Ross Wilkinson is a VFX supervisor at Framestore, a creative studio that offers a range of visual effects, production, direction and post production services. They are based in London but have offices around the globe.
We reached out to him to find out about his path and workflows…
Can you describe your role as a VFX supervisor?
A VFX supervisor will have a presence on a production from inception through to final pixel. This means a supervisor would be involved with pitching treatments through to bidding, preproduction, some more bidding, shoot planning and attendance, a bit more bidding, post and then final delivery back to the client.
To put it simply, a VFX supervisor needs to see the bigger picture and is responsible for interpreting and communicating effectively to the team to ultimately deliver on the client’s creative vision.
What would surprise people the most about what falls under that title?
I am not sure this answers the question, but something that you realize quickly when you step into supervision is that everybody is better than you ever were at any of your chosen disciplines at any point in your career to date.
The job becomes about using and tapping into those individuals and their skill sets. It is about listening to what they have to say in order to make the right calls at the right time. Ultimately, a supervisor works for the team to give them the platform to succeed and not the other way around. You need to leave any past comforts and ego at the door.
How long have you been working in VFX and in what kind of roles?
I have been working in visual effects for almost 15 years. I started my career at Double Negative (DNEG) as a runner in 2009. I was eventually promoted into a matchmove role and then into a lighting/generalist position.
Being an ex-runner and a generalist is quite the potent mix. The generalist position crosses into multiple departments and being an ex-runner means you know pretty much everyone in the building, so it makes traversing those worlds much easier. I eventually started supervising as part of DNEG TV and then took a role at a smaller facility (Lola Post) as VFX supervisor and 3D head of department in 2019 before joining Framestore at the end of 2022.
How has the VFX industry changed in the time you’ve been working? What’s been good? What’s been bad?
There have been some incredible changes in the industry within the last five years, let alone the last 15. Obviously, there have been notable technological shifts recently with the use of real-time in-camera VFX being implemented into productions and, even more recently, the integration of AI within VFX workflows. There will always be new emerging technologies that offer opportunities for artists to freely express themselves within. All this only benefits our industry and how we continue to refine our end product.
How was the VFX industry been affected by COVID?
The VFX industry has had a digital global workforce for some time, so this way of working was not foreign to most of us. It is now just much more prevalent within our everyday interactions. Obviously, there has been a huge amount of infrastructure put in place to make these things work much more seamlessly, and that should not be understated. But in terms of efficiency, I think the industry is working very much at the level it was before the pandemic but now with a better work-life balance.
Why do you like being on set for shots? What are the benefits?
I love being on-set. You get to travel the world visiting some of the most unique places while trading creative blows with some of the most talented creative minds in the industry.
Being a supervisor on-set, you need to be equipped with the skills to articulate clearly what you need at any given moment. You need to be able to visualize the shot and make any necessary practical creative changes in real time.
Did a particular film inspire you along this path in entertainment?
I was raised by my dad’s VHS player, so I was unhealthily obsessed with cartoons as a kid. I would obsessively watch Disney classics or The Valley of Gwangi on repeat, eventually making my own stop-motion animations with his video recorder, turning some of my action men and sisters’ Barbies into movie stars… I was clearly ahead of my time (laughs).
Regarding VFX, and I think this would be the answer for many people of my generation, seeing Jurassic Park for the first time was life changing. I couldn’t believe that this was an actual thing people did for a living. Then with the release of The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings and an accidental viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey, there was literally nothing I wanted to do more than be involved in filmmaking.
Did you go to film school?
I had never really considered it. It always felt like something only the elite got exposure to and instead opted for a local course, which I got a grant for to study computer visualization and animation at Ravensbourne. I was fortunate to win a place on Framestore’s internship scheme back in 2008, which helped focus me in the run up to the end of my degree.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
I have a few of those. However, I really enjoy watching people develop. Coming from a runner background I appreciate the journey people go through to get seen. To see people thrive and grow at the thing they love doing every day is a blessing to be around and be a part of and is absolutely contagious. I also love being in such a diverse industry. It is wonderful to have such a vast pool of talent from every corner of the globe and getting to converse with such an eclectic mix of individuals.
Can you name some recent work?
McDonald’s Christmas campaign “The List” directed by Tom Hooper
Dangerous Liaisons: Season 1
Dinosaurs: The Final Day With Sir David Attenborough
Britannia: Season 3
What tools do you use day to day?
Apart from my ears, eyes and mouth, it’s the usual 2D/3D applications. Shotgun plays into a big part of my day alongside other review applications like Frankie and CineSync.
Where do you find inspiration now?
Everywhere. That’s the wonderful thing about a job that changes day to day; you can draw your inspiration from absolutely anything.
If you are asking how I motivate the creative part of my aging brain, then it would be deep diving into my ‘80s Spotify playlist with some noise cancelling headphones and a pint of coffee.
What do you do to de-stress from it all?
Turning off the computer and getting out in the elements is always a healthy reset. A bit of gardening works wonders too, but top of the list will always be a big squeeze from my 2-year-old daughter.