Practical first, fewer shots
Practical-first plates kept The Odyssey's shot count low, yet the Cyclops still needed heavy augmentation. Bids for similar work should price plate clean-up and editorial prep, not just final shot count. Pipeline write-ups are also useful references for creature and compositing budgets.
- Andrew Jackson & DNEG Embark on a Different Journey with 'The Odyssey' · Animation World Network Shows a sole-vendor DNEG job where a low shot count hid 260,000 frames of augmentation: price the prep, not just the count
- Godzilla Minus Zero publishes its VFX breakdown and shows its pipeline · foro3d.com A pipeline breakdown on a kaiju made with limited resources is a usable reference for tight-budget creature bids
- Moana: Weta FX Brings Te K? and Te Fiti to Life in the Epic Third Act · artofvfx.com Credits Weta FX with the prologue, storm and third act sequences on Moana, a guide to how big sequences get split
Update: Nuke Stage and the Mac
- Foundry’s Nuke Stage now supports macOS · provideocoalition.com
AI and VFX costs
A cinematographer is publicly saying AI could cut VFX costs on big productions. It is one voice, not a trend, but clients may hear it. Expect questions on where machine learning can replace outsourced clean-up work.
- Matthew Libatique Says AI Could Cut Marvel’s VFX Costs, but Doubts It Will Use AI Actors · mezha.net Libatique names glare correction as machine learning work that could replace cheap offshore labour, the sort of task you may be asked to reprice
Franchise money
HBO's Harry Potter series is reported to rank among its most expensive, per early estimates. If so, it may mean sustained creature, environment and virtual production work, with vendors competing early for key sequences.
- HBO prepares a Harry Potter series with a record budget · foro3d.com A reportedly record-level series budget suggests creature and environment work, and early positioning for sequences may matter for bidding
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