Technical – Effects Technical Director
The effects technical director work to make sure that anything requiring effects like water, fire, explosions or computer generated effects will work well within the VFX Shot, the FX TD will work with the VFX Supervisor to make sure these effects can be done in the sets in production, and are responsible for creating the tools for their VFX Artists to use to create these Effects in a scene. It’s an FX TD’s job to make sure that effects look seamless on a plate when composited, such as creating smoke or fire on an object.
An FX TD must be excellent in problem solving as every project will have a unique and different way of solving it. FX TD’s must also have good time management and researching skills, as they’ll need to build these ways to create FX On time before a shot is needed. FX TD’s should be proficient in things like Houdini, Substance painter and Maya, but also things like C++, Java and Python in creating tools. The average salary for a TD FX is 66,842 pounds per year.
Sources: Role Info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/technical/effects-technical-director-fx-td-visual-effects-vfx/ More role info: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/fx-technical-director Salary Info: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/uk-vfx-technical-director-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN2_KO3,25.htm
Technical – Assistant Technical Director
Assistant Technical Directors are the trouble-shooters and problem solvers of a VFX Studio and work to assist pipeline TD’s to get a pulse so to speak on each department and gather info. While an Effects TD Solves large problems related to FX, Assistant TD’s solve problems that arise for artists and deal with bug reports / creating small scale tools for artists, while pipeline TD’s deal with larger issues like rendering errors that may be caused from a fundamental flaw in the renderer or project file. Assistant TD’s also work as data management similar to what some runners do, resizing files when needed, archiving files and restoring data and keeping the servers clean and spacious.
Assistant technical directors will need to be problem solvers, providing support for artists and designing scripts for use in software. Assistant TD’s are expected to be profficient in computer science, Linux OS, Python scripting and be excellent in communication to communicate properly with artists. The average salary of an Assistant TD is around 26,279 pounds per year.
Sources: Role Info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/technical/assistant-technical-director-td/ More Role Info: https://jobs.jobvite.com/double-negative-visual-effects/job/oc0Uefw4 Salary Info: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/assistant-technical-director-salary-SRCH_KO0,28.htm
Technical – Software Developer
Software Developers are the coders of a VFX company and design the systems in which TD’s use to help Artists with their needs for a VFX Shot. Software Developers will create scripts (Usually Python) For use in shots or needs on projects that work in programs like Maya, Nuke, Flame or Unreal to create systems that improve workflow. These software developers will mostly do RnD to create ways for artists to work more efficiently. Below is an example of some of the RnD done by a software developer.
A software developer must be good at innovating and creating things, while also taking into account other’s perspectives like the VFX Artists. Software developers should be proficient in computer science and python, and can make up to 70,000 to 80,000 pounds per year.
Sources: Role Info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/technical/software-developer/ More Role Info: https://levelup.gitconnected.com/break-into-the-visual-effects-animation-industry-as-a-software-developer-d32592bbb202 Salary Info: https://www.client-server.com/job/Software-Developer-Python-VFX-3/
Technical – Pipeline Technical Director
A Pipeline Technical Director makes sure the train runs smoothly so to speak when going through the pipeline of VFX in regards to the technical side of things, Pipeline TD’s will make sure that all artists technical needs are and work to solve them, they work closely with the RnD of software developers to make sure they stay on top of new technologies, and monitor what is the most effective way for the studio’s pipeline to run. An example of this would be in which a VFX Company I previously worked at, an artist had an issue with animating a system of different objects together, we didn’t have a pipeline TD, however this artist created his own python script to assist in making this animation a lot easier. With a pipeline TD, this problem would have been solved by them as opposed to the artist taking his time to address this issue.
A Pipeline TD Must have a fundamental knowledge of the Program they are attempting to solve issues for, and must have excellent problem solving and communication skills. A pipeline TD Should be proficient in Python and C++, As well as any other coding languages that may be dependant on what the studio uses. A pipeline TD’s average salary is around 50,224 pounds per year.
Sources: Role Info: https://www.ftrack.com/en/2021/09/what-is-a-pipeline-td.html More role info: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/visual-effects-vfx/technical/pipeline-technical-director-td/ Salary info: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/pipeline-technical-director-salary-SRCH_KO0,27.htm