With over 30 years of navigating the world of visual effects (VFX) in Canada, John Gajdecki has seen the ins and outs of the film industry’s complex processes and management intricacies. Recognizing the importance of collaboration and streamlining processes, John developed Bulletproof Studio Tools – tailored to the collaborative environments of VFX companies. 

A Management and Budgeting Tool for Visual Effects Companies 

Bulletproof is a process management tool that assists VFX artists in budgeting, estimating project timelines, applying prices, and tracking expenses. The software aims to make the collaboration process more efficient, offering working tools and reports that can be shared with clients and accounting departments. John sees Bulletproof as “a visual effects studio on a software box,” encompassing bidding, estimating, crew lists, purchase orders, and bid packages essential for setting up new VFX studios.

Team Collaboration in VFX Studios

When filming, many scenes, versions, and notes are sent to editors, directors, and producers. With Bulletproof’s platform, modules cater to tracking visual effects and planning notes, complementing communication tools like Zoom or Slack. 

In the world of VFX, “collaboration is built into the process,” with each shot involving multiple team members, says John. Bulletproof facilitates this collaboration by outlining tasks and assigning responsibilities, ensuring a smooth workflow.

For Bulletproof, it’s really about laying out the tasks and laying out the order we’re going to do them in.

John Gajdecki

Navigating the Day-to-Day Life as a VFX Supervisor 

As a VFX supervisor, John emphasizes Bulletproof’s integral role in his daily work life. His routine involves people and time management within the team and with external stakeholders.  

John’s role involves collaborating with producers on a movie or TV show to design the visual effects. Utilizing Bulletproof, he and his team articulate the envisioned scene, outline the execution plan, and provide cost estimates. John says, “You have to plan out how to create these things, and you have to make sure that you’ve left enough time in the schedule to work in progress.”

Meanwhile, John’s daily work routine starts with a morning Zoom meeting involving all artists who’ve worked the previous day. Shots rendered overnight are showcased, and they input notes and mark them for review into Bulletproof for centralized access. Afterward, John assesses the shots and provides feedback. Once shots are ready for delivery, artists approve them, and coordinators use Bulletproof to compile flagged shots for producers. This meticulous tracking system in Bulletproof ensures effective communication, guiding, and prioritizing tasks throughout the day.

Building Bulletproof isn’t a solo task, the team is diverse and strong in key areas required to launch the product and continue building value for users. John works with his internal team of developers including Director of Engineering, Don Burks and Front End Developer April Mulvey, along with Co-Founder and COO Stefanie Gajdecki. Stefanie is instrumental in building partnerships including the IRAP-NRC, SFU VentureLabs, and BCIT School of Computing ISSP program, and brings business operations, and marketing expertise to the team.

John’s Mentoring Advice and Rule of Thumbs

As a team leader, John’s leadership philosophy centers around mentorship and training, especially for junior artists. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration and clear communication. This is a core feature as well in Bulletproof Studio Tools. 

His advice extends to both entrepreneurs and artists. He encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to lean into any fears that might come up while pursuing this route. Also, embrace the business aspects of their ventures, emphasizing the importance of enjoying their chosen career.

Addressing artists, he recommends pursuing education in the city where they intend to work in to help establish valuable connections. Stressing the importance of fostering positive relationships and seizing networking opportunities during their time in school, John believes that “luck is opportunity and preparation.” He clarifies that everyone encounters a few significant opportunities in their lives, constituting their big breaks. However, he states the importance of thorough preparation, hard work, and continuous learning. According to him, this readiness ensures that when students and young artists encounter their opportunities, they are well-prepared to succeed.

Release Date

Later this year, Bulletproof Studio Tools will release its software to help streamline the setup of visual effects studios, offering features that support in bidding, estimating, and comprehensive reporting to the film industry. We can’t wait to see the impact of Bulletproof on the VFX landscape!