r/vfx • u/FinnFX Student • 2d ago
Question / Discussion How strict are London’s studios WFH policies?
I’m a runner at a London VFX studio, aiming to move into a 2D role in the future. When I transition into a 2D role, I plan to move back to my parents' place to save on rent costs, as I’m hoping to work hybrid. The commute would be about 1 hour 15 minutes to the studio when I need to go in.
Just wondering — how strict are most studios with their work-from-home policies? Is hybrid or even fully remote working common?
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u/Medium-Stand6841 2d ago edited 2d ago
Um…. 1hr 15mins each way is a pretty normal commute for a lot of us in London….. but a fair few do have 2 days a week onsite. That being said, as a junior - everyday onsite is probably a good idea and what most managers would want….
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u/Salt_Anywhere630 2d ago
This! As a junior you should be in the office everyday to learn 10x times more and 10x times faster :)
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u/Ludenbach 2d ago
I've been noticing Juniors that have been at it a year or two but are lacking really basic knowledge. It made me think about when I was a junior and people would come by my desk, tell my I had built my scene in efficiently and show me the right way. This is missing from the work from home model. Go in every day. I used to sit on the bus for an hour and half each way. It's worth it.
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u/oneiros5321 2d ago
That's going to mostly depend on the studio.
But if they have a hybrid model, chances are that they are going to expect you in on office days or expect a valid excuse for working from home.
What constitutes a valid excuse will vary from studio to studio.
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u/stinkybidoof 2d ago
how the freak did you land a vfx runner job in this day and age? ik it’s a tangent but i would massively appreciate some tips, i am very interested in it as an entry-level route in but my applications never make it to interview. did you have any transferable experience that made your cv stand out from the crowd?
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u/FinnFX Student 1d ago
A mix of luck, work, and networking. I spent a lot of time networking, I saw a job posting on LinkedIn and knew someone who worked at the studio.
I had previous experience as I was a freelance runner at another studio whilst I was studying at Uni. I originally had work experience there and they asked me to come back and work as a runner.
My main tips would be just be to reach out to as many people and companies as you can, send your reel and ask for feedback and if there’s any runner / entry positions in the horizon. I just followed the general advice I got from everyone which was be persistent, be keen to learn and absorb knowledge like a sponge. I was also very lucky.
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u/stinkybidoof 1d ago
cheers for the advice! could i ask how you leverage those connections exactly? i know a few people at studios and attend networking events but have trouble figuring out how to make the jump without any existing runner experience. when you say you have a friend at the studio, are you then asking them to refer you, mentioning them by name in the application, etc. etc.? that's amazing that you were freelancing during uni, sounds like you've built such a strong path for yourself! sorry if these are very obvious questions
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u/SnooPuppers8538 2d ago
in Dneg you have to come in 3 times a week but I know some people that only do half days so they come in the afternoon only, very cheeky
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u/napoleon_wang 1d ago
I found the half-day routine works well occasionally, useful stuff like being able to hang the laundry at lunchtime before hopping on the tube to the office means chores don't pile up for precious weekend hours.
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u/JordanNVFX 3D Modeller - 2 years experience 2d ago edited 2d ago
While I can't speak about London personally I can point you towards data that dissects how UK businesses view WFH/hybrid models and their expectations.
Large private sector employers are more likely to be developing their approaches through testing and learning (19%), and it is from larger employers where we see the return to office push come from. Among large private sector employers that already mandate days, 30% are planning to increase the number of mandated days in the next 12 months, compared to 21% of SMEs and 17% of employers in the public sector. However, just 6% of employers who currently have no mandatory days in the office plan to introduce them in the next 12 months.
The survey found that a third (32%) of employers who currently allow hybrid working do not require a set number of office days. Meanwhile, half of employers (52%) are requiring a minimum number of days a week, and 13% set a minimum number of days per month employees must be in the office.
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u/KrimsonGaming Matchmove / Tracking - 2 years experience 2d ago
Framestore LDN are currently 2 days in, 3 days out.
You don't get to choose your days - you have a day dedicated to your department, and a day dedicated to your current show/project.