From Optical Compositing to Virtual Production: Jim Rider's VFX Journey

Jim Rider shares his VFX journey from shooting miniatures to virtual production, offering insights into the evolution of visual effects in filmmaking. Discover the cutting-edge VP setup at Pier59 Studios and learn about the challenges and opportunities in modern filmmaking.📧 GET THE VP LAND NEWSLETTER Subscribe for free for the latest news and BTS insights on video creation 2-3x a week: https://ntm.link/vp_land📺 MORE VP LAND EPISODESFinal Pixel: How this virtual production studio lives up to its namehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0M0WVPv8w4From The Mandalorian to Pinocchio: Halon Entertainment's Insights in Virtual Productionhttps://youtu.be/OwwBMW6zbggBreaking Things to Learn: Inside RIT's VP Research & Educationhttps://youtu.be/wgFomkIYRnYConnect with Jim Rider and Pier59:Pier59 Studios - https://www.pier59studios.comLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pier59studiosFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/pier59studioInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/pier59studiosYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@pier59studios46Jim @ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-rider-6916771Jim Rider is a Visual Effects Supervisor and Virtual Production Supervisor with over 25 years of experience in film and television. After beginning his career shooting models & miniatures, Jim transitioned to compositing, working as an artist and then VFX supervisor at facilities such as Method Studios, Gravity and The Mill. As an independent Visual Effects Supervisor, some of Jim’s recent clients include HBO and Apple Studios. Some of Jim’s credits include: Titanic, Star Trek (TV series), Requiem for a Dream, Angels in America, Evan Almighty, The Adjustment Bureau, Tower Heist, Non Stop, Foxcatcher, Run All Night, Vinyl, The Deuce, and The Plot Against America.Seeing ICVFX as the perfect fusion of his VFX skills and years of on-set experience, since 2020 Jim has veered the ship of his career firmly toward virtual production, having worked as Virtual Production Supervisor at Final Pixel and now at the new Pier 59 Studios volume in Manhattan. Truly exciting times.#############📝 SHOW NOTES & SOURCESPier59 Studioshttps://www.pier59studios.comFinalPixelhttps://www.youtube.com/@_finalpixelMark Roberts Motion Control Ltdhttps://www.youtube.com/@mrmoco1Pacific Motion Controlhttps://www.youtube.com/@PacificMotionControlHTC VIVEhttps://www.youtube.com/@HTCViveQuasar Sciencehttps://www.youtube.com/@QuasarScienceKino Flo Lighting Systemshttps://www.youtube.com/@KinoFloLightingSystemsRosco Laboratories Inchttps://www.youtube.com/@rosco_labsPerforcehttps://www.youtube.com/@PerforceSoftwarestYpehttps://www.youtube.com/@stYpeTVMarwan Rassi / RETracker Blisshttps://www.youtube.com/@adorablemarwanWWEhttps://www.youtube.com/@WWEDisguisehttps://www.youtube.com/@disguise_oneCuebrichttps://www.youtube.com/@CuebricOfficialThe Garage / Steve Giralthttps://www.the-garage.tvFandomhttps://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Image_GXite Labshttps://xitelabs.com/portfolio/agt/#############00:00 Intro01:58 Jim's VFX Background07:17 Transition to Virtual Production11:26 Pier59 Studios Setup21:44 Camera Tracking Systems30:31 Pier59 Hardware Setup36:31 Unreal Scene Optimization48:23 WWE Promo Breakdown55:58 Gaussian Splats and AI in VP