Budget Visual FX

Independent Production Studio.

First off, I must apologize for not updating my blog. I was pretty busy these past few days. Mainly because my grandmother was in hospital and I had to visit her everyday with my mother. Well she’s been discharged today and is resting well in her room. Bless all the souls who have shown concern for her.

I have also been busy researching and writing an article based on low budget visual effects. Most of my research materials are taken from CG networks and from various VFX forums. These articles have given me a fresh new perspective on the crucial ingredients needed to become a successful independent production company.

Let me share a little fantasy of mine. Ever since I saw tall corporate buildings, I have always wanted to have a company of my own. Back then it had to be a software company, but today I want to start up my own independent production studio. My love for visual effects has grown into an obsession. I am even starting to sound like a cultist when I go on and on about the wonders Maya can perform.

Another reason was also the fact that I never liked to work for people especially stupid people. The sad fact is some bosses in Singapore are so business minded they seem to lack the vital quality that defines our humanity. That is why I have always been vocal towards anyone who disrespects me and sometimes act like an arrogant fool.

Back to the topic at hand, today’s directors need to harness visual effect in order to thrive among the world best. So what better way then to start off then having your own low budget independent production studio.

Here are some tips I gathered that I wish to share with anyone who is interested in setting up their own independent production studio.

Building a better network
A crucial part of succeeding on low-budget productions is strong relations with those you'll work with. This means building a strong network with customers and third-party investors, which in turn helps to build the industry.

Working with customers
Personalized treatment and communication with customers during the production will establish a pipeline more suitable for smaller productions as well as independent productions.

Pipeline specifics
A pipeline based around low-budget filmmaking relies on years of experience and specific techniques developed by working on other low-budget productions. In this type of competitive environment, we have to adapt ourselves and find backdoors to keep the quality up and the cost down. Flexible workforce distribution and precise scheduling are two of the main factors in a successful low-budget pipeline.

Equipment specifics
Equipment requirements differ tremendously from those used by big-budget films. This happens because of the cheaper price range. Second, in low-budget filmmaking there is a lesser fear of new technologies or unproven techniques. The way we have set up our pipeline is to keep production digital from the beginning until release. There is also no more guesswork after doing film prints.

The source and end material is digital at all stages of production and kept in uncompressed linear format until the print of the movie. This alone saves more then 50% of VFX budget. Quality-wise, there won't be any difference in the ‘look' of a film. By developing knowledge in working with an all digital production, we have come up with techniques to make ‘digital' look like film.

Problem-solving
Preproduction is worked out in a problem-solving manner. This eliminates expensive production paths, and reinforces the ideology of low-budget filmmaking. R&D assets that have been developed over a number of years include some proprietary techniques as well as automated scheduling and budgeting programs. These factors also reduce the cost of preproduction.

Final product
The final product does not differ in quality from what we are used to seeing on the big screen. Generally, it is even better. The paths that independent filmmakers take are new, fresh and have not been walked upon. For creating new ideas and new looks, this type of filmmaking is by far the most flexible model, which works.

Low-budget ideology
The ideology behind low-budget film making, which is similar to the way industry works in Europe and Asia, is to have multi-skilled professionals adjusting to the current workflow needs of a specific production timeframe.

This ideology of adjusting for directors and producers on lower budget productions creates totally different possibilities. The way customers are treated in this model also creates greater trust for potential investors and producers.

As more low-budget filmmakers become aware of the possibilities provided by advanced imagery and digital technologies, the industry will grow and provide more opportunities for interesting low-budget VFX work. This will be different, but surely a better model with more creative freedom and enormous potential.