Category: NEWS

BOT VFX is proud to announce that team member Bala Morarji has successfully completed the Unreal Fellowship program with Epic Games. 

Bala Morarji, a 3D Supervisor at BOT VFX, was selected to join a recent cohort in the Unreal Fellowship for individuals, a very selective training course where the students spend ten hours a day for a month mastering the intricacies of Epic Unreal Engine. 

What follows is an insider view into this experience, drawn from a recent conversation that I (Ramya K of BOT’s Talent Management team) had with Bala. 

As we both grab our cups of coffee for a tête-à-tête on his prestigious Unreal Fellowship, Bala Morarji grins over his coffee cup, clearly excited to share his story. 

And so it begins

I was one of 100 fellows taking the Unreal Fellowship classes at the same time. We were divided into 5 groups of 20 people each, and each group had a mentor. And that’s how all this started!  One of the greatest benefits of being in this group is working alongside other VFX artists from around the world. And even after the classes are over, the group and the Unreal mentors will keep interacting and learning together. 

The capabilities of Unreal are vast, and touch on all departments. This was a major time to learn the other side of Unreal – how flows are created, what goes on behind the behind-the-scenes. The key takeaways were vast. Getting this understanding of the Unreal mechanism was mind-blowing! 

Scope of the Fellowship training 

There was so much covered! Key areas were the background of what has been done in the VFX industry and what the future holds for the VFX industry, how one can work with texture & lighting with ease, motion capture animation, and content creation. Virtual Production, however, was the main focus. While the process was already familiar to all, this gave an in-depth knowledge of the working process and how the workflow is managed.

On balancing work-life-study

Oh it wasn’t easy, but I enjoyed the process through and through. I’m not sure I could have done this without the support of my team. I still would do about 4 to 5 hours of BOT work in the daytime, and then the Unreal sessions were completely during the nighttime. 

On how the classes went

We just didn’t have theory sessions, we had demo classes, practice sessions, lab sessions, and mentor sessions. There was so much for us to learn and grasp in a short period of time. We were given projects to work on, and sessions based on how we were performing in the projects. 

Our sessions generally started from a basic level, moved on to the intermediate level, and then we moved on to the final level. Each teaching session lasted about three hours, and then the fellows worked independently on their projects. For my part, I would also spend 1 hour each day to review what we had learned. By the end of week, we would have the one-on-one with our assigned mentors. This way, we never had to start a fresh week with doubts in our heads.

Bala’s take on VP 

I wouldn’t give a hands-down “yes” to Virtual Production. And it’s not as easy as it sounds. All over the world, there are about a 100 to 120 setups of Virtual Production. In general, VP can be done in three ways – you either have LED or Green Screen or VCAM. In the current scenario, it would be ideal to work on content to be used on LED screens, with compositing that will be used for Virtual Production. Once VP is adopted, work is expected to become much easier. 

Do we have cons with VP?

Sometimes, close up shots cannot be kept. The LED lights might become visible when you do that. Some cinematographers do not like the set up. For shooting snow clad shots, some become creative only when you are in the natural setup. VP might make some people lose their creativity, but this would not be the case for all. 

So, what are the pros of VP?

Unreal had only been in the gaming space till the last 2 to 3 years when they moved into the VFX space. With Unreal, you have the advantage of seeing the output right from your home. Given the pandemic, this is a great time to make use of this software. The shooting location gets to have fewer people, which is especially important right now. Also, Unreal software is not an outsource – meaning that it is freely downloadable and customizable. So what I download and customize, can be used only by me for my shots. 

Where else can we use Unreal?

That would completely be based upon studios and their budgets. Previs is something that can be done. The Indian VFX community has already moved into Previs, or Techvis depending upon their budgets. Roto, prep, and matchmove have been the sustenance quotient for India so far, but with Unreal, collaborative projects can be taken up and this will help the CG department enhance itself. 

What does all this mean to you?

This (he says with a glint in his eyes) is my starting point. I now have all the ground materials and my learning has just started. This one month of training in the Fellowship was a huge foundation and I have a basic understanding of what Unreal software can do. How I enhance it is something that completely lies with me. I intend to enhance my knowledge and keep taking training sessions on the Unreal Engine!

Zameer’s take on Unreal @ BOT

Just as we take our first sip of coffee, Zameer Hussain, BOT’s Creative Head, joins our small party with his own cup of coffee. We ask him what this means to the company: “BOT is gearing up with making use of Unreal for its regular CG needs and for engagement with our clients for assisting on virtual production. Along with Bala, who has a head start with his Unreal fellowship training, we have also enrolled 15 artists going through hands-on training sessions from Unreal,” he proudly reports. 

“We are pretty impressed with the options Unreal gives as ready-to-use libraries from the marketplace and customizable options for the same. There’s a lot to explore,” Zameer concludes, as we empty our coffee mugs, sanitize our hands and leave for home, confident of a fascinating future in the brave new world of virtual production. 

 

Embracing the (un)Real Impacts of Virtual Production:  BOT is now immersing itself in the new arena of virtual production by engaging in training from Epic on its Unreal Engine.  

As virtual productions gain a foothold in the way content is shot, there is emerging a wide-ranging impact in pre-production, production and post-production.  VFX professionals need to embrace these changes in the process and the underlying technology, and BOT has begun to do just that with the help of Epic Games. 

With its roots in the gaming world, Unreal Engine is now inserting itself into the evolving film production arena.  The real-time photoreal capabilities of the engine make it ideal for live integration of the virtual world into the physical set, and capturing it all in-camera.  

Over 15 of BOT’s leads, supervisors, and artists are eagerly engaged in an 80-session training program that spans several months.  The team has already completed several of the sessions and have begun to understand the enormous potential of the tool.  The sessions are hands-on and involve live exercises.  “It’s one thing to know about the power of the engine, but another to be able to get instant gratification of seeing great results of some experiment live in real time,” observes Srikanth S., BOT 2D Supervisor who is participating in the training. “It’s a paradigm shift for most VFX artists.”

BOT Team Member Selected for Unreal Fellowship:  Epic Games has recently opened the Unreal Fellowship for individuals, a very selective training course where the students spend ten hours a day for a month mastering the intricacies of Epic Unreal Engine. BOT is proud to announce that Bala Morarji, a 3D Supervisor at BOT VFX, has been selected for the Unreal Fellowship beginning in April. After completion of the course, graduates get continual updates and support, in addition to working with top minds from the industry around the globe. We wish tremendous success to Bala Morarji as he pursues his latest challenge.

Stay Tuned!  As the training wraps, we’ll update you on the exciting stuff we’ve learned and explored.  

The Los Angeles chapter of VES has been pouring a lot of love onto their members during these long months of lockdown.  Undaunted by limitations, their co-chairs Frederick Lissau and Reid Paul have found a lot of creative reasons to meet up online:  show screening events, professional panels, happy hours on Zoom, and Zombie Octoberfest. They’ve even had in-person meet-ups for drive-in movies, in actual vehicles – socially distanced, of course! 

Their latest convo was “Trivia Night: The Sequel” on January 27, 2021. BOT VFX was pleased to sponsor this event. Cash prizes were awarded to the Grand Winner, Dan Browne, and top contestants Carol Madrigal, Jan Hybrechs, and Stephen Hwang. Congrats to the winners! 

 

And the first place goes to BOT VFX!”  With these thrilling words, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) announced the winners of the 2020 Young HR Manager Competition:  our very own bots Vinitha Krishnan, Muhil Vahini Pandi, and Ramya Kalyanaraman. All of us at BOT VFX extend our hearty congratulations to these energetic leaders. 

The year was 2020, a year unlike any other. Faced with unique threats, the survival instinct deep in the heart of the BOT began to stir. Two top priorities quickly emerged:  the health and safety of everyone in the company, and keeping their jobs alive as well. 

Vinitha, Muhil, and Ramya sprang into action like HR superheroes, directing their teams to engage home-bound bots in a rich variety of initiatives. Immediately after lockdowns began, every bot got a one-on-one phone call from someone on the HR team. “Aren’t you going to tell me I’ve lost my job?” the bots queried nervously. “Of course not!” was the confident answer.  Ramya remembers, “We were horrified they even thought that could happen. We were so glad when we heard a laugh of relief on the other end of the line.”  

Also early on during the COVID crisis, the HR team supported the company-wide challenge of solving work-from-home technical and content security challenges.  “It was an all-hands-on-deck situation,” recalled Muhil. “The company’s survival depended on it.”

Then, a series of employee engagement initiatives, unique to BOT VFX, began. There were games and competitions, family events, Life Skills sessions, and motivational Power Talks. The monthly Town Hall went virtual. Career growth and VFX skill development classes made strategic use of downtime due to industry-wide lockdowns. Vinitha observes, “We made sure there was something for everyone to connect with, grow with, and enjoy.” 

As a result of the steady supply of encouragement, the bots’ trust and motivation got stronger day by day. Stress levels went down. In the newly-virtual world, team connections made a comeback. The end-of-year Happiness Index revealed that over 80% of BOT employees rated their well-being and job satisfaction as Good or Excellent. 

“Vinitha, Muhil, and Ramya displayed creative leadership when we needed it most,” observed Shaswati Chowdhury, BOT’s Head of Human Resources and Administration. 

Deepak Bohra, BOT Co-Founder and Director, shares, “This recognition from CII belongs not just to us in the Talent Management team, but to everyone on Team BOT. It truly signifies what we aspire for, to be a company with ‘art and a heart’. Kudos to Ramya, Muhil, and Vinitha for this win, and for personifying the heart of BOT VFX.”

The Young HR Managers’ Competition, co-sponsored by CII and IFMR for the southern region of India, provides a platform for young HR Managers to exhibit their talent, leadership skills, people management skills, knowledge, experience, professional prowess and creativity. The Competition showcases their contributions at the workplace in the field of Human Resource Management (including Employee Relations), that have clearly and substantially impacted business performance of the enterprise.

 

BOT VFX has upped its game with the recent addition of VFX veteran Sean Pollack at its Atlanta office.  Sean is a creative innovator with a three-decade track record of groundbreaking work on a host of award-winning projects. Sean joins BOT as an Associate VFX Supervisor, bringing a solid base of experience, both as a creative leader who helps artists get shots over the goal line, as well as a multi-talented on-the-box artist who can jump in when needed. 

Pollack gained his credentials at facilities such as DreamWorks, Turner Broadcasting, Crafty Apes, and Tyler Perry Studios on projects ranging from animated feature films Antz and Oscar-winning Shrek, to Visual Effects and design on award-winning feature films, commercials, and episodic TV.  Equally comfortable as VFX Supervisor, Creative Director, CG Supervisor, Technical Director, 3D Generalist and Compositor, he elevates the work with his creative and technical vision.

Sean combines a traditional art background with nerd know-how to solve any challenge.  He is feeling right at home with his fellow bots who share his high value for the pursuit of continual improvement and professional excellence. “I really like trying new things, not playing it safe, to always be open to better ways.” observes Pollack. “The BOT culture champions this approach. We’re a family here, learning from each other, doing great work together, and enjoying the ride.” 

“We’re excited to have Sean on-board,” remarked Hitesh Shah, CEO & Founder of BOT VFX. “What attracted us to bringing him onto our team is that, in addition to his wealth of experience and his creative eye, Sean brings a calm demeanor and clear methodical approach that’s important in delivering work in an creatively demanding environment.” Shah also noted that Sean’s presence in the Atlanta office also offers an East Coast time-zone advantage to many of BOT’s clients in North America, making creative collaboration possible during their workday, when much of the India team is unavailable.

When not immersed in artistic challenges, Sean can often be found sipping chai and munching on snacks.

On March 7, 2020, VES Vancouver members put on their dancing shoes and fancy clothes for the VES Vancouver Awards Gala, honoring local nominees and winners of 2020 Visual Effects Society awards. 

BOT VFX is proud to have been the Gold Sponsor for this first-ever celebration, attended by more than a hundred industry professionals at the Waterview in downtown Vancouver. The sparkling venue with its expansive view of the waterfront and mountains set the tone for an elegant evening of cocktails, canapes, and dancing into the night. 

BOT’s CEO, Hitesh Shah, donned his red bow tie for the special occasion of awarding BOT’s raffle prize, an iPad Pro, to the winner Mitja Mueller-Jend, Compositing TD at Digital Domain in Vancouver. The BOT also had a festive presence in the form of a featured Cosmopolitan cocktail masquerading as “COSMOBOT”. 

The Vancouver section of the Visual Effects Society has been active since 2006, giving local VFX artists and production professionals a gathering place for encouragement and inspiration. 

Hetal Jain, BOT Executive Producer, recalls: “What a fun night! Congratulations to the nominees and winners of the 2020 VES Awards – Kudos to the VES Vancouver Section (Sue Rowe, Steve Garrard, Matt Krentz and especially Gayle Munro) for putting it all together. We are glad to have been a part and supported it. See you next year!”

BOT VFX is proud to announce the opening of BOT VFX ACADEMY in Coimbatore, India, where students will be trained in the skills essential to the visual effects industry. “Our growth comes from growing our base of artist talent, and over the years we’ve seen a sharp rise in students interested in visual effects. So we have built a facility geared towards training such raw talent,” said Deepak Bohra, Co-Founder and Head of Business Affairs of BOT VFX. “We located the facility in Coimbatore to attract students from the city and the surrounding region who might not otherwise make it to our Chennai facility,” he expanded. 

The academy will provide between three to nine months of training to students in the areas of rotoscopy, paint-prep, and matchmove.  The training will focus on not just the principles and the software tools, but will also include a significant amount of practical training from seasoned leadership who have had many years of production experience.  “We want to produce a trained talent pool that is equipped to handle the challenges of live production by the end of their training. To that goal, we’re investing in the people and the pipeline, and providing practical experience so that the artists are ready to hit the ground running when they’re done,”  explained Sreyans Bardia, Co-Founder and Director of BOT’s India Operations. 

This school has been certified as an education facility in the state of Tamil Nadu in India, and first opened its doors in October 2019. The Academy is also associated with the Media and Entertainment Skills Council and the Ministry of Skill Development, India to offer paid apprenticeships to candidates.  Several industry-leading software makers are supporting BOT Academy, including Foundry, maker of the compositing software Nuke. 

Those interested in the BUILD-A-BOT internship at BOT VFX ACADEMY can apply here.