VFX supervisor

The job

There are two kinds.

Production VFX supervisor: works for the production. You break down the script, design the approach with the director, shape the budget with the VFX producer, choose vendors and supervise every VFX shot on set. Then you review every vendor's shots until final.
Facility VFX supervisor: leads one vendor's work on a show, guiding its artists and answering to the production supervisor.

Both need art and engineering in equal measure.

A typical day (on set)

Check the day's VFX shots with the 1st AD and DoP before the first set-up.
Agree where bluescreen, tracking markers and reference are needed.
Watch rehearsals and advise on camera moves for later work.
Direct data wranglers: lens data, HDRIs, reference photography, LIDAR scans.
Talk to SFX and stunts about what is real and what is added.
Note any shot that has changed and its effect on the budget.

In post, the day is reviews: dailies with vendors, notes, and approvals with the director.

Skills

Photography, cameras and lenses, understood properly.
Broad knowledge of every VFX discipline, from roto to CG.
Budget and schedule awareness.
Clear communication with directors, DoPs and producers.
Making quick, sound decisions on set.

Reporting lines

A production VFX supervisor reports to the producers and works to the director. The VFX producer is your partner on money and schedule. On-set supervisors, data wranglers and, contractually, the vendors report to you. A facility supervisor reports to the facility's head of VFX and to the production supervisor.

How people get in

There is no direct entry. Supervisors come up as senior artists, often compositors or CG supervisors, and supervise small shows or sequences first. Some start on set as data wranglers and on-set supervisors.

Next step up

VFX supervisor is the head of department. Progression is to larger productions, overall VFX supervision across a series, or creative leadership at a facility.

Every effect planned, shot for and delivered, from script to final.