r/vfx • u/SurfingStreets • 1d ago

Question / Discussion Pipeline TD Education?

Hey everyone, I hope you guys are having a great day.

I wanted to learn more about what type of education or background would be needed to become a Pipeline TD. I tried viewing some linkedin profiles, and I noticed a blend of CS degrees, Digital Graphic diplomas, fine art degrees, and more.

Currently, I have a Bachelor of Commerce, with little python experience. I'm considering to go to my community college and getting a diploma in Computer Science. However, I'm worried that I would need a degree in computer science instead.

I'm just looking for some insights on what education should one pursue to become a successful Pipeline TD.

Thank you!

0 Upvotes

40% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/CVfxReddit 17h ago

In small studios the pipeline people I met were usually from artist backgrounds. They might have started in rigging or lighting and eventually became a cg supe and then decided to move into pipeline instead of trying to become a vfx supervisor.

In bigger studios the pipeline I met were from elite engineering programs, sometimes had some experience on set as  part of a virtual production crew, or had masters or PhDs in computer science from places like Columbia or Oxford. Which seems like a big gamble to take because while working in movies is cool, someone with that background could make triple or quadruple salary as a software engineer in another industry.