Assistant Visual Effects Technical Director

On an assistant visual effects technical director apprenticeship course, you’ll help provide technical assistance, troubleshoot workflow issues, and manage data and resources.

A visual effect is any imagery created, altered, or enhanced for use in moving media. For example, they mix live-action film with computer-generated graphics to create images that seem realistic but would be dangerous, costly, or just impossible to capture during live-action filming.

As an assistant visual effects technical director, you will be in charge of various technical support functions to ensure the smooth operation of a visual effects project, such as supporting and troubleshooting pipeline and workflow tools, assisting creative departments with technical issues, and managing data and resources.

You’ll learn to use various industry-standard graphical programmes, scripting languages, and operating systems. In addition, you’ll be able to assist projects by gathering artist requirements, developing solutions, and implementing small-scale tools following established employer workflow criteria.

What you’ll learn

On an assistant visual effects technical director apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:

• Select and apply software tools and techniques.
• Use techniques to reduce source material degradation (for example, colour correction concatenation and single-step filtering on transformations)
• Use appropriate VFX vocabulary.
• Create Quicktimes
• Use disc management and general procedures for data transmission inside the internal system.
• Convert, resize, and rename files in several formats.
• Finalise archiving and data restoration from archives.
• Render queues are tracked, modified, and reported on.
• Monitor and report on the usage of render resources regularly.
• Recognise render issues and fix/escalate them as necessary.
• Recognise, collect, and transfer data to and from different systems.
• As required, manipulate and link multiple data sets.
• Run database queries across many tables to retrieve data for study.
• Demonstrate how to develop efficient tools and how to improve the efficiency of existing ones.
• Create adaptable tools so you can respond quickly to changes in the brief.
• Bid/estimate the amount of time tasks will take accurately.
• Control computer-generated geometry using mathematics.
• Gather specific requirements from target consumers.
• Create attractive solutions that fit the brief while remaining extensible.
• Present your proposed solution and respond to any criticisms.
• Examine existing solutions or frameworks.
• Create and document a development roadmap.
• Write high-quality code (logic) using the appropriate syntax in at least one language.
• Investigate particular artist/TD input, output, or archival problems.
• Utilise current pipeline frameworks and libraries to create small-scale utilities.
• Recognise, repair, and escalate computer hardware problems as required.
• Create, transmit, and store data per the company’s network and server needs.
• Determine the limits or needs of computer hardware for specific tasks.
• Use the software package that is industry standard and required by the department.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• A-levels or equivalent level 3 qualification in a moving picture- or art-related subject, as well as English and maths at level 2. Employers may also ask for an online portfolio.
• Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this before taking the end-point assessment.

Assessment methods

The End Point Assessment comprises four distinct assessment methods: 

•  Timed knowledge test 
• Synoptic competence activity 
• Portfolio  
• Structured interview 

Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion

Apprenticeship standard

More information about the Level 4 Assistant Visual Effects Technical Director Apprenticeship standard can be found here.

Apprenticeship end point assessment

For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.