VFX or Visual Effects are sometimes confused SFX or special effects. SFX are mainly practical (done in real life and actually recorded on camera), while VFX are done digitally. Video effects Artists mainly spend their time in their VFX software. There are many fields within VFX such as :
- Illustration
- Chroma Keying (using green screens)
- Stop Motion Animation
- 2D & 3D Motion Capture Animation
- 2D & 3D Animation
- Compositing
- Modeling/Sculpting
- Rigging
- Character Animation
- Environment/Physical Effects (explosions, fog, smoke, set extensions, destruction)
- Rotoscoping (tracing over motion picture footage)
- Tracking
- Camera Matching
-(Lesley University)
Many of these categories bleed into CAD designing seeing that nowadays, VFX is including more and more CGI (computer generated Imagery) which is mainly created using CAD softwares. The ones that don’t however, are very similar to the video editing process. Before they can begin working on the shot, the VFX team must organize clips and label them in an organized manner . One of the main differences between VFX and Video Editing is that while Video editing mainly deals with a large amount of shots and sequences, the visual effects artist will work on a select few shots (most of the time only one) and will spend an immensely long time on just those shots; which then will be delivered to the video editor who will then thread those shots together in a coherent manner.
the process of VFX includes :
Assessing footage, scrubbing through timeline (window that shows sequence of clips), dragging clips, inserting effects, creating new elements to add to the shot, creative problem solving, shot tracking (tracking a clip to attach a digitally created element to a moving object), compositing, detailed and precise mouse positioning to move objects, elements, and frame point to a precise location, color correction, and frequently playing and re-playing segments of clips.
The VFX process uses a heavy combination of the mouse and the keyboard. The mouse is used mainly to drag, navigate, scroll, and make adjustments. Technically speaking, although it would take more time, aside from naming clips the entirety of the VFX process could be done with only a mouse. The biggest use of the keyboard is the use of shortcut commands for efficiency, and the input of numbers to attain exact values for certain effects.
References
Lesley University. (2020). Visual Effects (VFX) at the College of Art and Design. Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://lesley.edu/visual-effects
FilmRiot. (2020, September 10). Teleport like The Umbrella Academy (VFX Tutorial). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iDnTaf-d90
Renée, V. (2014, December 03). SFX vs. VFX: Two Effects Artists Discuss the Differences Between Practical & CGI. Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://nofilmschool.com/2014/12/sfx-vfx-two-effects-artists-discuss-differences-between-practical-cgi