Inside VFX Production: Anthony Chiarantano on Producing and Teamwork
We had a chat with VFX Producer Anthony Chiarantano about the fast-paced, detail-driven world of production and what it takes to keep projects on track. From juggling client calls and team check-ins to balancing creativity, technology, and strict delivery timelines, Anthony shared an inside look at the challenges and rewards of producing visual effects at scale. In our conversation, he opened up about the tools he relies on, how he supports his teams under pressure, and why adaptability is key when the unexpected happens mid-project.
AX: Can you walk us through what a typical day looks like for you during the height of production?
AC: The day starts with a team meeting to establish where we are at that point in time. It gives me and the show supervisor an opportunity to touch base with artists to make sure that they have everything they need to keep moving forward. This would consist of anything from plates, elements, references, or even answering questions to clarify the scope and direction of the shots that they are working on. The meetings are helpful in keeping the needed flow of communication for the whole team. This is in order to stay on track for delivery and budget for the project, since we are generally under very strict time constraints.
Throughout the day, I may have multiple conversations with the client to keep them informed about our current progress, when to expect deliveries, and to discuss any feedback they may have for us to adjust accordingly. I will also talk to our supervisors, coordinators, and artists to ensure that we are all on the same page and continually making progress in what is a very fast-paced environment. I am also constantly checking our database to see where everything is at any given moment, so that if we need to pivot or change priority, we can do so. That being said, I am always on the lookout for even minor things that may be missing or uncompleted so that we can remedy the situation right away to stay on course.
Throughout any project, there are various tasks to handle, including client pre-production calls, post-production calls, script breakdowns, spotting sessions, kick-off meetings, dailies sessions, estimates, bids, ingests, reference markups, and deliveries. These events can occur at any time, so scheduling is also a part of my duties. The importance of having a strong team that helps juggle these tasks is key to success, especially when handling multiple projects at once. Ultimately, our final goal is to make our clients happy by delivering great work within the allotted amount of time while also staying within the budget. This is what we strive for, so when it is time to call it quits for the day, you want to have that sense of accomplishment.
AX: What’s one tool, resource, or workflow hack you can’t live without?
AC: I have picked up some tricks along the way working at different companies throughout my career. Everyone has slightly different workflows, so it is great when you can share some things with co-workers that they may not have recently known about. Even simple things like exporting CSVs from a shot management tool and using all that data to fill out Excel sheets or bid templates. The same can be said utilizing this method in reverse by importing said data to the shot manager. It just saves a lot of time not having to manually input loads of information so that I can move on to the next set of tasks.
For a VFX producer, the most important “resource” is to have an excellent coordinator or associate producer. There are so many moving parts happening all at once, so it is integral to have someone that you can count on to be in your corner. I have been in plenty of situations in my career where I didn’t have a coordinator at all and managed multiple projects on my own. I made it work and everything went well, but all I can say is, two brains are better than one. It is also very nice to have that camaraderie when you are in the “trenches,” so to speak. I am going to name-drop Natasha here! Thank you for being awesome.
AX: How do you think AI and emerging tech are changing the VFX producer’s role?
AC: For VFX producers, from my personal experience so far, I would say it hasn’t really made any big changes or differences in my daily work routine yet. Some producers or production in general may use it to help them write emails or take automated notes from calls and meetings. I haven’t done that, though. Not that it isn’t helpful, but I guess I’m just old school. It is a very polarizing topic across the board at the moment, and especially in the VFX community. Hopefully, AI will help out as a useful tool in the end, especially for artists to expand and complement their own individual talents.
AX: When you’re brought onto a project, what are the first three things you need to figure out before you can set your team in motion?
AC: Honestly, it is as simple as “What are the specs? What is the budget?, and when is it due?” From there, I can start devising a plan with the team to make sure that we can deliver the project within those required parameters. We want the client to be confident and stress-free in knowing that the final product will meet and hopefully even exceed their expectations. Specs are a big deal as a first step to make sure that we set up a proper workflow and pipeline to ingest and eventually export all of the media. The budget can and will dictate the type of technical method/ approach that we use and give us the knowledge of what type of artist team that we will have to assemble, all while still delivering something high-quality that the client will enjoy.
Finally, most importantly, the due date. This takes a lot of thought and planning behind the scenes before and during the course of the project. This includes choosing personnel, technical strategy, internal scheduling, and meeting milestones, to name a few. In order to adhere to that date, which in some cases is very strict, none of these aspects can be ignored. VFX lives or dies by that all-important delivery date, so everyone has to do their part and be well prepared. It is one of the overall aspects of my job to make sure that happens and we succeed.
AX: Have you ever had to pivot mid-project because of unexpected challenges?
AC: Yes, on more occasions than I would like to admit! All projects are different for a multitude of reasons. One thing remains the same, that we work in a creative business, art at its core can be a difficult thing to try to nail down because art has no right or wrong. It is all subjective for better or worse. Obviously, this applies to all the people creating it as well, if not more so, aside from the general audience that will be watching it. This grey area can make for some interesting pivot points along the way to a project’s completion. The nature of the business is always fast-paced and is constantly changing throughout the entire process from start to finish. Sometimes challenges arise and alterations are made that can affect the script, filming, or editing, which ultimately causes the trickle-down effect to us in VFX. There are cases where even with all the planning and preparation in the world, certain unforeseen circumstances arise. From there, we all just have to do our best to change course and navigate to finding a different, and on occasion, more favorable outcome due to a surprising “happy accident.” There are always twists and turns as a project evolves, and being adaptable, knowing that anything could happen, is just part of the business.
AX: As a producer, you’re not just managing projects, you’re managing people — what’s your strategy for keeping a creative team feeling supported under pressure?
AC: This is a very prominent aspect of the job. I have been very fortunate to work with so many great people throughout my career. Teamwork is paramount to making everything work, so I am grateful to work alongside so many amazing professionals. Some of which I have even grown friendships with over the years. My approach is to be personal. Let my team know that I am there for them and that they can feel comfortable confiding in me. Building a great rapport with your coworkers and also clients will help everyone succeed in our common goals. If they have a problem, I want to be able to help them fix it. Constructing a mutual respect always makes for good professional relationships. We all work very hard, so it is important to let people know that we are all in the same boat together and we will support each other to get through even the most trying of times. I have loved sports since childhood, and growing up a die-hard Philadelphia fan. I think I've been able to transfer what I learned from playing in team sports to the workplace.
AX: VFX involves balancing creativity, technology, and logistics — how do you keep all three aligned?
AC: It can certainly be a difficult task at times. None of these aspects can be ignored to complete a project. They go hand in hand during the creation process, but they can also cause opposition between one another. Part of the answer depends on the project. Some work is more straightforward than others. Some are more on the creative side. Having an open dialogue with the client really helps me and the supervisor understand what is most important to them, which helps us keep the balance. We formulate a plan and tailor it to what they want and need from us in each specific case, so it is always a little different.
AX: Was there a project or film early on that made you say, “I want to do that”?
AC: As far as film in general, I would say that Goodfellas was a huge inspiration for me to be involved in the industry. Martin Scorsese has always been my favorite director and still is. Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Casino, and The Departed are on my list of all-time favorite films. Stanley Kubrick, Sergio Leone, and Akira Kurosawa, to name a few, were incredible inspirations as well. Funny enough, I have always tended to gravitate towards more traditional/ independent filmmaking and the use of practical effects as opposed to visual effects, which I ended up being involved with in the long run. That being said, I still have a lot of appreciation for what goes into the process of making otherworldly visuals a reality through VFX. Some of my early experiences would include the likes of James Cameron’s Terminator 2 and Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, which I think still stand up pretty well.
AX: Sometimes small details make the biggest difference — can you tell us about a specific shot or sequence you obsessed over that paid off in the final cut?
AC: The devil is in the details. Especially the small ones. I would say yes, there are specific instances that I could recount, but it applies to all of my experiences in features and episodics in some way. This is what I do with my team on a daily basis, so working through creative sequences by guiding them through my perception of where we need to be comes partially from experience and an overall understanding of the client’s mindset toward the tone/feel of the work. There may always be a difference of opinion when it comes to creating these subjective pieces of work.
If I were to mention one example, it would be a long “oner” sequence for an episodic where we had the task of making over a dozen shots seamlessly look like one whole take with cleverly hidden cuts that went beyond pure editorial adjustments. Think Hitchcock's Rope or Inarritu’s Birdman. There were also quite a few Marvel features that needed many revisions, which felt great to complete after many sleepless nights. In general, it is natural to obsess over your own personal projects because it is your art and you strive to make it perfect if you are a creator and have that passion to make something that will impress the viewers and hopefully invoke some kind of emotion or thought.
AX: Producers often act as the bridge between artists and clients — can you give an example of how you’ve translated technical VFX language into something a client could connect with?
AC: It is something that I do on a daily basis for the most part. Technical terms for what we are actually doing can be broken down into a simplified version overall. It is almost like being a translator between two different languages. Some clients have a great knowledge of the lingo already. If they don’t have much experience working with VFX, I try to help educate them with the terminology and process in which we create these effects. In general, it seems like most can get a good grasp and are very appreciative of it since it will help them move forward, as with other future endeavors. When taking feedback from a client, they may not have the technical terms down, which is understandable. However, it is up to me and the show supervisor to be able to interpret that info and pass it on to our artists.
A client may say, "This element looks a little too much,” which may sound vague, but then for us, it turns into “reduce the overall effect by 30%, decrease the opacity a bit, and centralize the effect closer to the actor’s face,” for example. It all becomes second nature after doing it for long enough. It’s really all about being able to have really good communication with your team and the client, which we are always looking to achieve and improve upon.