Explain your role as if I have zero knowledge about it?
As I have joined a VFX industry, My role as a lighting TD is to enhance the mood of a scene technically as well as artistically. I have to create required lights in a 3D software to match the lighting of a raw footage. Lighting for a VFX shots need to be done not to make a scene look better but to mix a CG element with a raw footage in such a way so that no one can tell if it’s a CG or real. I have to match each elements such as light direction, relections, shadows, colors, intensity of lights and almost everything. As a Lighting TD I also have to make sure that the materials on the CG objects are as accurate as possible and are reacting properly to the lights. Once I have done with the lighting I have to Precomp to check if the lighting matches with the raw footage and if it fits well.
Breakdown your average day at work?
I start my work at 11:00 am and set the priority of the shots which is more urgent. This helps me to work efficiently and smoothly. Once I recieve the shot I have to check if everything is proper and in place as in the reference. Once everything is fine I start wiht the actual lighting. If there is something missing or something is not right I try to fix it but if there is anything major I usually ask my lead for help, I don’t take too much time to fix it myself as it may affect the deadline. The lead may already have the solution so it’s better to ask for help rather than fixing it myself so the workflow runs smoother. I have just recently joined DNEG so I can say that I don’t get many shots to work with. Once I am done with the lighting I have to check all the render passes, layer, render settings, output paths then I render it on render farm. Then I have to precomp it to make sure itmatches with the raw footage and then I send my shots for approval. Once approved, I can pass my shots to compositing department.
What was your educational and career journey into this role?
I did commerce after my 10th standard from Thakur college, Mumbai and I was unsure of what I am going to do. Then I decided that I’ll do Architecture studies, I also did some online courses and also did the Autocad training but then I realised that this is too technical. So finally I heard about the VFX industry then I took advice about the carrer opportunities in this industry from many people then I finally decided that I’ll do this. After my decision I did Bsc. in animation and VFX from Thakur toonskool advanced animation academy, Mumbai. In the first year we were thaught all the basics and fundamentals of a CG industry. It was a really important year. That year helped me boost my Learning skill. No one can stop you from learning if you know the fundamentals. On the very first day of our lighting training, I decided that the lighting is the best skill for me. Many people thinks we must have a degree to get a job in this industry but it’s not the 100% truth. I think technical skills and good ethics are enough to survive almost any industry. But I think if the artist plans to work abroad They may need to have a degree not that’s not a primary necessity. I got the job after almost 6-7 months after graduation due to the lockdown. There were very less opportunities. I then started working as a Junior lighting artist in KARCO animation studios. I worked there for 2 and half months then I got the opportunity to work with one of the largest VFX studios in the world ‘Double Negative’. I was really excited to work here. Now its almost a month after I joined ‘DNEG’.
What is your most favourite thing with your role?
think the ability to decide the final look of a shot is the best thing I like about my role. The overall look of a scene depends on a lighting artist. Lighting artists have a great responsibility to give justice to the models created by modellers.
What is the hardest part with your role?
The hardest part of my role is working hours as lighting stage almost falls under Post production so we have a tight deadline and also Rendering takes a lot of time and if we got any changes then again we have to tweak accordingly and render it again. But it’s fine if I enjoy the work.
What are the important skills to do your role?
Lighting is more complex than everyone thinks it is. I think the most important skill as a Lighting artist in VFX industry is to achieve realism and match lighting to a reference or mixing it to a raw footage. A good understanding of colors, PBR workflow, Principles of lighting and compositing are also very important skills to have.
If you could go back in time what would you do differently?
If I could go back in time I would again choose lighting and look development as an option because I am very much attracted to my role.
What are your recommended articles or videos to help someone get started with this role?
To get started as a lighting artist one of the most important thing is to understand the scientific and artistic theory of Lighting, There are thousands of videos on youtube which talks about these. I think youtube is one of the best platform to learn. There is a channel named ‘Ross Baxter’, This guy has many podcasts with junior to lead artists not only for lighting but also about environment artist, and many more. I always listen to these podcasts while I am working. This is highly recommended by me as it will improve the understanding of art, current situation of our industry, experiences of various artist from all over the world. I usually take inspirations from art station, cg society and also rookies is a very good plaatform for inspirations and uploading artworks. They have many weekly contests mostly from students. It is really a great place to improve the skills.
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