The visual effect pipeline...what you dont know about how vfx are made

When most people think of visual effects they typically think of rows and rows of tired looking Sheldon Cooper  lookalikes slaving over laptops and plasma screens. But that is only part of the picture so to speak. behind the rows of artists are teams of planners, production managers, it specialists

All of this hardware and man(and woman) power cumulates in what is commonly known as the "pipeline". In the digital world, everything that exists streams through this system.

In the early days of CG imagery in motion picture and television work such sophisticated systems of interlocking software programming in a production structure did not exist. But the unrelenting demands of a streamlined system to conform with the demanding schedules of Hollywood would be needed. In technology, adaptability is everything.

The definition in context to visual effects work is a system connecting elements or actions in series to create an element or in the context of visual effects work. At the beginning of every production, the digital effects team lead by the senior vfx producer will sit down and set up the pipeline. This will determine what software will be used, man-power, what order the work will be done, rendering needs, the workflow and what special software will be needed, etc. The pipeline structure can be found in many forms of production in addition to visual effects. This method is also found in software and graphic design and game creation.

Here is a great lecture on the "pipeline " structure for creation of the video game SpecOps: the Line

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/185852/Video_Spec_Ops_The_Lines_unique_visual_effects_pipeline.php#.UQ8c0Y4zcoR