Life in VFX studios turns out to be a great mix of creativity, modernity and cooperation with fantasy and technology to produce the magic seen on screen. The actual tale of VFX is told behind the scenes where the combination of intricate processes, skilled artists and high end software finally brings the directors’ dreams to the big screen. For all those who consider movies with digital effects as a source of inspiration or are just interested in knowing more about VFX career paths, the first step to get acquainted with this captivating world is taking a look at the VFX production workflow and understanding how VFX training can boost your trip.

Behind the Scenes: The VFX Production Process Explained

The VFX production process is a series of coordinated steps involving concept, execution, and refinement:

Pre-Production & Planning:

Every project has various stages starting from brainstorming, research and planning technical approaches. This stage involves the initial discussions between directors, VFX supervisors and artists to decide software, techniques and the overall style. Storyboards and previz help in visualising complex sequences before shooting begins.

On-Set Data Gathering:

The VFX team is responsible for capturing reference photographs, material scans, camera tracking information, and sometimes even actors’ motion capture data during the film shoot, which is done to make sure the digital assets incorporate perfectly into live-action shots.​

Asset Creation:

The artists do the work of modelling, texturing, and rigging digital characters, environments, and props. However, the digital builds are not the only ones taking part of the movie process as they are called the “actors” and “sets” that will fill in or enhance the scenes later. Moreover, animators provide the characters with movement, which in some case is hand-keyed while in others motion capture technology is used to get lifelike results.​

Simulation, Effects & Animation:

FX artists faking things like explosions, water, cloth, smoke, and particle effects. Animals are driven in a way that they run, express feelings, and get involved, whereas the lighting artists make sure everything has the same look as the real-life atmosphere of the film.​

Rendering & Compositing:

The final images are rendered, and the compositors mix everything from digital and live sources together. Colour grading, adding atmospheric effects, and making digital assets indistinguishable from what’s been filmed on set are all part of this process. The polishing of every frame is done to make the illusion seamless.

Behind the scenes of VFX Studio

Life inside a VFX studio involves intense collaboration, creative problem-solving, and adaptability. Artists move quickly between different roles—one day building creatures, another day animating a chase, or handling last-minute changes from directors. Tight deadlines and multiple projects are the norm, but the thrill of transforming the impossible into reality keeps the team motivated and inspired.​

VFX Workflow in Movies

The typical VFX workflow for movies go like this:

• Pre-visualisation (Previz)
• Data collection on set
• Asset creation: 3D modelling, texturing, rigging
• Animation and FX simulation
• Lighting and rendering
• Compositing and final polish

This ensures that every digital effect is preplanned, executed, and then fitted into the story with precision.​

Course Fees

VFX course fees in Kolkata depends on the institute and the duration of the course, typically between ₹1 to ₹3 lakhs for professional diplomas, with some short-term courses costing less than ₹1 lakh. The top institutes allow for the payment and provide placement assistance, which makes the investment more feasible for students whose career goals are movies, advertising, gaming, or broadcast media.​

Top Institutes in Kolkata

Some of the top VFX institutes in Kolkata are:​

• Arena Animation
• MAAC Academy
• Techno India University
• Amity University
• Xavier’s College

These institutes have a good reputation based on their successful alumni, modern curriculum, and close ties with the media and entertainment industry.​

If you want to be a behind-the-scenes artist, or are simply fascinated at the thought of visual magic creation; then, entering a VFX studio and getting into the right course might just be the key to this booming industry.