It started as a vision to project what the VFX business would become: high-end visual effects services instantly accessible to content producers anywhere. Six years later, Engine Room, a veteran Los Angeles VFX studio, now hosts QuickFX.com, a complete cloud-based VFX service platform curated and operated by a team of veteran VFX supervisors, coordinating an expansive and seasoned pool of industry artists.
“QuickFX is about the future of VFX production and the VFX business,” says VFX Supervisor Dan Schmit, Engine Room’s founder. Having organically grown the platform on the tough lessons learned from running a fast paced VFX shot pipeline for close to two decades, QuickFX offers a new option that allows forward thinking content producers, both inside and outside of Los Angeles, to seriously up their VFX game.
“In this quarantined world, the paradigm shifted 180 degrees, from studios requiring their VFX companies to have a physical facility, to that same asset becoming a liability, especially for the vendor who has to shoulder the cost. Suddenly, there is more safety with remote teams that are spread out,” according to Schmit.
“While a lot of VFX production has been produced remotely for years, to us the key is how teams are connected. What’s different about our service is that its been built to unite clients and artists in seamless collaboration.”
Engine Room, the production muscle behind QuickFX, brings a 19-year history in Hollywood, where it produces thousands of visual effects shots each year for movie studios, broadcast, streaming networks and advertising.
Having been around long enough to witness the decades-long flight of visual effects post-production work from California, Schmit is especially interested in keeping work local.
“The end-goal is to deliver great VFX shots, fast and affordable, making Hollywood more globally competitive.”
By lowering costs through streamlining, systemization, and instant connectivity, working with QuickFX, allows independent Hollywood artists a way to compete in today’s international market.
“Our clients get the advantage of knowing that we are choosing the right experienced people for their project. It’s all about the talent, which we have an abundance of here in Los Angeles, the birthplace of the VFX industry.”
The unique QuickFX.com, runs on the AWS cloud platform. It is a complete VFX ecosystem allowing content makers to launch VFX projects from any computer to get fast quotes, greenlight jobs, review shots and receive final delivery, much of which can be managed through any mobile device.
“While there are other management platforms out there for VFX,” says Schmit, “QuickFX, as a service interface, is specifically focused on both the production side and the business side of VFX. We have an e-commerce component allowing producers to pay with credit card or purchase order, all from within their project portal. Everyone is working within the same interface.”
QuickFX custom VFX services include cinema level compositing of green/blue screen, screen replacements, 3D CGI effects, light effects, fire, light, explosions, crowd duplications, cosmetic work, paint effects, sign replacement, set extensions, sky and weather continuity, custom graphics over picture, in service of any creative vision.
The VFX market is growing, with content producers cropping up in every corner of the globe. To this point, Schmit added: “Through QuickFX we bring a unique skill set to every production. We are especially excited to have built a powerful new bridge that connects us to anyone making shows, films or content.”
Engine Room is TPN compliant, and both Engine Room and QuickFX are Disney-Marvel content security-approved.
