FX TD Brice Lehmann on Star Wars, Aquaman 2, Alita, and a new course for FX Artists!

This article is also available in: Français

For 12 years, Brice Lehmann has been working in the visual effects industry. From DNEG to Rodeo FX, and even ILM, this FX TD has had the opportunity to work on numerous feature films. He shares with us his career journey, how he created some of his best shots, and his vision of the industry. We also asked him about a new training program he’s launching—don’t wait, registration closes soon!

3DVF: Hello Brice! You’re an FX TD at Rodeo FX. After graduating from ARTFX, you’ve had the chance to work for different studios, including ILM and Weta Digital. Could you briefly walk us through your career?

Brice Lehmann: Hello! Well, I finished ARTFX in June 2012 and started working shortly after in advertising in Paris for a few months before moving to London. Six months later, I joined DNEG to work on films, specifically my first Marvel project with Thor 2, which was always my goal. I continued working in different studios, which allowed me to travel to places like Australia and Singapore, where I worked at ILM.

3DVF: Let’s revisit some of the key projects in your career. For Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, you worked on the impressive waves around the second Death Star. What were the artistic and technical challenges of these scenes?

Brice Lehmann: Technically, the biggest challenge was managing the large amount of data and simulations for each shot. The waves were supposed to be 50 meters high, so to reproduce the necessary details to convey the scale of the shot, we had to do multiple large simulations with hundreds of millions of points. This directly impacted the number of iterations I could do each week, and therefore the number of presentations I could make to the VFX supervisor for feedback.
Artistically, the main challenge was that I had three shots where you could see the same wave but with slightly different framings and focal lengths. I had to ensure that the wave simulations flowed smoothly while optimizing and modifying the simulations shot by shot.

3DVF: A few words on Alita: Battle Angel? You worked on the explosions in a space sequence.

Brice Lehmann: Sure! A very short sequence but filled with FX. I was at RSP at the time, in Australia. We were a very small team of 2 main artists on this sequence. I handled all the explosions/impacts, while another artist took care of the ground interactions with the soldiers.
I created a procedural setup that allowed me to quickly place several explosions in each shot at the desired locations, with multiple options to control the size, direction, and shape of the explosion.

3DVF: On Aquaman 2, you worked on a sequence featuring underwater ships with trails and destruction effects. An action scene that needed to be visually appealing while avoiding confusing the moviegoers… What were the biggest challenges at your level?

Brice Lehmann: The biggest challenge was on one particular shot where the camera does a 360-degree pan, and we had a whole bunch of FX simultaneously on screen. The final version in the film is shorter than the one I worked on. The challenge was mainly in the multitude of different effects that needed to interact together. At the beginning of the shot, for example, two ships collide, so I had to do the RBD destruction, the underwater pyro explosion that created a water shockwave, mixing POP sim and FLIP. On top of that, there were the ship trails and the “pulsed beam” effect.
All of this had to interact together and be readable. It was a very empirical process where I refined each element over time until reaching the final shot.

3DVF: With the decline in streaming platform investments and the actors’ and writers’ strikes in Hollywood that lasted for a while since the studios where reluctant to negociate, the VFX industry has plunged into a crisis. How do you see the current situation?

Brice Lehmann: I’m fairly optimistic. It’s true that the past year has been extremely challenging for many people. I was fortunate to remain employed during the crisis, but I know many people who lost their jobs. Despite that, I see projects gradually coming back, and studios starting to hire again. The post-COVID boom won’t return, but I think we must remember that almost all films now have VFX and need artists. I really think we’ll return to a stable situation by 2025. All signs point in that direction.

3DVF: Generative AI is a hot topic, with its potential for the VFX industry. However, it raises ethical, legal, and environmental issues, and could impact jobs in the VFX industry.
What’s your take on this?

Brice Lehmann: Honestly, I’m quite torn. It’s true that AI will greatly affect certain jobs, but as for FX, I’m not really worried! Lol.
If you look at the history of VFX, it reminds me of the shift that occurred when 3D/CG animation emerged. At the time, 2D animation was at its peak, and all the animators were afraid of losing their jobs. In the end, they adapted to using a new tool, and things evolved naturally. Of course, I wasn’t in the workforce at that time, so I’m basing this on what I’ve read/heard.
I think there will always be a need for artists, and we’ll probably have to adapt at some point, but I think that’s part of the job.

3DVF: You’ve had the chance to work in various studios: Iloura in Sydney, MPC in London, Lucasfilm in Singapore, Weta remotely, ILM Sydney (hybrid), Rodeo FX in Paris… Do you have any advice for people who also want to work abroad?

Brice Lehmann: Knowing how to speak English well? (laughs)
Being able to travel has always been a huge advantage in our profession. I’ve taken full advantage of this over the years.
My advice would be to go for it! It’s relatively easy to travel for work once you have some experience. It’s harder to find a studio that will hire someone from abroad if the person is still a junior. You have to be patient because visa processes are becoming more and more elaborate and require a certain investment of time. But in most cases, studios take care of the majority of the paperwork, so it’s really advantageous.
Having a recognized degree can be a plus and make things easier, but it’s not really mandatory.
The experience is extremely enriching!

3DVF: As we mentioned earlier, you studied at French digital arts school ARTFX, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. 3DVF was actually part of the jury. And in addition to being an ARTFX alumni, you’ve probably met artists from ARTFX over the years in the studios. What are your thoughts on their training and the evolution of the school?

Brice Lehmann: I think it’s a solid training program.
The short films that come out each year are clearly excellent. I don’t have too many details on the current training and its content, but the one I received at the time I was a student was already very good and comprehensive. The artists I meet from the school are generally satisfied of their training as well. It’s clearly become a well-oiled machine since the time I was there.

3DVF: You’ve joined the online learning site DoubleJump Academy, where you provide a 10-month training program. What exactly does the training include?

Brice Lehmann: A lot of things!
The most important thing is that it’s a live program. I’m in almost constant contact with the students through video meetings, several times a week throughout the 10 months.
The goal of the program is for each student to create 4 professional-quality shots to build a FX demoreel and find a job as an FX artist by the end of the course.
Everything is designed to closely replicate the way artists work at a VFX studio.
We have “dailies” several times a week, which are live video sessions where students show the progress of their work, and I give them feedback and advice to improve their shots.
There’s also a more traditional course part where I go into detail on FX setups, techniques, shot breakdowns, and working methods. The courses will be recorded and available online for viewing.
I explain all this in more detail in the webinar I did with Urban from DoubleJump (Editor’s note: replay available below at the end of the article).

3DVF: Who is the target audience? What are the prerequisites, and how much work is expected per week?

Brice Lehmann: The program is designed for people who already have a foundation in 3D and FX and really want to specialize in this field.
It can be students at the end of their course, who may have just finished their graduation film and want to specialize. Or a young professional who wants to reorient towards FX.
The program is intense, and the workload is significant. It was created based on 8 hours of work per day.
By default, the program is in English, so a basic level of English is required, but you don’t need to be perfect.
If several French students join the program, I can arrange to do live calls in French. However, the course part will remain in English.

3DVF: When do the classes and registrations begin? What is the cost?

Brice Lehmann: Registration is open! The program starts in mid-October and is offered at a price of 3800 USD, equivalent to 3479 EUR, which is a launch price.
Seats are limited, and registration closes on August 21 (we are considering an extension to give a bit more time).
In any case, feel free to visit the site and fill out the form if you’re interested, and we’ll contact you by email.
You can also join the DoubleJump discord where I’m available to answer questions in the FX Masters section.

3DVF: Thank you, Brice, for these answers!

For more information

• Brice Lehmann’s training program at DoubleJump Academy.
• His website.
• The webinar he did about the training program: