VFX job interview coming up? Be sure to ask these questions.

There's always that moment during an interview where you are asked if you have any questions... cue a pause and a few awkward 'ums'. 

I've had many a conversation with people in the industry about jobs they've had and studios they've worked at. There is always a point where we talk about how this studio did this well but this not so well and so on. And I always ask 'well, what do you look for in a job?' which is followed by 'well, perhaps you should ask more questions at the interview stage.' And although at this early stage it is impossible to predict all the challenges you may come across, you can ask some basic questions to get a feel of what's to come.

In order to get to the interview stage you will have to answer and ask a few basic questions. Then once you get on the phone with the Recruiter or go in to meet with them you can converse more about the position and your experience. 

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Here's a few questions to ask at your next interview - 

1. What, When, Where, How much $. What is the project? If they can't tell you exactly what it is then try to get an idea of type of work and project theme (creature, character, horror, period piece). When do they want you to start, how long is the contract? Where is the studio? Do you need a visa, will the studio get it for you? Do they offer any relocation? What is the salary? Does it include any benefits?
2. Future projects. Does the studio have any projects lined up for the future, past your expected end date? Is there any possibility for contract extension? Is there opportunity for growth (Lead/ Supervisor/ Management role)?
3. Standard work week. Is there a lot of overtime anticipated for this project? After how many hours does OT kick in? Is it a 40/ 44/ 50 hour work week? 
4. Average work day. What will an average day at this studio look like? Do you have dailies at 9am or 3pm? 
5. Software. What software do they use or have in house? How are you submitting your shots for dailies?
6. Team. How big is the team you are working in? Who do you report to? 
7. Suitability. Am I right for this job? This is a question for both the Recruiter and yourself. You may be interviewing for a Compositor job but maybe all they need you to do is wire removals. Is that going to be enough for you? Would you be happy doing that for 3 months? Or you may be interviewing for an Animator position but you may end up doing mo-cap clean up for a whole project. This is also something that you should reflect on after the interview, is the position right for you?

Good luck for any of you looking for work and going through the interview process. If you have any good tips on questions to ask please feel free to comment. Thanks :)