​How to maximise your relationship with VFX

When it comes to post-production, one of the biggest misconceptions is that VFX happens at the end. In reality, your relationship with your VFX partner should begin much earlier. The sooner you start that collaboration, the better your creative and budgetary outcomes will be.

One of the simplest ways to avoid overspend is to involve your post team from the development or pre-production stage. Whether it’s advising on shoot feasibility, flagging VFX-heavy scenes that could be streamlined, or identifying cost-saving workflows, post can catch issues long before they hit the edit suite.

Technical conversations could even alter your schedule as some heavy builds may need to start earlier than you think.

If you’re unsure about committing to a vendor while your creative is still evolving, consider splitting the contract into a development phase and a build phase. This enables you to move forward with confidence, without locking into a full pipeline too soon.

The most successful projects come from clients who see post as a creative partner rather than just a technical service. VFX artists can help solve story challenges, suggest smarter ways to execute a vision, and elevate the polish of your project without inflating the budget.

One of the most valuable things you can do early on is be transparent about your budget. Knowing your constraints helps studios like ours offer realistic solutions, scale work where it makes sense, and identify what’s worth investing in for maximum impact.

You don’t need a Marvel budget to create something memorable. But you do need a VFX team that knows how to get clever with resources.

A surprising amount of VFX spend is lost to rework, often due to vague notes, shifting direction, or duplicated feedback from multiple stakeholders. Clear communication and version management can drastically improve efficiency.

We send weekly status updates and hold regular production meetings. We also encourage in-person feedback where possible — that level of clarity means fewer errors and better use of time.

We also offer every client a tailored onboarding process, including a VFX masterclass that demystifies the workflow and empowers teams to collaborate more effectively.

The goal is to make teams feel confident asking questions and making bold creative decisions. Once you understand the basics — like what 2D or 3D looks like in a computer, or the terminology we use — you’re able to give more effective feedback.

From file formats and colour pipelines to offline/online sync and plate prep, technical groundwork matters.

These are now standard conversations at most post houses, and we always recommend getting your post team involved as early as possible so these workflows are baked in from the start.

Ultimately, the strongest client–studio relationships aren’t just about saving money, they’re about building something everyone’s proud of.

Emma Kolasinska is a VFX executive producer at Lux Aeterna