to our knowledge and talent base for artists in India by speaking to them via Animation Xpress and future networking events.
What are the emerging trends in the discipline of VFX globally?
In the future there will be a lot more work in 3D stereoscopic work, greater access to worldwide 24hour pipelines, and an ever shrinking window of time to meet work deadlines for big summer and Christmas releases.
What are the events that VES organises annually?
We hold the Annual VES Awards each February (the next one will be the 6th Annual VES Awards on February 10, 2007 at the Kodak Grand Ballroom in Hollywood), we have an annual VES Festival of Visual Effects every June, and we also hold a yearly Holiday Party every December.
How does VES see Animation Xpress as its media partner in India?
We think that by working with Animation Xpress, vfx artists in India and in VES can be part of the same ongoing dialogue about the future of our industry as well as work together to foster more educational and networking opportunities.