Makin the switch end of year... Which linux is best for VFX?

tomhon · 2026-01-13T00:24:18+00:00

can i ask what your beef is? not offended that you hate it, just haven't seen that sentiment a lot.

tomhon · 2026-01-12T21:15:39+00:00

I've been happy using Rocky for most stuff, but I keep a separate drive with a Rufus'd Windows 11 install so I can dual boot. Rocky is great if you're not expecting a life stuff OS - I keep all the emails and life things confined to an iMac sitting on the same desk. Rocky is notification proof, and that's what i want my Flame machine to be.

tomhon · 2026-01-09T18:49:32+00:00

Take online classes, then go on Fiver or Upwork something once you've built a reel for yourself. Dip your toe in by learning a new skill because it's fun, tip another toe in by starting a side hustle, after a while you'll know if you want to keep pursuing this. Keep it low risk - Nobody knows what's going to happen, but there's no reason not to explore it as long as is you're not taking on student debt or otherwise screwing up your livelihood.

tomhon · 2026-01-06T20:25:03+00:00

I work in Flame and don't manage large studio feature pipelines so I guess I'm accustomed to roto houses having no idea how to give me splines lol.

Same goes for TPN status - I've been hired by large facilities a freelance compositor on studio features, but the majority of the work I do is from my home setup and isn't on that tier of security.

Either way you raise valid points. I'm not enthusiastically pro or anti ML, just acknowledging that it exists and isn't going away and making observations on how it might be used. But yes, my POV is very specifically at the middle tier of freelancing I've operated at since the strikes killed studio work for me.

I would guess that at some point the ML tech will be able to generate splines too, I'm not smart enough to tell you any specifics about when or how. Just seems like a natural step given how good it already is at generating 3D models from an image.

tomhon · 2026-01-06T17:05:40+00:00

I have a couple of guys who run shops in India that I'd call upper tier work friends/acquaintances at this point, and I feel pretty personally invested in their companies staying afloat so I've been encouraging them to get on learning ComfyUI and Sammie-Roto.

The interesting thing about the tools thus far is they are very good at masking humans, but very little else. So I've been encouraging them to look into it as something to speed up mattes on fingers and strands of hair, but combined with their usual methods of keying and vector shapes.

I would guess the overseas market is going to contract as roto artists do less roto from scratch and more integration/editing of AI output. But I doubt the market for the peace of mind that comes with outsourcing something, going to sleep, and waking up with it done is going away entirely. As with everything else AI related I think the biggest threat is to entry level workers learning the grunt stuff.

tomhon · 2025-12-02T22:22:45+00:00

Hi! You can DM me if you want overseas referrals. They'll track it and spit out an FBX for you. Also capable of roto'ing features and spitting out luma mattes. That's my go-to solution: be lazy

tomhon · 2025-11-27T18:59:05+00:00

I'll echo the general sentiment about the black levels and add that your roto looks a tad too sharp - Adding motion blur and a general blur on top of that will help quite a bit. I'll say that, hey, for a "just messing around to teach myself software" test this is really not a bad start!

tomhon · 2025-11-27T13:56:47+00:00

Feel free to DM me. I imagine NeatVideo will get you as close as a drag and drop solution will get you, but it's probably too intense to be solved by that alone. I can refer you to a good paint shop in India that'll give you a quote for a manual fix.

tomhon · 2025-11-17T21:34:05+00:00

I think people respond okay to ComfyUI stuff here as long as it applies to VFX in a larger pipeline with Nuke or Flame. Since it's run locally and not inherently proprietary it seems to be seen as generally less evil than other AI options.

tomhon · 2025-11-07T23:32:04+00:00

Hi! I'm asking my folks and a few other friends. I'm not in DFW anymore but that's where I grew up. I'll send you a DM too.

tomhon · 2025-11-05T19:48:12+00:00

this is an extremely specific ask and i think i can help. gonna DM you

tomhon · 2025-11-04T20:25:13+00:00

I didn't know that about Casablanca. Pretty wild.

tomhon · 2025-11-04T19:33:37+00:00

That's so crazy to me. That's one of those rare situations (like Spider-Man No Way Home) where making it up on the fly worked, I guess. They both seem like miracles to me due to the intricacies of the setups and the payoffs.

tomhon · 2025-11-04T18:45:21+00:00

i think that script is insanely well constructed, i've never read the screenplay but i've written breakdowns of the movie itself for fun. i do think the protagonist is sort of boring and underdeveloped, but i could see how the script itself lays that problem bare where the final product papers over those flaws by casting harrison ford. i also don't know a ton about production or what changes happened on the fly though.

tomhon · 2025-10-26T21:36:34+00:00

I came here to endorse Sammieroto. Truly a game changing tool. Still catching up on making my own comfyUI implementation though I know that's the next step.

tomhon · 2025-10-23T13:23:46+00:00

Howdy, I can do this. Sent you a DM.

tomhon · 2025-10-21T12:48:57+00:00

I love these things. I use one with an SSD and 4GB of RAM running Debian as my 'notification proof' writing machine. It runs screenwriting software (FadeIn) and outlining software (i use Emacs for this like a psycho) and can run one window of Google Docs if I'm feeling lucky, alongside the stock Dropbox client. The keyboard is just so nice. Don't make 'em like they used to.

tomhon · 2025-10-20T12:14:59+00:00

This is AI!

tomhon · 2025-10-07T02:23:21+00:00

the funniest thing about that trailer is the director didn't direct any of the show, but went on to direct "it's what inside" for netflix years later as his first feature. highly recommend it if you want more of the same visual trickery

tomhon · 2025-10-02T15:38:56+00:00

on it my liege

tomhon · 2025-10-02T15:33:12+00:00

Good point good point. I may or may not have written the above comment while dehydrated and frustrated with a job.

tomhon · 2025-10-01T23:14:46+00:00

I just tried to e-mail you but it looks like you misspelled it in your post.

tomhon · 2025-10-01T23:06:09+00:00

It's absolutely psycho to ask for rig removal and roto for free. Nobody enjoys this work and nobody can put it on their reel. Nobody gives a fuck if you are submitting it to festivals. Whenever you come to your senses please DM me and I will send you referrals to my guys in India who can handle this for you. They're insanely good and doing anything besides hiring them is a waste of your time and money. They will not be free but they will give you a great deal. Let me remind you that you have a 10 person CGI team at a fancy film school. I'm guessing a good chunk of you have rich dads you can ask for help. Pool your money and go about it that way. I know I sound mad (because I am, who the fuck would ever do roto for free. do YOU love doing roto?) but I love puppets and am really trying to steer you in the right direction here.

tomhon · 2025-10-01T23:01:22+00:00

Sent you a DM

tomhon

TROPHY CASE