VFX Production 1001

Improve your understanding of the VFX Production to help artists achieve their briefs and the success of a project

VFX Production is an on-demand course where we will cover how Production fits into the world of VFX and how to manage such projects. The recordings are from a previous LIVE class held in March 2025 (excluding the Q&A sessions).

We’ll start by giving an overview of a typical VFX pipeline* and see how data is passed from one stage to the next. We’ll then take an original CAVE Academy script and examine its requirements for VFX.

Following on from this, we’ll introduce you to Flow Production Tracking (formerly ShotGrid) and see how it is used on a daily basis for tracking VFX projects. This will include looking at how to setup a project in FPT, project bidding and crewing, scheduling work and then tracking the data and managing targets, and much more.

*When enrolling on this course, you’ll also be provided with access to CG and VFX Overview 1001 which will provide you with a deeper understanding of the VFX pipeline.

By the end of the course, you will be more confident with the tools and familiar with the processes of coordinating a project.

Course Details

Type: On-demand
Level: Beginner
Lessons: 08
Duration: 15hrs
Format: Video on-demand
Tools: Flow Production Tracking (formerly ShotGrid)
Prerequisites: CG and VFX Overview 1001
Course Access Time: Lifetime

Industry partners

Lessons in this course

01. What is VFX Production? Roles and Responsibilities

We'll be kicking off the course with a breakdown of what VFX Production is and how it fits into the wider VFX pipeline.
02. Breaking Down a Script for VFX

The first task of any VFX production is to take the script and break it down to figure out what the requirements are for the project. This round-table discussion will explore how to break down a script and discuss some of the considerations you should bear in mind when VFX is required. Once we have broken down the script, we'll look at the number of VFX assets and shots we'll require for the project.
03. Project Bidding and Crewing

In this lesson, we'll discuss the different stages of Bidding and how to go about handling such a task for a project. Once we have a breakdown for the requirements of the script in terms of Assets, Shots and we've done the bidding. Let's figure out what crew we need to complete the project.
04. Scheduling the Work

With the crew in place, we now need to go about putting a plan together to ensure the work is completed on schedule and budget.
05. Status Tracking and Targets

With a project running in full swing, it's important to put a structure in place to track the work and to be accountable to client targets. Here, we'll look at some workflows to support the project tracking.
06. Scheduling Shots

In this lesson, we'll continue our scheduling in ShotGrid with a focus on shots.
07. Vendor v Client Side

Here, we'll look at the differences between VFX production for a vendor and for a client.
08. VFX Production Onset

In this lesson, we'll look at the role of VFX Production on the film set.