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MillimeterBusiness of Effects Complex
Jan 3, 2003 12:00 PM, By Tim Sarnoff
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The business of animation and visual effects is a conundrum. Success in 2003 will be keyed to how a company manages the disparate forces that influence its best practices. The tactics that will carry companies through the year and well into the future balance long- and short-term projects and employ the development of precise management systems, the building of a deep and lasting talent pool, and the refinement of areas of expertise that attract the strongest projects.
The business seems to divide into three distinct areas: facilities of the largest size, scale, and capability able to handle multiple projects of enormous size simultaneously; medium-sized companies with a core competency; and small, niche companies that do specialized or mundane work. Companies that grow above a certain size face the greatest challenge because there is a Rubicon that requires skillful management and resources to cross.
At Imageworks, we seek ways to balance our productivity and creativity. One aspect involves being able to consistently tackle groundbreaking projects that require the development of new techniques that advance the state of the art. This generally involves projects of large size with longer production cycles. Another critical competency that we developed was digital character animation, and we elevated that role from building supporting characters to the creation of digital stars.
This character work typically involves us in the entire filmmaking process, from the earliest concept art through final finesse in postproduction. As a result, the production curve tends to be longer with a definable allocation of resources. The combination of these two kinds of projects results in a generally stable environment, with some less precarious peaks and valleys open for projects of shorter duration that come in and out in six months or less.
Providing continuous, high-quality projects that attract top talent to a permanent home will also become increasingly indispensable. As the best films grow more performance driven, and creatively and technically demanding, a company’s staff needs to share common language, experience, and software tools to create fluid, organic work.
Where does all of this lead? There seems to be a natural selection toward large, stable houses. Small shops with specialized skills will also continue to have a clear place in the workflow. The middle-ground of mid-sized shops is perhaps the most treacherous and challenging to manage.
In the end, we tangle with all the complexities peculiar to our industry because we love animation and visual effects, and want to have the chance to make films of which our children and families will be proud. If we do our job right, we will continue to do just that.
Tim Sarnoff is president of Sony Pictures Imageworks and has shaped its creative and business plan since joining as executive vice president and general manager in 1997. The Culver City-based character animation and visual effects company recently wrapped its most successful critical and box office year to date, with the release of
Spider-Man, Men in Black II, Stuart Little 2, and The ChubbChubbs, the company’s first all-CG short film.
