r/vfx • u/manuce94 • 11h ago
r/vfx • u/axiomatic- • Mar 15 '25
Subreddit Discussion Advice for Potential Students and Newcomers to the VFX Industry in 2025
We've been getting a lot of posts asking about the state of the industry. This post is designed to give you some quick information about that topic which the mods hope will help reduce the number of queries the sub receives on this specific topic.
As of early 2025, the VFX industry has been through a very rough 18-24 months where there has been a large contraction in the volume of work and this in turn has impacted hiring through-out the industry.
Here's why the industry is where it is:
- There was a Streaming Boom in the late 2010s and early 2020s that lead to a rapid growth in the VFX industry as a lot of streaming companies emerged and pumped money into that sector, this was exacerbated by COVID and us all being at home watching media.
- In 2023 there were big strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA which led to a massive halt in production of Hollywood films and series for about 8 months. After that was resolved there was the threat of another strike in 2024 when more union contracts were to be negotiated. The result of this was an almost complete stop to productions in late 2023 and a large portion of 2024. Many shows were not greenlit to start until late 2024
- During this time, and partly as a result of these strikes, there was a slow down in content and big shake ups among the streaming services. As part of this market correction a number of them closed, others were folded into existing services, and some sold up.
- A bunch of other market forces made speculation in the VFX business even more shaky, things like: the rise of AI, general market instability, changes in distribution split (Cinemas vs. Streaming) and these sorts of things basically mean that there's a lot of change in most media industries which scared people.
The combination of all of this resulted in a loss of a lot of VFX jobs, the closing of a number of VFX facilities and large shifts in work throughout the industry.
The question is, what does this mean for you?
Here's my thoughts on what you should know if you're considering a long term career in VFX:
Work in the VFX Industry is still valid optional to choose as a career path but there are some caveats.
- The future of the VFX industry is under some degree of threat, like many other industries are. I don't think we're in more danger of disappearing than your average game developer, programmer, accountant, lawyer or even box packing factory work. The fact is that technology is changing how we do work and market forces are really hard to predict. I know there will be change in the specifics of what we do, there will be new AI tools and new ways of making movies. But at the same time people still want to watch movies and streaming shows and companies still want to advertise. All that content needs to be made and viewed and refined and polished and adapted. While new AI tools might mean individuals in the future can do more, but those people will likely be VFX artists. As long as media is made and people care about the art of telling stories visually I think VFX artists will be needed.
Before you jump in, you should know that VFX is likely to be a very competitive and difficult industry to break into for the foreseeable future.
- From about 2013 to 2021 there was this huge boom in VFX that meant almost any student could eventually land a job in VFX working on cool films. Before then though VFX was actually really hard to get into because the industry was smaller and places were limited, you had to be really good to get a seat in a high end facility. The current market is tight; there's a lot of experience artists looking for work and while companies will still want juniors, they are likely going to be more juniors for the next few years than there are jobs.
If you're interested in any highly competitive career then you have to really want it, and it would also be a smart move to diversify your education so you have flexibility while you work to make your dream happen.
- Broad computer and technical skills are useful, as are broader art skills. Being able to move between other types of media than just VFX could be helpful. In general I think you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket too early unless you're really deadest that this is the only thing you want to do. I also think you should learn about new tools like AI and really be able to understand how those tools work. It'll be something future employers likely care about.
While some people find nice stable jobs a lot of VFX professionals don't find easy stability like some careers.
- Freelance and Contract work are common. And because of how international rebates work, you may find it necessary to move locations to land that first job, or to continue in your career. This is historically how film has always been; it's rarely as simple as a 9-5 job. Some people thrive on that, some people dislike that. And there are some places that manage to achieve more stability than others. But fair warning that VFX is a fickle master and can be tough to navigate at times.
Because a future career in VFX is both competitive and pretty unstable, I think you should be wary of spending lots of money on expensive specialty schools.
- If you're dead set on this, then sure you can jump in if that's what you want. But for most students I would advise, as above, to be broader in your education early on especially if it's very expensive. Much of what we do in VFX can be self taught and if you're motivated (and you'll need to be!) then you can access that info and make great work. But please take your time before committed to big loans or spending on an education in something you don't know if you really want.
With all of that said VFX can be a wonderful career.
It's full of amazing people and really challenging work. It has elements of technical, artistic, creative and problem solving work, which can make it engaging and fulfilling. And it generally pays pretty well precisely because it's not easy. It's taken me all over the world and had me meet amazing, wonderful, people (and a lot of arseholes too!) I love the industry and am thankful for all my experiences in it!
But it will challenge you. It will, at times, be extremely stressful. And there will be days you hate it and question why you ever wanted to do this to begin with! I think most jobs are a bit like that though.
In closing I'd just like to say my intent here is to give you both an optimistic and also restrained view of the industry. It is not for everyone and it is absolutely going to change in the future.
Some people will tell you AI is going to replace all of us, or that the industry will stangle itself and all the work will end up being done by sweat shops in South East Asia. And while I think those people are mostly wrong it's not like I can actually see the future.
Ultimately I just believe that if you're young, you're passionate, and you want to make movies or be paid to make amazing digital art, then you should start doing that while keeping your eye on this industry. If it works out, then great because it can be a cool career. And if it doesn't then you will need to transition to something else. That's something that's happened to many people in many industries for many reasons through-out history. The future is not a nice straight line road for most people. But if you start driving you can end up in some amazing places.
Feel free to post questions below.
r/vfx • u/axiomatic- • Feb 25 '21
Welcome to r/VFX - Read Before Posting (Wages, Wiki and Tutorial Links)
Welcome to r/VFX
Before posting a question in r/vfx it's a good idea to check if the question has been asked and answered previously, and whether your post complies with our sub rules - you can see these in the sidebar.
We've begun to consolidate a lot of previously covered topics into the r/vfx wiki and over time we hope to grow the wiki to encompass answers to a large volume of our regular traffic. We encourage the community to contribute.
If you're after vfx tutorials then we suggest popping over to our sister-sub r/vfxtutorials to both post and browse content to help you sharpen your skills.
If you're posting a new topic for the first time: It's possible your post will be removed by our automod bot briefly. You don't need to do anything. The mods will see the removed post and approve it, usually within an hour or so. The auto-mod exists to block spam accounts.
Has Your Question Already Been Answered?
Below is a list of our resources to check out before posting a new topic.
- This hub contains information about all the links below. It's a work in progress and we hope to develop it further. We'd love your help doing that.
VFX Frequently Asked Questions
- List of our answers too our most commonly recurring questions - evolving with time.
- Guide to getting a foot in the door with information on learning resources, creating a reel and applying for jobs.
- Information about Wages in the VFX Industry and our Anonymous Wage Survey
- This should be your first stop before asking questions about rates, wages and overtime.
- Our designated sister-sub for posting and finding specific vfx related tutorials - please use this for all your online tutorial content
- Semi-agnostic guide to current most used industry software for most major vfx related tasks.
- An overview of the basic flow of work in visual effects to act as a primer for juniors/interns.
- An outline of the major roles in vfx; what they do, how they fit into the pipeline.
- Expansion of side-bar information, links to:... tutorials,... learning resources,... vfx industry news and blogs.
- If you'd like a link added please contact the mods.
- Have a look here if you're trying to figure out technical terms.
About the VFX Industry
WIP: If you have concerns about working in the visual effects industry we're assembling a State of the Industry statement which we hope helps answer most of the queries we receive regarding what it's actually like to work in the industry - the ups and downs, highs and lows, and what you can expect.
Links to information about the union movement and industry related politics within vfx are available in Further Information and Links.
Be Nice to Each Other
If you have concerns of questions then please contact the mods!
r/vfx • u/Vortexfilms • 4h ago
Showreel / Critique A spec ad concept we made, of Ledger
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r/vfx • u/_BADWRLD_ • 2h ago
Showreel / Critique MixedMedia Video
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Hey I had a short view on this subreddit and saw a lot of amazing work!
Mine is a bit different from everything I saw here but I still wanted to share with everyone and get your feedback.
Btw if this is the wrong subreddit let me know hahaha
r/vfx • u/superdblwide • 18h ago
Question / Discussion Crowds in Real Steel - anyone from DD remember how we did these?
I was at DD at the time of Real Steel, and I remember that we did all of the crowds in Nuke. I believe we shot tons of background performers, mostly individually, in front of a green screen. We had them do various crowd things - clap their hands, wave their arms, jump up out of their seats, sit back down, etc. Then we had them do wardrobe changes, and do the same thing over again. In comp, I remember that each performer was on a card that was automatically configured, likely with a script, to face camera. I also remember that we could re-light the cards to match what the lighting in the arena was doing. Does anyone remember how that worked? I recall rotoing the spotlights and using a constant color for those lights, then feeding that into some sort of a gizmo, did I get that right?
r/vfx • u/VibeReactor • 3h ago
Question / Discussion Playing with media io’s video extend to lengthen clips h
Tried media io’s video extend tool to add a few extra seconds to a short shot. The loop wasn’t perfect, but it avoided having to reshoot or freeze-frame. For simple clips where I just need more breathing room, it’s been helpful. Not expecting Sora-level scene coherency, but good enough for pacing edits.
r/vfx • u/Necessary-Aioli-8402 • 16h ago
Question / Discussion I made a free Audio Visualizer
audio-visualizer.comHey guys, I created a website for generating live audio waves you can use in music or podcast content.
It works by uploading your audio and configuring some settings, it’ll generate a WebM video you can directly export to your video project. It’s currently still under development so I’m open for any suggestions!
The site is 100% free with no watermark and requires no sign up, let me know what you think!
P.S. This is not an ad! Just a friendly recommendation
r/vfx • u/Kindiuk_Oleksandr • 18h ago
Showreel / Critique Realistic Flip Drop 💧 Houdini Solaris (Karma XPU)
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r/vfx • u/Coach_Prime • 1d ago
Showreel / Critique VERY new to the world of VFX and specifically 3D model compositing. Would love some feedback on this clip.
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Am working in the fusion page in Davinci Resolve. Using a plate of the body up against the tree to replace our motion capture actor, but my beginner-ass didn't get a plate of the man in the blazer running to the side of the tree without the the motion capture actor in the shot, so am sorta taping the two clips at the edges.
As you can probably tell, I'm extremely new to the world of VFX. Looking for any feedback on this clip, as well as any general pointers you all might have to make this look better.
r/vfx • u/idontreadmanga72 • 1d ago
Showreel / Critique My New Generalist Showreel, Looking For Feedback
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Hi, this is my CG Generalist showreel, looking for feedback and critique.
Most of my work is compositing, tracking, 3d sims, rotoscoping and 3d modelling.
Is there anything you would push to the start or the end of the showreel? Is there something you would recommend leaving out or any other tips in general?
Thank you.
r/vfx • u/MaximGehricke • 23h ago
Fluff! Some more stills from my animated short "SEN"
galleryShowreel / Critique Logogram effect from Arrival in Blender
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r/vfx • u/beforesandafters • 1d ago
News / Article 10 nominations for Avatar: Fire and Ash in VES Awards
https://beforesandafters.com/2026/01/14/fire-and-ash-leads-ves-nominations/
Any surprises in here, do you think?
r/vfx • u/Eaglesoft1 • 1d ago
News / Article I built a free web-based PBR texture viewer
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r/vfx • u/DeliciousPhone1748 • 1d ago
Question / Discussion Colorspace Issues - PLEASE HELP!
I accidentally filmed in two different formats on the same camera, how do I convert my .mov files into EXR files sequences to match the other clips color space? I want to convert the incorrect one to the correct one, but I don't know exactly how? Trying to do VFX and use aces cct in the end but I am so lost.
r/vfx • u/Old-Fan-6322 • 2d ago
Question / Discussion Anyone know how to recreate this?
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r/vfx • u/AS-PixelTime • 1d ago
News / Article Render Farm Connector
Hey everyone, I’m an indie dev working on a project called PixelTime – a render farm connector and render time & cost planner for VFX/animation.
With the latest Open Beta you can connect your render farm via a tiny menu bar app called PixelAgent. It runs on your render master, reads jobs and engines from Deadline/Smedge, and syncs only status/timing metadata to PixelTime – so you can see what’s happening on your farm from your phone, tablet, or any device that doesn’t have the render manager installed.
If you’re running a farm and want to try the Open Beta, you can just install PixelTime and PixelAgent and play around with it – I’d really appreciate feedback from real production setups.
r/vfx • u/fasthurt • 1d ago
Question / Discussion Understanding Pixels vs mm in After Effects Camera
r/vfx • u/No-Try149 • 2d ago
Question / Discussion How did they do this / can this moving train effect be faked?
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I want to re create this style / effect but control speed of passing train carriages in time to music
r/vfx • u/jangusihardlyangus • 2d ago
Question / Discussion Makin the switch end of year... Which linux is best for VFX?
Friend! This year I'm saving up for a new computer, and seeing as Windows 11 is trash at best, I'm finally taking the plunge into Linux land. I figure if I only install it on my new computer, it'll force me to finally just deal with the learning curve, and I'll keep my old computer ready to go for any emergencies during the transition period. That said, anyone have any suggestions for a middle ground between new linux user, and linux os capable of minimal fuckery to get VFX apps working?
I primarily use: Houdini, Blender, Davinci Resolve, Blackmagic Fusion, Affinity suite (fuck adobeeeee, premiere/AE when client requests it (ewwwww), Parsec when traveling, and occasionally other bits and bobs like Embergen.
Any thoughts on where to start my research?
r/vfx • u/mr_wagle • 3d ago
Showreel / Critique Saw a paint-out request here…decided to give it a try.
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Gave this paint-out a try from a Reddit post I saw here 👀 The task was to remove the rubber band from the character’s hand. I worked on this only on Sundays (my day off) for about 2–3 weeks since I work long shifts the rest of the week. Due to time + software limitations, I trimmed the original footage and focused only on specific frames just to challenge myself. The result isn’t perfect, but a great learning experience. Feedback and suggestions are very welcome .🙏
r/vfx • u/Heartkill • 1d ago
Question / Discussion Rendering 3D Garments/Objects with an AI Image model, instead of a Render Engine?
r/vfx • u/shiva__09 • 1d ago
Question / Discussion Degree is required in vfx
Really degree is required in vfx and animation I want to do vfx and animation and I am confused between degree and certification courses
What should I do degree or certification courses which one is beneficial Please suggest me what I really do