In realtime, a VFX Artist doesn’t start from scratch as a “VFX Artist.” It’s an evolution. It’s built after exploring various disciplines and gaining a deep understanding of both the technical and artistic aspects.

In the video game industry and the realtime field in general, there’s one question that comes up constantly: How can I become a VFX Artist? Many people seek to specialize directly in this discipline thinking it’s an entry point, when in reality it’s a convergence point.

In video games or real-time content creation, VFX isn’t a collection of flashy effects, but a discipline that exists at the intersection of art and technology. Every visual decision directly impacts gameplay, performance, on-screen readability, and the pipeline. It is a central role within the game system, and taking on that responsibility requires more than just mastering tools: it requires understanding the whole.

After several years working on CGI content creation for different formats and contexts, I’ve realized that a solid foundation as a generalist artist is essential. Not mandatory, but essential.

Lighting, composition, animation, shading, rigging, modeling, and even more disciplines are not isolated skills: they build the judgment needed to make decisions with real impact in real-time environments. Without that foundation, VFX remains superficial; with it, it becomes a strategic role capable of designing visual systems that function, communicate, and scale. In this talk, we’ll explore how this evolution unfolds and how this journey not only strengthens the VFX role but positions it within a context where real-time processing, systems thinking, and the seamless integration of artificial intelligence are redefining the way we create, especially now that film and video game technology are becoming increasingly intertwined.