What does a vfx artist do?

When the client returns from location and you see a microphone-in-picture or a lighting case not supposed to be there, you have a problem. That’s when you go looking for a vfx artist. The very same vfx artist is also capable of sticking advertising posters on a London bus without the owner’s permission, let a bald person grow an afro – in short, fix most things afterwards. But the vfx artist needs software and powerful computers.

– Today there are a number of good editing and compositing programs. But Flame and Smoke are state of the art when it comes to editing. These are the words of Anders Hjelmsröm, vfx artist at Edithouse for the past eight years and in the business since 1996. He continues: The great thing about Flame has always been its speed and flexibility. That all the people involved could sit together and alter things in a TV commercial, for example. With a few quick moves they could watch, in real time, how a different setting changed everything. And then change it back just as swiftly. To do the same thing in another program, the editor had to kick them all out and ask them to come back later. This way of thinking still resides in Smoke and Flame, which distinguishes them from other programs. The secret is that you buy both hardware and software, the latter nowadays being Linux based. Regardless of whether it’s about colour correction, rotoscoping, keyning or about general compositing, Flame and Smoke are superior programs. Sure, they cost more than any other programs. And sure, I cost more than my co-workers here at Edithouse working in other system. But in order to get rid of microphone dips, cases and whatever you may miss on location, the use of a vfx artist is cost efficient due to the flexibility and capacity of these programs.

You can toss in a number of different formats, mix with tapes and sound, edit in sync and get a result out of it, in the resolution of your choice. The differences between Flame and Smoke can be tricky to explain. Put it like this: Smoke is 60% editing and 40% effects. Flame is 40% editing and 60% effects. The very names have been a hallmark since the early 90s, and we aren’t many privileged enough to work with Smoke and Flame.

– You don’t become a great photographer the moment you buy a Hasselblad camera. But those who do own a Hasselblad often have a true interest in taking pictures, distinguishing them from those who are content with having a camera in their mobile phone. This is an interest you share with every other Hasselblad owner. The same goes for us who work with Flame and Smoke. We share our experiences and thus become better at what we do.