It’s hard to imagine the modern blockbuster movie scene without the visual effects that make it happen. From elaborate concepts like alien worlds and creatures to more mundane things like stunts and backgrounds, computer effects are an essential part of nearly every production. While we think of movies as a non-Canadian, Hollywood affair (sometimes shot in Toronto and Vancouver at best), it turns out this country is actually one of the main sources Hollywood taps when it needs those green screens filled in. In fact, if creating visual effects is something you’re looking into, a Canadian career in Digital Visual Effects will connect you to a booming industry full of professionals. Here are some more facts about Digital Visual Effects in Canada:
We have a thriving digital effects industry
Our government talks about how Canada has a thriving digital media industry, one that employs over 50,000 people, generating $7.5 billion annually. One reason the country’s become such a hotbed of activity is that we have some of the lowest business costs for companies that want to operate here.
Canada’s reputation as a visual effects industry leader isn’t new, and was reported on as far back as 2009, as this CBC story reveals, reporting on Soho VFX in Toronto (which is still a place you can get a career at!), and how they’d been working on then-current X-Men and Hulk movies (they’ve worked on plenty of other Marvel projects since then, as well as other blockbusters).
For another example, Lucasfilm moved into Canada a few years ago, as this Globe and Mail article reported. From their Vancouver studio, they’ve worked on effects for Star Wars (obviously), Jurassic World, Ninja Turtles, Transformers, and other blockbuster films, making it another big name you could become a part of.
We have a history of known, and sometimes award-winning professionals
Here’s just two examples out of many: Have a look at this profile of Robert Munro by the Canadian Film Centre. He’s currently involved in the television series The Expanse and has also worked on shows like The Borgias and The Tudors, and movies like Splice. He firmly believes that effects should be subtle and unnoticeable, and look like a part of the real world, instead of existing for the spectacle alone.
Another Canadian professional who’s won awards for his efforts is Cameron Waldbaur, whose work as a special effects supervisor was profiled by the Motion Picture Association of Canada. He's been nominated for an Academy Award for X-Men (again!), which was also partially filmed in Quebec.
You don’t have to move to Vancouver to get into the industry
If you're in Ontario, Centennial College’s Digital Visual Effects program is the best option. It’s the only program in the province that’s a two-year college diploma. It’s taught at our Story Arts Centre, near the downtown core Toronto, which contains major VFX studios like Soho VFX, mentioned above.
The campus contains labs equipped with modern hardware and software, so you’ll learn the industry-standard techniques and core skills used by the professionals in this very country to make photo-realistic visual effects. Since digital effects are just one part of the whole process of making a movie or television show, you’ll get to collaborate with students in the campus’s other programs, such as animation, game design, photography, broadcasting, music, art and theatre.
The program does two things to better connect you with the industry after graduation. Firstly, as a final project, you’ll demonstrate all the core skills you’ve learned through producing a marketable demo reel and promotional which can be used to apply for jobs. Secondly, you will go through a field placement in the final semester to better connect you with the booming visual effects industry, leading you to become one of those homegrown Canadian professionals yourself.
By Anthony Geremia