The evolution of VFX: Steve Preeg returns for CG Garage’s 500th episode

Steve Preeg was one of the first guests interviewed for CG Garage, and it is fitting that he would return to celebrate the remarkable milestone of the podcast’s 500th episode! To walk down memory lane, have a listen to episode 3 here. What has changed since the days of working on land usage cases, legal animation, Tupac holograms, and digital humans for films like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Tron: Legacy? Dive into the 500th episode recap to find out.

Summary

• In the past decade, Steve shares that the VFX industry has evolved with virtual production, broader use, but also greater audience scrutiny, making careful planning essential to enhancing storytelling.
• Real-time rendering enhances pre-vis and post-vis by creating a more polished look earlier in production, reducing reliance on render farms for background elements, and accelerating the animation approval process.
• AI is rapidly evolving in filmmaking, making tools more accessible and enabling individual creators to generate entire films, though authentic artistic storytelling will remain essential.
• Newcomers should embrace new technologies, understand filmmaking language, and ensure their visual effects work aligns with the director’s vision and overall story.

Career transition from Digital Domain to MPC

VFX Supervisor Steve Preeg transitioned from Digital Domain to MPC following his work on Cats. He then worked on Call of the Wild before embracing Rescue Rangers for its ambitious script and extensive VFX, including 1,200 unique characters and a late-stage human-to-cartoon transformation.

Visual effects: Changes in the last 10 years

Steve reflects on how VFX was so challenging in the past that every shot had to be meticulously planned in advance. This is not the case nowadays. Of course, now, with virtual production, everyone is aware of its many advantages but forgets that it requires earlier decision-making—a critical step that many people dislike. In his view, poor decision-making and being rushed are essentially what affect the quality of visual effects. Weak storytelling also often leads to misplaced blame on the visual effects team.

AI in filmmaking

AI tools are advancing rapidly, and Steve acknowledges that they will likely play a significant role in the future of filmmaking. Their potential uses include making the filmmaking process and tools more accessible to creators worldwide and enabling individuals with great ideas to generate entire films on their own, much like what open-source filmmaking has done but on a whole other level.

Advice for newcomers to the industry 

Steve’s primary advice to aspiring VFX artists is to be open to learning and understanding the language of film and filmmaking. They should understand how their work fits into the overall story and try their best to grasp the director’s vision and what is expected of them.