PETER WEBBER FILM DIRECTING Workshop 16-19 of December 2024 Online
MELISSA LEO ACTING Workshop 28-31 January 2025 Online
SEBASTIAN BARKER
DURATION: 2 days HOURS
18/19 . 01 . 2025
LOCATION: Berlin, Germany
PRICE: 599EUR (399EUR Until 9th October)
VACANCES: 25
CONTACT: filmlab@fest.pt
VFX IN FILM AND TV FOR DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS WORKSHOP WITH SEBASTIAN BARKER
This comprehensive 2-day workshop is designed to demystify the world of Visual Effects (VFX) for experienced directors and producers. The aim is to enhance understanding and collaboration between filmmakers and VFX artists and companies, ensuring a more time and cost efficient process but also improve the creative process. Participants will gain insights into the possibilities, how to effectively communicate with VFX teams, and the best practices for integrating VFX into their projects.
Day 1: Understanding the VFX Landscape
Morning Session: VFX Fundamentals
Introduction to VFX: An overview of what VFX entails, its various categories (CGI, compositing, motion capture, etc.), and its importance in modern filmmaking.
History and Evolution: A brief history of VFX in cinema, highlighting key advancements and influential projects that have shaped the industry.
VFX Pipeline: Understanding the VFX production pipeline from pre-production to post-production, including stages like concept design, previsualization, asset creation, animation, and rendering.
Case Study 1
Project Breakdown: Analyzing the VFX production focusing on the collaboration between the director, producers, and VFX teams.
Challenges and Solutions: Discussing the specific challenges faced during production and the innovative solutions that were implemented to overcome them.
Afternoon Session: Pre-Production Planning
Script Breakdown for VFX: How to identify and plan for VFX sequences during the script development phase.
Budgeting and Scheduling: Strategies for budgeting and scheduling VFX work, understanding cost drivers, and ensuring efficient resource allocation.
Storyboarding and Previsualization: The importance of visual planning tools like storyboards and previsualization in communicating the director’s vision to the VFX team.
Case Study 2
Visual Planning: Exploring the previsualization and storyboarding processes that helped shape the visually stunning worlds
Director-VFX Collaboration: Insights into how effective communication and planning ensured the seamless integration of VFX into the film.
Day 2: Implementing and Managing VFX
Morning Session: On-Set VFX Management
VFX Supervision: The role of a VFX supervisor on set, including managing practical effects, green screens, and motion capture.
Best Practices for Shooting VFX: Techniques for capturing footage that will integrate smoothly with VFX, including lighting, camera angles, and reference materials.
Real-Time VFX Tools: Introduction to real-time VFX tools and how they can assist directors and producers in visualizing effects during the shoot.
Case Study 3
Innovative Techniques: Discussing the innovative techniques used to capture complex VFX scenes, including the use of real-time tools and practical effects.
Afternoon Session: Post-Production and Beyond
Post-Production Workflow: Understanding the post-production workflow for VFX, including editing, compositing, and final rendering.
Review and Feedback: Best practices for providing feedback to VFX artists and ensuring that the final product aligns with the director’s vision.
Integration and Delivery: Strategies for integrating VFX seamlessly into the final cut and preparing deliverables for various distribution formats.
Case Study 4
Collaborative Review: Examining the iterative review process between the director, producers, and VFX artists to achieve the film’s stunning visual effects.
Conclusion: Moving Forward with VFX
Future Trends in VFX: A look at emerging trends and technologies in the VFX industry and their potential impact on filmmaking.
By the end of this workshop, participants will have a deeper understanding of the VFX process, enhanced communication skills with VFX teams, and practical knowledge to efficiently integrate VFX into their future projects, ensuring high-quality visual storytelling.
ABOUT SEBASTIAN BARKER
Sebastian Barker is a prominent force in the world of visual effects, co-founding the London-based visual effects boutique Automatik VFX. From his beginnings leading a small team out of hired space in the back of a nail salon, Sebastian has grown Automatik VFX into a facility of 100 across offices in London and Berlin. With more than 15 years of experience designing visual effects and growing businesses accross the visual effects and post-production industries, Sebastian has a breadth of knowledge that transcends visual effects alone.
Establishing Automatik VFX 10 years ago, Sebastian quickly established the company as a leading boutique in the visual effects industry. As the Managing Director, he prioritizes quality and client satisfaction, overseeing a vast range of projects while thriving in the role of VFX Supervisor. His involvement in The Post Republic UK as a partner further cements his status as a key player in the post-production and visual effects landscape.
Throughout his career, Sebastian has supervised and produced VFX for around 40 productions, recently playing a key role in high-profile projects such as Disney+'s Doctor Who, the Amazon Prime series The Wheel of Time, and Yorgos Lanthimos's Kinds of Kindness (2024). His work has also extended to feature films like The Wonder (2022) starring Florence Pugh, The Outfit (2022) with Mark Rylance, and Spencer (2021), where Kristen Stewart portrayed Princess Diana.
Sebastian's diverse portfolio also includes The Girl with All the Gifts, Outside the Wire and The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022), each showcasing his ability to adapt to different genres and visual effects challenges. Whether leading complex CG environments for fantasy epics like The Wheel of Time, designing period details for The Duke (2020), or bringing to life a world of military robots in Outside the Wire (2021), Barker's eye for detail and storytelling ensures that every frame is enriched with quality VFX work.
In addition to his supervision roles, Barker has executive produced five films, demonstrating his comprehensive understanding of both the creative and production aspects of filmmaking. His growth from working solo on smaller projects to overseeing large-scale productions for global platforms like Amazon, Netflix, and Disney+, showcases his drive, creativity, and vision in the ever-evolving VFX industry.
Sebastian Barker filmography speaks for itself and guarantees the high standards our participants have come to expect from FEST FILM LAB.
PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
This comprehensive 2-day workshop is designed to demystify the world of Visual Effects (VFX) for experienced directors and producers. The aim is to enhance understanding and collaboration between filmmakers and VFX artists and companies, ensuring a more time and cost efficient process but also improve the creative process. Participants will gain insights into the possibilities, how to effectively communicate with VFX teams, and the best practices for integrating VFX into their projects.
Day 1: Understanding the VFX Landscape
Morning Session: VFX Fundamentals
Introduction to VFX: An overview of what VFX entails, its various categories (CGI, compositing, motion capture, etc.), and its importance in modern filmmaking.
History and Evolution: A brief history of VFX in cinema, highlighting key advancements and influential projects that have shaped the industry.
VFX Pipeline: Understanding the VFX production pipeline from pre-production to post-production, including stages like concept design, previsualization, asset creation, animation, and rendering.
Case Study 1
Project Breakdown: Analyzing the VFX production focusing on the collaboration between the director, producers, and VFX teams.
Challenges and Solutions: Discussing the specific challenges faced during production and the innovative solutions that were implemented to overcome them.
Afternoon Session: Pre-Production Planning
Script Breakdown for VFX: How to identify and plan for VFX sequences during the script development phase.
Budgeting and Scheduling: Strategies for budgeting and scheduling VFX work, understanding cost drivers, and ensuring efficient resource allocation.
Storyboarding and Previsualization: The importance of visual planning tools like storyboards and previsualization in communicating the director’s vision to the VFX team.
Case Study 2
Visual Planning: Exploring the previsualization and storyboarding processes that helped shape the visually stunning worlds
Director-VFX Collaboration: Insights into how effective communication and planning ensured the seamless integration of VFX into the film.
Day 2: Implementing and Managing VFX
Morning Session: On-Set VFX Management
VFX Supervision: The role of a VFX supervisor on set, including managing practical effects, green screens, and motion capture.
Best Practices for Shooting VFX: Techniques for capturing footage that will integrate smoothly with VFX, including lighting, camera angles, and reference materials.
Real-Time VFX Tools: Introduction to real-time VFX tools and how they can assist directors and producers in visualizing effects during the shoot.
Case Study 3
Innovative Techniques: Discussing the innovative techniques used to capture complex VFX scenes, including the use of real-time tools and practical effects.
Afternoon Session: Post-Production and Beyond
Post-Production Workflow: Understanding the post-production workflow for VFX, including editing, compositing, and final rendering.
Review and Feedback: Best practices for providing feedback to VFX artists and ensuring that the final product aligns with the director’s vision.
Integration and Delivery: Strategies for integrating VFX seamlessly into the final cut and preparing deliverables for various distribution formats.
Case Study 4
Collaborative Review: Examining the iterative review process between the director, producers, and VFX artists to achieve the film’s stunning visual effects.
Conclusion: Moving Forward with VFX
Future Trends in VFX: A look at emerging trends and technologies in the VFX industry and their potential impact on filmmaking.
By the end of this workshop, participants will have a deeper understanding of the VFX process, enhanced communication skills with VFX teams, and practical knowledge to efficiently integrate VFX into their future projects, ensuring high-quality visual storytelling.
ABOUT SEBASTIAN BARKER
Sebastian Barker is a prominent force in the world of visual effects, co-founding the London-based visual effects boutique Automatik VFX. From his beginnings leading a small team out of hired space in the back of a nail salon, Sebastian has grown Automatik VFX into a facility of 100 across offices in London and Berlin. With more than 15 years of experience designing visual effects and growing businesses accross the visual effects and post-production industries, Sebastian has a breadth of knowledge that transcends visual effects alone.
Establishing Automatik VFX 10 years ago, Sebastian quickly established the company as a leading boutique in the visual effects industry. As the Managing Director, he prioritizes quality and client satisfaction, overseeing a vast range of projects while thriving in the role of VFX Supervisor. His involvement in The Post Republic UK as a partner further cements his status as a key player in the post-production and visual effects landscape.
Throughout his career, Sebastian has supervised and produced VFX for around 40 productions, recently playing a key role in high-profile projects such as Disney+'s Doctor Who, the Amazon Prime series The Wheel of Time, and Yorgos Lanthimos's Kinds of Kindness (2024). His work has also extended to feature films like The Wonder (2022) starring Florence Pugh, The Outfit (2022) with Mark Rylance, and Spencer (2021), where Kristen Stewart portrayed Princess Diana.
Sebastian's diverse portfolio also includes The Girl with All the Gifts, Outside the Wire and The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022), each showcasing his ability to adapt to different genres and visual effects challenges. Whether leading complex CG environments for fantasy epics like The Wheel of Time, designing period details for The Duke (2020), or bringing to life a world of military robots in Outside the Wire (2021), Barker's eye for detail and storytelling ensures that every frame is enriched with quality VFX work.
In addition to his supervision roles, Barker has executive produced five films, demonstrating his comprehensive understanding of both the creative and production aspects of filmmaking. His growth from working solo on smaller projects to overseeing large-scale productions for global platforms like Amazon, Netflix, and Disney+, showcases his drive, creativity, and vision in the ever-evolving VFX industry.
Sebastian Barker filmography speaks for itself and guarantees the high standards our participants have come to expect from FEST FILM LAB.
PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT
The workshop designed for Directors and Producers, or filmmakers interested in better understanding how to work with and budget for VFX on a production.
WORKSHOP LOCATION
Berlin, Germany
Duration: 2 days
10:00 - 18:00
Dates: 18th - 19th of January 2025
Location: London UK
Price: 599EUR (399EUR Until 9th of October)
Maximum number of participants: 25
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