Kevin Lingenfelser is a freelance VFX supervisor hired as the VFX head of department for bespoke film and television projects. His many credits include Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and The Orville, the latter of which also earned him an HPA Award for Outstanding Visual Effects – Episodic.

Let’s find out more about his process and path to becoming a visual effects supervisor…

What does being a freelance VFX supervisor and head of department entail?
I oversee all visual effects from preproduction, production and post production, including script breakdowns; budgeting; hiring of all VFX vendors; on-set supervision; and working with other HODs, directors, showrunners and producers. I work with vendors to achieve the most authentic and creative shots possible for every project, all the way to final and QC.

How long have you been working in VFX and in what kind of roles?
It’s been 33 years since I was first hired as a digital artist for Cinesite’s 4K restoration of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Then I made a name for myself in frame-by-frame wire, object and scratch removals long before procedural techniques were available. Then I was a compositor, compositing supervisor, DFX supervisor and finally, in 1999, VFX supervisor.

After Cinesite Hollywood’s closure in 2003, I was hired at Digital Domain and worked there as a compositor, lead and DFX supervisor on and off until 2013. After that, I pivoted to episodic television, working with FuseFX as a VFX supervisor and compositor for seven years before deciding to pursue production-side VFX supervision.

How has the VFX industry changed in the time you’ve been working? What’s been good? What’s been bad?
In 1993, most, if not all, VFX were done in Los Angeles. The Harry Potter films started the global proliferation of VFX, which was a good thing, but shortly after, rebates and incentives followed, and they continue to plague the artists in our industry.

Do you like being on-set for shots? What are the benefits?
I do like to be on-set for any large-scale or complex VFX plates, especially if it allows me to collaborate with makeup, special effects and the camera to ensure we are getting the best of both practical and CG VFX.

Have you worked on any virtual production projects?
Man on Fire included some driving sequences shot on the LED volume in Churubusco, Mexico City.

What big trend do you see happening now or on the horizon? Is it AI?
There are still so many people in this industry who do not truly understand AI and what it can and can’t do. It is a powerful tool for producers to use for shot tracking, budgeting and scheduling. Being a traditional 2D artist myself, I believe the human element and the aesthetics of “wabi-sabi” can never be replicated by AI.

Did a particular film inspire you along this path in entertainment?
At 6 years of age, Star Wars had a huge impact on me, but Alien awakened my love of creature design.

Did you go to film school? Art school?
After graduating from high school in 1988, I had been looking for any art school that specialized in comic book art. I was a huge fan and found the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in Dover, New Jersey. I was one of 300 students accepted into the class of 1988, and I graduated in 1991.

What’s your favorite part of the job?
I enjoy translating a writer’s or director’s ideas into realistic visuals that serve their story and vision. It’s rewarding when people tell me they are fans of any film I have contributed to over the years. Fans frequently mention Space Jam or the shot I created for the “death of Beckett” sequence in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Also, unexpectedly, Waterworld.

If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
I’m a huge gamer and often thought about pivoting to game development at some point.

Can you name some recent work?
I just finished the recently released Man on Fire, and before that were Resident Evil and Shadow and Bone Seasons 1 and 2 — all at Netflix.

What tools do you use day to day?
I’m Mac-based and use my iPhone for on-set data capture, Sony DSLR, Foundry Nuke, Adobe’s Photoshop, After Effects and Premiere, Mocha and traditional pencil and ink art.

Where do you find inspiration now?
I find inspiration in the films and TV shows I watch. I love watching South Korean and Malaysian films. I watched anime long before it was popular and before it was called “anime.” Video games are also a big influence.

What do you do to de-stress from it all?
I will draw, though not as much as I should. As previously stated, I play video games as a sort of release. And I love going to see films in theaters, the way they were meant to be seen.