How to Become a VFX Artist for TV and Film

Special effects have taken over the entertainment industry. It is an in demand career as virtually every summer blockbuster, children's film and video game requires special effects. Here is how to become a special effects artist.

Things You'll Need

• Media background
• Training with several software programs
• Internship
• College degree
• Website

Instructions

1. Watch as many films as you can. Write down all the special effects you see. Think about how you would create those. Ask important questions. What was good about them? What could have been done better?

2. Purchase software or get access to software programs such as adobe after effects, 3DS Max, Photoshop and others. Learn to manipulate images and video and create things from scratch on these programs.

3. Take college courses that will teach you these skills and more as well as storytelling classes and film aesthetics/history classes. Broaden your spectrum of media, and study everything.

4. Get an internship at a production company doing special effects work if possible. If not then get an internship at any production company just to learn more about the business and get your foot in the door. There are also a lot of post production houses not affiliated with production companies that sometimes offer internship or entry-level, part-time employment.

5. Set up a website with some of your work. Have business cards made and give them to everyone you meet. Go to networking events and film festivals, especially during your senior year of study as you will be looking for a job and people will hopefully be looking to hire you.

6. Tell everyone you meet to check out your website. Apply for as many positions as you can find. You'll get a job somewhere if your work is good. Once hired, do amazing work and put in a lot of hours. You will move up and get to where you want if you want it enough. Good luck.

Tips & Warnings

• Get as much experience as you can.