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The VFX Factor: Chris Tobin on a VFX Artist’s Bread and Butter

08/08/2022
Post Production
London, UK
255
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Absolute's senior Flame/Nuke artist on why virtual production is so exciting and how the pandemic helped improve his multi-tasking skills

Ever since he was a teen, Chris Tobin had a fascination with all things technology, media and design. This cemented itself in his teens, where he began a degree in post-production at Ravensbourne. A two-week internship at Absolute mid-degree propelled him towards the shining lights of Soho, and he’s been a part of the team at Absolute ever since.

During his eleven years at Absolute, he’s worked on a myriad of VFX-heavy projects, collaborating with directors such as Gary Freedman (Lidl, ‘Always’), and Andreas Nilsson (Meow Wolf, ‘Convergence Station’), as well as offering VFX supervision on set. Chris’ favourite type of project involves a balance of 2D compositing and stylised CGI, allowing him to jump between Flame and Nuke to best suit the job.


LBB> There are two ends to the VFX spectrum - the invisible post and the big, glossy 'VFX heavy' shots. What are the challenges that come with each of those?

Chris> Invisible post is a VFX artist’s bread and butter. It’s the ‘fix it in post’ oddities, like removing wires, tidying a hairstyle, or cleaning glass. It can be repetitive, but it’s an integral skill for that final finesse. Often, the most challenging part of this sort of post is time constraints: completing a large number of shots in a short time frame. 

The glossy VFX shots? These are a place for artists to thrive creatively. All VFX artists love getting their hands on these sorts of shots, but the challenge I often find with this kind of work is deciding when a shot is finished. It’s that strive for total perfection which can sometimes make it difficult to know when to stop! Time management is important – you don’t want to be spending extra hours on something without adding any additional visual value.


LBB> As a VFX person, what should directors be aware of to make sure you do the best possible job for them?

Chris> I think this really depends on the job in question, however I think pre-production is such an integral stage for a VFX-heavy project. Involving a VFX Artist/post house as early as possible can really help iron out any difficult shots. Pre-vising sequences has become a key step before a shoot which really minimises potential issues down the line and having a VFX Supervisor on set for those really complex shots is conducive to a flawless outcome.


LBB> VFX is a true craft in the classic sense of the word. Where did you learn your craft?

Chris> I suppose you could say I’m born and bred at Absolute. It all started in 2011 on a 2-week internship from Ravensbourne University. A month later, I was jumping into the hot seat to assist the likes of David Smith, Phil Oldham and Ben Robards on real client projects.

I worked my way through the ranks, learning all the basics. There were certainly some character-building moments along the way – such as rotoscoping feet for a good month or so… Having the foundations, but also experts around me to quiz daily, really helped propel me forwards quite quickly. Shout-out to Owen Saward, Zdravko Stoitchkov and Chris Chitty for all those late nights guiding me through Flame setups…


LBB> Think about the very, very start of a project. What is your process for that? Do you have a similar starting point for all projects?

Chris> I think I start with the same process for most projects: Organisation first. 

Initially, I’ll bring all the elements together - whether that’s Macbeth charts/lens grids/clean plates conformed or all shots exported for the team to get started.  Once that’s in place, my next step is to work out what shots will suit the Artist in question. 

If it’s a larger scale job, a meeting either in person at Absolute or on zoom to discuss the project in depth is key. We’ll work out a game plan for some of the more complicated shots and figure out which ones we need to combine techniques on.  


LBB> We imagine that one of the trickiest things with VFX is, time issues aside, deciding when a project is finished! How do you navigate that?

Chris> Quite often, when building the timeline, there are certain milestones you hit. Gaining first renders and a pass across all shots is so important. This can flag straight away any shots that are going to need extensive work and ascertain those that just feel right. 

I think deciding when a project is finished comes down to a team overview. When working on something for weeks, a fresh set of eyes counts for so much. Even daily reviews with the whole team can really iron out the creases within a sequence. Once personal lists of tweaks on an individual shot start to become minimal, the finish line is in sight. 


LBB> Is there a piece of technology or software that's particularly exciting you in VFX? Why?

Chris> Virtual production. 

The idea of green screen being a thing of the past and live compositing on set being a possibility is very exciting. 

The TV series, ‘The Mandalorian’, is an impressive example of this. I’m excited to see how this manifests in adland.


LBB> Speaking of that, how have you navigated your role during Covid? Was there a big shift to remote? Tell us about your experience.

Chris> Thankfully, Absolute were one of the few companies who had already moved all machines off-site a couple of years prior. That said, it was still an extremely complex process for Engineer Tom Spenceley; making sure everyone was able to take home screens/tablets and PCIOP boxes was no simple task for a company of 50+. 

From never being able to work from home to doing it for three months solid at the start, was not without its challenges. A major one I remember was adjusting to communicating via Slack, Zoom and phone calls. However difficult this transition was, we still managed to deliver and produce a number of large-scale jobs amidst all the uncertainty.


LBB> Are there any lessons you've learned / experiences that you've had from working during Covid that you'll be looking to keep with you once things hopefully get back to some form of normality?

Chris> I’ve definitely become better at multi-tasking! Pre-COVID, I’d never heard of Slack, but with the new hybrid work model, it’s an integral communication channel for all staff, whether they’re WFH or WFO. 


LBB> How did you first get into the industry? What was your very first job in the industry and what were the biggest lessons that you learned at that time?

Chris> My introduction to the industry was through a work experience placement at Absolute as part of my course at Ravensbourne. I had some very basic knowledge of Autodesk Smoke and a keen interest for all things post-production. Once I had my foot through the door, I quickly started spending more time at Absolute - 2 days a week honing down my roto and paint skills ended up with me leaving Uni early to start full time as a Flame Assistant. Heading to Soho and working on adverts for brands such as Lipton, Carlsberg and Bet 365 just didn’t compete with any university project I was making. 

I think the biggest lesson I learnt was to be inquisitive; ask questions, take notes, and implement that knowledge along the way.  


LBB> What was your first creative milestone in the industry – the project you worked on that you were super proud of?

Chris> A job that will always sticks with me is a promo I worked on for Bonobo. I created unusual effects and made rocks and people float around. This was the first time I really got to play around with different techniques and had the freedom to come up with ideas. Learning the foundations is of course key but reaching that point where I could finally elevate my knowledge and progress creatively was really rewarding. 

Second to that was being a part of my first Netflix show, Maniac, starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, back in 2017. Spending days compositing microscopic DNA strands with endless 2D elements really gained me a great understanding of Flame and all the tools available to blend footage together. 


LBB> From a VFX perspective, which ads have you seen recently that you've been particularly fond of and why?

Chris> B&Q ‘Flip’, from Oscar Hudson. The rotating building gives it a real feature film production value, whilst adding some extremely realistic background visual effects/debris and dust just brings it all to life seamlessly. It’s a nice idea which is executed very well. 

 

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