5 Minutes with VFX Supervisor Sarah Grieshammer
We had a quick chat with VFX Supervisor Sarah Grieshammer, whose 20+ year career includes credits like The Amazing Spider-Man and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Most recently, she led our work on Netflix’s The Hunting Wives, bringing her signature mix of artistry, precision, and collaboration to the project.
Sarah shares how she brings a client’s vision to life, the importance of strong communication, and how she stays inspired in a fast-evolving industry. Plus, the lesson she brings to every project—and why what’s not said can matter just as much.
Keep reading for a glimpse into the creative process behind the visual effects.
AX: You recently supervised our work on Netflix’s new series The Hunting Wives. What was your experience like working on the first season?
SG: Working on the first season of The Hunting Wives was such a great experience. We have an incredible team of artists, and it was especially rewarding to see the final scene in Episode 7 come together so wonderfully. Our client had a clear vision of what they were looking for in terms of creative direction and the overall mood for that scene, and I absolutely loved that!
AX: How do you go about realizing and developing a client's vision? Where do you begin?
SG: To successfully realize and develop a client’s vision is one of the most exciting parts of my job! From the very start of a project, having a comprehensive understanding of a client’s ultimate goal for using VFX is essential, and I always begin the process by immersing myself fully in their project.
Any time we have with a client is precious, whether this be via in-person meetings, emails, references, or style guides. Listening carefully and being prepared to ask pertinent questions for relevant and specific information is crucial to the development of a solid VFX strategy and overall plan. Preparation is key!
AX: What are the signs that positive synergy is being created behind the scenes?
SG: When the excitement and enthusiasm of a project carries through, from beginning to end - from the initial pre-production planning and the very first filmed shots, all the way to finalizing visual effects in post - this is one of the tell-tale signs of positive synergy behind the scenes!
AX: Do you enjoy watching a final project, or do you find yourself focusing on the technical details?
SG: I absolutely do enjoy watching a final project! And although I certainly take note of the technical details of our work, I am still able to switch gears, happily sitting back to get lost in the magic! I have great admiration and appreciation for the incredibly hard work involved in all parts of the filmmaking process, and I just love to see it all working together in the final form!
AX: You’ve been working in visual effects for over two decades. What’s been the biggest industry change?
SG: I have witnessed quite a few significant changes over the course of my career, but I would be hard pressed not to say that what we, as an industry, are experiencing now regarding machine learning, is creating change at the fastest pace!
AX: What’s something absolutely essential to your workflow right now?
SG: Excellent communication with our Alkemy X team is essential to an efficient and effective workflow, and we excel at this!
AX: What’s a “hot take” you have about working in VFX?
SG: I firmly believe that VFX continues to be a vibrantly creative and fascinating field. With so much on its horizon, I have incredible hope and excitement for it in both the present and the future!
AX: What’s a lesson you learned that you take with you to every project?
SG: A lesson I take with me to each and every project is to listen carefully with both my eyes and ears to what our clients are saying - and not saying! As in art, the negative space is equally important as the positive space! Overall, a client’s priorities will come from a place of storytelling, so I feel that it is so important to align our expertise and creative work with what our client’s priorities are, from previsualization through finalization.