How would you explain your job to someone who doesn’t know VFX?
I do tech support for the software used by everyone at Ingenuity Studios from the vfx artists to the vfx producers.
What does a day in the life look like?
I start my day by logging into my remote workstation and checking emails for new tickets that have arrived. Then once I solve all the tickets that have come in or forward them to the correct department, there are more tickets that come in throughout the day that I help resolve as well. I also do Teams remote desktop calls with end users when the problem is more complicated and has something to do with their work from home computer. When there is an issue that is with web based applications, I put in tickets with external company ticket systems as well. Every day there are different IT problems to solve and I love every minute of it.
What are some of your favorite projects? Why?
I don't really work on individual projects but do tech support for the studio as a whole. I enjoy seeing the out of context works in progress that the artists are working on when I remotely access their workstation to help solve an issue. I try my best to provide quality tech support to all my coworkers in a timely manner. One of the greatest joys of my life is seeing the finished visual effects work of my coworkers on a movie theater screen or on tv.
The Studio
What's something you wish people knew about what you do?
When I tell people that I do tech support for visual effects artists and producers, they usually think I am an artist and I have to clarify no, I do tech support for them. But all the software used in post productions is very complicated and requires knowledge of how it all works together. The software is also always changing which is why I read a lot of film and tv post production news sites to keep up to date on the latest post production and visual effects technologies. I also read general IT news sites as well. This job requires general IT computer tech support knowledge as well as knowledge of how various post production software works.
What is something that excites you about your career?
I look forward every day to helping solve all the tech issues that arise to the best of my ability. I like interacting with all my coworkers via Teams chat and video calls. I feel like Sherlock Holmes when confronted with a complicated new issue to solve. Then I do my best to follow the clues to solve the case and fix the issue.
Are you learning anything new?
I love reading and learning so I try to learn new things all the time. If I see a book at the local library or book store on a subject I want to learn more about, I add it to my book reading list. Right now I am reading a book on the history of early photography called Flashes of Brilliance, a book on the history of the Technicolor film coloring process called Alchemy in Technicolor, and a Penguin Classics book of Greek Myths.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I like to read books and comics, watch lots of films at home and at the movie theaters in NJ and NYC, go for walks, and eating food and going out to eat. I go to a lot of classic movie screenings in New York City after work and on the weekends. The Ingenuity NY office is perfectly situated in the Tribeca area and I am in walking distance or a short train ride away from most movie theaters in Manhattan. I am an avid book reader and read a lot of books of the making of films and tv from all eras, along with lots of biographies of film and tv people as well. I think my two most frequent locations besides my apartment are the local library and the movie theater.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Try to keep learning and use your time wisely.
SPOTLIGHT
Michael Meltzer
Support Technician
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SPOTLIGHT
Michael Meltzer
Support Technician
How would you explain your job to someone who doesn’t know VFX?
I do tech support for the software used by everyone at Ingenuity Studios from the vfx artists to the vfx producers.
What does a day in the life look like?
I start my day by logging into my remote workstation and checking emails for new tickets that have arrived. Then once I solve all the tickets that have come in or forward them to the correct department, there are more tickets that come in throughout the day that I help resolve as well. I also do Teams remote desktop calls with end users when the problem is more complicated and has something to do with their work from home computer. When there is an issue that is with web based applications, I put in tickets with external company ticket systems as well. Every day there are different IT problems to solve and I love every minute of it.
What are some of your favorite projects? Why?
I don't really work on individual projects but do tech support for the studio as a whole. I enjoy seeing the out of context works in progress that the artists are working on when I remotely access their workstation to help solve an issue. I try my best to provide quality tech support to all my coworkers in a timely manner. One of the greatest joys of my life is seeing the finished visual effects work of my coworkers on a movie theater screen or on tv.
The Studio
What's something you wish people knew about what you do?
When I tell people that I do tech support for visual effects artists and producers, they usually think I am an artist and I have to clarify no, I do tech support for them. But all the software used in post productions is very complicated and requires knowledge of how it all works together. The software is also always changing which is why I read a lot of film and tv post production news sites to keep up to date on the latest post production and visual effects technologies. I also read general IT news sites as well. This job requires general IT computer tech support knowledge as well as knowledge of how various post production software works.
What is something that excites you about your career?
I look forward every day to helping solve all the tech issues that arise to the best of my ability. I like interacting with all my coworkers via Teams chat and video calls. I feel like Sherlock Holmes when confronted with a complicated new issue to solve. Then I do my best to follow the clues to solve the case and fix the issue.
Are you learning anything new?
I love reading and learning so I try to learn new things all the time. If I see a book at the local library or book store on a subject I want to learn more about, I add it to my book reading list. Right now I am reading a book on the history of early photography called Flashes of Brilliance, a book on the history of the Technicolor film coloring process called Alchemy in Technicolor, and a Penguin Classics book of Greek Myths.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I like to read books and comics, watch lots of films at home and at the movie theaters in NJ and NYC, go for walks, and eating food and going out to eat. I go to a lot of classic movie screenings in New York City after work and on the weekends. The Ingenuity NY office is perfectly situated in the Tribeca area and I am in walking distance or a short train ride away from most movie theaters in Manhattan. I am an avid book reader and read a lot of books of the making of films and tv from all eras, along with lots of biographies of film and tv people as well. I think my two most frequent locations besides my apartment are the local library and the movie theater.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Try to keep learning and use your time wisely.