DNEG’s Merzin Tavaria on the magic of VFX, its evolution, and talent crunch

Visual effects (VFX) tranforms the filmmaking process in ways that was unimaginable till some years ago. It allows directors to explore whole new levels of storytelling by formulating and designing new universes, environments, effects, and characters, that transport the audience into a new and immersive world and keep them at the edges of their seats, says Merzin Tavaria, President, Global Production and Operations, DNEG, one of the world’s VFX and animation companies for the creation of feature film, television, and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 8,000 people with worldwide offices. 

In this interview with Adgully, Tavaria dwells at length on the fascinating ways VFX changes the audience experience, and other aspects, including the fact that there is a lack of talent. Excerpts: 

What is the role of VFX in bringing the director’s imagination to reality?

The process of filmmaking commences with the director’s imagination and vision for the story. Until recently, boundaries were set on what could be captured by the filmmaker; by considerations such as the locations that he could travel to, the budget he had for the creation of sets and the hiring of extras, and the technology that was available. In recent years, however, the development and integration of visual effects (VFX) into the filmmaking process has allowed directors to explore whole new levels of storytelling by formulating and designing new universes, environments, effects, and characters, that transport the audience into a new and immersive world and keep them at the edges of their seats. The use of VFX technology has transformed the world of filmmaking, and spawned an industry of top creative companies that deliver these incredible experiences for audiences all over the world.

How is the evolution of VFX, augmented reality, AR, and VR dramatically changing the creation and consumption of films, and videos?

The evolution and development of VFX, AR, and VR has certainly opened up new avenues of storytelling that have enhanced and supplemented the experiences of movie audiences, creating more immersive and interactive touchpoints for movie properties and brands. These technologies are also helping VFX companies design and present the creative worlds that they are building for filmmakers, allowing for ‘virtual production’ developments such as the virtual scouting of locations, Vcam, Simulcam and virtual cinematography.

With India set to pioneer content creation through AVGC Task Force, how equipped is the country in terms of manpower and VFX infrastructure? Is India on par with the Western world in this regard?

The central government’s AVGC Promotion Task Force is an effective rostrum that has drawn attention to the importance of this sector and its contribution to the country’s economy. This Task Force has the ability to place India on the map alongside some of our industry’s largest global companies, driving growth and development in this domain and pioneering global growth for this sector. With its intention to establish a national curricular framework in the AVGC sector and enable skills development, the hope is that this task force will be able to improve training quality, and thereby improve India’s ability to produce international quality content.

Does India have cutting-edge institutions that impart world-class VFX training? What are the employment opportunities? How will training and education upscale the VFX sector?

Unfortunately, availability of talent is lacking within our sector. This industry requires a combination of skills in its workforce – creative, technical and innovative – as well as a thorough understanding of tools, procedures, processes, and technologies. This can require intense and thorough training. There is definitely a need for more formal courses to be created with a defined syllabus and engagement with VFX businesses for practical exposure and the right upskilling.

India has a large untapped talent pool, and here at DNEG we work hard to identify and train up the most creative and passionate individuals through our own training programmes, such as DNEG Greenlight. Here we provide freshers with the chance to work with and learn from a worldwide team and a vast knowledge base, as well as providing coaching, training and mentorship to our existing team members, helping them polish their abilities and learn new skills.

How ML, AI, and metaverse will take VFX into another level in the days to come? What will be the key emerging trends?

The VFX industry has constantly evolved and developed with the introduction and integration of each new technology, and machine learning and artificial intelligence are the latest in a long line of technological breakthroughs that support and advance the process of creating stunning imagery. Generative AI approaches will only become more powerful in the coming years, improving workflows and the efficiency of our teams. As for the metaverse, although it’s still being defined and developed, world-building forms a major part of it. Given the power, experience, and technical know-how of the VFX industry, and an increasing convergence between visual effects and gaming, I have no doubt that visual effects and animation companies like DNEG are well positioned to play a major role in shaping the metaverse.