Professional Practice, Communication, Ethics and Teamwork
Domain focus
This domain covers professional practice, communication, ethics, and teamwork. The exam tests how a roto artist receives notes, protects client data, gives and receives feedback, and works within a team.
Core rules and concepts
- Read notes fully, ask for the frame range and the specific problem, and confirm the priority. A note such as 'edge pops' needs a frame number and a direction.
- Keep communication factual and brief. In dailies, describe what you changed and what you need, not who is to blame.
- Respect confidentiality: do not share client footage, scripts, or unreleased material on social media. Follow NDA and studio data policies.
- Credit others' work; do not copy another artist's reel or claim a team shot as solo work.
- Escalate early if a note conflicts with the brief, the deadline is at risk, or the source material is missing.
Worked example
A supervisor writes 'matte edge is chattering on the arm, frames 40-55'. The artist reviews those frames, finds a tracking slip, fixes the shape and track, re-renders, and replies with the new version and a short note. Reasoning: the note is specific, so the fix should be specific. Replying with 'fixed' without a version number slows review and can cause the wrong file to be approved.
Traps that cost marks
- Arguing in a review instead of asking for clarification.
- Posting client footage online as portfolio work without permission.
- Using another artist's shot as your own in a reel.
- Ignoring version numbers in feedback.
- Hiding a missed deadline until the last minute.