Interview with VFX Supervisor & YouTuber Alfie Vaughan

Alfie became a VFX lead at 23, moving quickly into a supervisor role soon after. He has also amassed over 70,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, where he shares tutorials and the latest tools for VFX artists. Alfie has worked at The Mill, Coffee & TV and most recently moved to Rascal.

Essential Tools in Visual Effects

Alfie highlighted the importance of graphics tablets, like those by Wacom, as a staple in the visual effects industry. “The tactile element of the pen rather than clicking with the mouse is like a night and day difference,” she said. The addition of ultrawide monitors has also transformed the workflow, providing extra screen real estate for managing timelines and settings more effectively.

But despite the advances, Alfie identified a significant gap in the market: a universal tool for streamlining the outsourcing process in VFX. Currently, the manual process of preparing files for outsourcing can be cumbersome and time-consuming. “I always think someone should make a tool that is just like an interface that you can just do it automatically,” he suggested, hoping for a simpler solution that many companies could adopt.

The Double-Edged Sword of AI

The conversation naturally turned to AI and its impact on creativity and production. Alfie noted that while AI tools democratise access to creativity, they also flood social media with “AI slop”—content lacking depth and quality. “The barrier for entry is lower, but then the ceiling is like just slightly above that,” he observed, highlighting the challenge of maintaining high standards in an increasingly accessible landscape.

The rise of AI has also changed client expectations. Alfie shared that many clients are now requesting dual quotes for projects, one traditional and one AI-driven. While the AI approach is often cheaper and faster, it sacrifices some level of control and quality. “You can’t necessarily go back and tweak stuff,” he explained, emphasising the learning curve clients face in understanding the limitations of AI-generated content.

New Tools on the Horizon

Despite the challenges, Alfie is optimistic about new advancements in technology. Tools like Magic Mask in DaVinci Resolve, which leverages AI to simplify rotoscoping, are making a significant difference in his workflow. “It saves me a lot of time because I don’t want to be sat down drawing around myself for hours,” he remarked, highlighting how these innovations empower individual creators.

Industry Reflections

As the discussion wrapped up, Alfie reflected on the current state of the visual effects industry. While there are still closures and challenges, there’s a sense of resilience among studios. “Companies do kind of rise and fall,” he noted, suggesting that the industry is in a constant state of evolution.

These insights remind us that the landscape of visual effects is both exciting and complex, shaped by technology and the human touch. For a deeper dive into these topics, and more, watch and listen to the full episode on YouTube or Spotify.