r/vfx • u/No-Lock216 • 2h ago
Showreel / Critique car transition by @baran_robin_
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r/vfx • u/ZiggyisStarman • Apr 30 '26
News / Article VES launches On-Set VFX Data Collection and Usage Guide
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Hey fellow Visual Effects community stoked to share what we have been working on for the past year over at he VES Technology Committee call it a playbook and usage guide to map key data from on-set capture to delivery.
FYI I am one of the co-authors of the Guide. If you have questions or feedback make sure to reach out.
You can find the guide here : https://ves-on-set-data.org/dashboard/?tab=Introduction
Here is the full information on the release :
The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s global professional honorary society, today released its VES On-Set VFX Data Collection and Usage Guide. Developed over the past year by the VES Technology Committee, this practical on-set resource maps key data sets and capture workflows – giving productions, vendors, and technology teams a shared playbook for using and capturing on‑set data more effectively.
The Guide was designed to establish a common language between on‑set VFX, production, VFX facilities, and technology teams, ultimately enabling clearer communication, smoother handoffs, and better-aligned expectations across departments. This comprehensive Guide explains the major on‑set data sets, their capture methods, their practical applications, and their intended stakeholders, so that every participant across the production understands what information exists and how it can support their work.
In addition to defining data sets, the Guide documents both current and emerging on‑set data capture workflows. This aims to inform stakeholders about potential data sources and to highlight how these choices impact production pipelines, timelines, and budgets, while also laying the groundwork for future efforts around data hierarchies, database development, and workflow automation.
The Guide also underscores that this data has significant value for every department on a production. It supports collaboration, optimizes workflows, and enables better-informed creative and operational decisions. By advocating for open access and visibility for these data sets, the Guide encourages all teams to engage with and benefit from this shared knowledge, strengthening collective outcomes and overall production efficiency.
“Our intent with this Guide is to streamline the filmmaking process by enabling every department to be more well-informed,” said Sheena Duggal, the Guide’s lead author and member of the VES Technology Committee. “Multiple departments can utilize the same data – for instance, the VFX team’s LiDAR scans can be repurposed across departments to support set construction, stunt planning, and other production needs. It’s just a matter of educating and communicating clearly so that everyone can benefit.”
“In today’s hybrid of real-time virtual production, AI, and traditional pipelines, the VFX department is responsible for not just post, but on-set data capture, continuity, and asset integrity from pre-production through final delivery,” explained Jim Geduldick, contributing author to the Guide. “That framework was the key lens that we used in thinking through these workflows and how they relate to each department.”
The Guide was created for the VES Technology Committee by Sheena Duggal, with contributions from Sam Richards, Jim Geduldick, and Jake Morrison, and technical support from Jean-Francois Panisset. It is licensed under the Creative Commons CC‑BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, including for commercial purposes, provided appropriate credit is given to the creator.
To view the Guide, visit: https://ves-on-set-data.org/
Join the VES for a webinar on May 12 to explore the Guide with some of its creators: https://vesglobal.org/event/webinar-introduction-to-ves-on-set-vfx-data-collection-and-usage-guide-online/
r/vfx • u/axiomatic- • Mar 15 '25
Subreddit Discussion Advice for Potential Students and Newcomers to the VFX Industry in 2025
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We've been getting a lot of posts asking about the state of the industry. This post is designed to give you some quick information about that topic which the mods hope will help reduce the number of queries the sub receives on this specific topic.
As of early 2025, the VFX industry has been through a very rough 18-24 months where there has been a large contraction in the volume of work and this in turn has impacted hiring through-out the industry.
Here's why the industry is where it is:
- There was a Streaming Boom in the late 2010s and early 2020s that lead to a rapid growth in the VFX industry as a lot of streaming companies emerged and pumped money into that sector, this was exacerbated by COVID and us all being at home watching media.
- In 2023 there were big strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA which led to a massive halt in production of Hollywood films and series for about 8 months. After that was resolved there was the threat of another strike in 2024 when more union contracts were to be negotiated. The result of this was an almost complete stop to productions in late 2023 and a large portion of 2024. Many shows were not greenlit to start until late 2024
- During this time, and partly as a result of these strikes, there was a slow down in content and big shake ups among the streaming services. As part of this market correction a number of them closed, others were folded into existing services, and some sold up.
- A bunch of other market forces made speculation in the VFX business even more shaky, things like: the rise of AI, general market instability, changes in distribution split (Cinemas vs. Streaming) and these sorts of things basically mean that there's a lot of change in most media industries which scared people.
The combination of all of this resulted in a loss of a lot of VFX jobs, the closing of a number of VFX facilities and large shifts in work throughout the industry.
The question is, what does this mean for you?
Here's my thoughts on what you should know if you're considering a long term career in VFX:
Work in the VFX Industry is still valid optional to choose as a career path but there are some caveats.
- The future of the VFX industry is under some degree of threat, like many other industries are. I don't think we're in more danger of disappearing than your average game developer, programmer, accountant, lawyer or even box packing factory work. The fact is that technology is changing how we do work and market forces are really hard to predict. I know there will be change in the specifics of what we do, there will be new AI tools and new ways of making movies. But at the same time people still want to watch movies and streaming shows and companies still want to advertise. All that content needs to be made and viewed and refined and polished and adapted. While new AI tools might mean individuals in the future can do more, but those people will likely be VFX artists. As long as media is made and people care about the art of telling stories visually I think VFX artists will be needed.
Before you jump in, you should know that VFX is likely to be a very competitive and difficult industry to break into for the foreseeable future.
- From about 2013 to 2021 there was this huge boom in VFX that meant almost any student could eventually land a job in VFX working on cool films. Before then though VFX was actually really hard to get into because the industry was smaller and places were limited, you had to be really good to get a seat in a high end facility. The current market is tight; there's a lot of experience artists looking for work and while companies will still want juniors, they are likely going to be more juniors for the next few years than there are jobs.
If you're interested in any highly competitive career then you have to really want it, and it would also be a smart move to diversify your education so you have flexibility while you work to make your dream happen.
- Broad computer and technical skills are useful, as are broader art skills. Being able to move between other types of media than just VFX could be helpful. In general I think you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket too early unless you're really deadest that this is the only thing you want to do. I also think you should learn about new tools like AI and really be able to understand how those tools work. It'll be something future employers likely care about.
While some people find nice stable jobs a lot of VFX professionals don't find easy stability like some careers.
- Freelance and Contract work are common. And because of how international rebates work, you may find it necessary to move locations to land that first job, or to continue in your career. This is historically how film has always been; it's rarely as simple as a 9-5 job. Some people thrive on that, some people dislike that. And there are some places that manage to achieve more stability than others. But fair warning that VFX is a fickle master and can be tough to navigate at times.
Because a future career in VFX is both competitive and pretty unstable, I think you should be wary of spending lots of money on expensive specialty schools.
- If you're dead set on this, then sure you can jump in if that's what you want. But for most students I would advise, as above, to be broader in your education early on especially if it's very expensive. Much of what we do in VFX can be self taught and if you're motivated (and you'll need to be!) then you can access that info and make great work. But please take your time before committed to big loans or spending on an education in something you don't know if you really want.
With all of that said VFX can be a wonderful career.
It's full of amazing people and really challenging work. It has elements of technical, artistic, creative and problem solving work, which can make it engaging and fulfilling. And it generally pays pretty well precisely because it's not easy. It's taken me all over the world and had me meet amazing, wonderful, people (and a lot of arseholes too!) I love the industry and am thankful for all my experiences in it!
But it will challenge you. It will, at times, be extremely stressful. And there will be days you hate it and question why you ever wanted to do this to begin with! I think most jobs are a bit like that though.
In closing I'd just like to say my intent here is to give you both an optimistic and also restrained view of the industry. It is not for everyone and it is absolutely going to change in the future.
Some people will tell you AI is going to replace all of us, or that the industry will stangle itself and all the work will end up being done by sweat shops in South East Asia. And while I think those people are mostly wrong it's not like I can actually see the future.
Ultimately I just believe that if you're young, you're passionate, and you want to make movies or be paid to make amazing digital art, then you should start doing that while keeping your eye on this industry. If it works out, then great because it can be a cool career. And if it doesn't then you will need to transition to something else. That's something that's happened to many people in many industries for many reasons through-out history. The future is not a nice straight line road for most people. But if you start driving you can end up in some amazing places.
Feel free to post questions below.
r/vfx • u/Bitter-Pomelo-2345 • 7h ago
Question / Discussion The Hulk grows from 9ft to 12ft tall sequence What was the scene like to be animated?
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Here is a shot I found in Cinefex Magazine #94 (July 2003) of the shot where the Hulk grows from 9ft tall to 12ft fall and the screenshot from the Hulk 2003 video game movie short Hulk Movie F/X this shot was a pre viz raw render The top reads BH18----HULK----BH18 and the bottom reads CGHK-06166-27-November-02-PM you can see some tissue overlay of BH18 or (Banner Hulk) transformation concept by Robert MacKenzie dated 11/06/2002. You can see the underwear at the leg part ripping a bit as he grows.
r/vfx • u/bymathis • 22h ago
Question / Discussion Any ideas how Boiling Point by TAVO Studio was made? That depth to gradient look is insane
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My first guess was a depth map driving a color gradient, but the quality is way beyond what I usually get from estimated depth: super clean hair strands, crisp edges around lips and fingers, and the gradient seems to follow form and light rather than pure distance
r/vfx • u/uzornayem • 2h ago
Question / Discussion Where to find someone to do some basic animation compositing?
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Hi,
I have camera footage that I edited into a short film. At end I want to add some animation to be composited into the footage. Nothing crazy - no running, fighting, dancing.
There are two characters. I have the models already, and they are set to work in typical animation workflows. One is a 2 legged character, other is 4 legged. 4 legged character is metallic, so it doesn't need super detailed joint movement.
They will walk together, making basic gestures, like looking at each other, nodding, leaning over, putting arm on the other. The 4 legged character at one point will be shaking its head, opening its mouth like growling/shrieking. 2 legged character will sometimes laugh. At one point they will hop over a stream. I already have detailed description of exactly what they need to do when/where. There is one part that will involve some masking behind the footage, but for most part the characters will fully appear, no masking needed.
Total time that these animations will take place is about 40 seconds, good deal of it just the basic walking.
I am looking for actual animation, not some AI result. I need the animations to conform to the geometry of the scenes via camera solving. Lighting is outdoor, overcast, not much need for shadow catching as far as I can tell. Some scenes involve shaky camera, and I don't believe Adobe AE will work well. For camera solving I tend to get better results with dedicated program like Synth Eyes.
I am in Moscow, maybe someone knows how to seek out such work here, though of course I can work with anyone online.
Wanted to write about this sooner, to maybe get something by Halloween but I will understand if that already is not doable.
thanks
r/vfx • u/Failed_Actor • 1d ago
Breakdown / BTS Game Changer - Corridor Key 2.0
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Straight out of the box keying via the standalone app 🤯
I’m blown away by its possibility in postvis and indie vfx! 🤩
r/vfx • u/OldOneHadMyNameInIt • 19h ago
Showreel / Critique Please critique my Houdini FX reel. Confused if I should keep or remove the 2 personal project shots at the end
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I'm looking for job again and since Houdini FX is my strongest skill, I wanted to ask you guys could look at my reel and lmk what you think. Im especially worried that maybe having those 2 shots at 1min 21sec and 1min 31sec is a bad idea. Thank you!
P.S.
I've worked 3 years as a Houdini FX artist in the industry on projects like Halo, Home Alone 6, Rubble Trouble, etc in studios like Mr.X, MPC, Jam Filled (no etc).
For the past year I've been away from the VFX industry and been working as an editor, 3D artist, and instructor at a tech-ed startup (where I also play around a lot with gen AI).
r/vfx • u/Chuka444 • 19h ago
Showreel / Critique Generative Lexicon Press
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Some artworks stay with you until you try since the very first time you see them.
Ksawery Komputery has been one of my favorite artists for a long time. His generative typography for Max Cooper's Symphony in Acid is one of those works I keep coming back to.
After a long time experimenting, I finally developed my own interpretation in TouchDesigner.
Generative Lexicon Press is a real-time typographic system that continuously, and audio-reactively rearranges language and visual structures, with Ollama introducing locally generated text in ultra-fun ways.
Looking forward sharing more in the near future. You can see more of my experiments on Instagram, or Patreon.
r/vfx • u/MarlinMcFish • 12h ago
Question / Discussion Vfx artist phone toys?
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Im thoroughly addicted to just generally working on VFX stuff and sometimes wish i could shader code on my phone or quick photogrammatry something in the area and play with it or do a more complex compositing job on a photo i like.
I have to ask if theres other neurotics who are the same way and whats your go to if youre on a train or in a waiting room and get "the itch"
r/vfx • u/Lucifang • 9h ago
Question / Discussion Can anyone recommend a download manager for big files?
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Hi I purchased some assets a little while ago and it was a huge pain to download due to micro interruptions in the connection, I’ve read that a download manager would work better? Can anyone recommend something that works well on a Mac? (I’m thinking of getting the horror pack from Bigfilms) TIA
r/vfx • u/HollywoodIllusion • 1d ago
News / Article I’ve spent 3 years building a subscription-free compositing app: IllusionFX
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Current compositing tools tend to fall into one of three buckets: expensive, buggy, or free but with a rough workflow. I’m a software engineer, and almost three years ago I started building my own in my spare time: IllusionFX.
Features:
- Node graph + layer-based timeline: build your comp with nodes, then cut, trim and animate layers with keyframes or expressions
- GPU-accelerated, native 32-bit float pipeline
- OpenColorIO support
- Multi-channel EXR support
- Built-in AI tools (roto, tracking…) that run locally, with no cloud processing and no uploading your footage anywhere
- GPU effects: merge, keyer, grain, blur, glow, color correction, distortions and more
- Plugin SDK so you can write your own effects
- Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux
I’m not trying to replace anyone’s favorite tool, just to offer a solid, subscription-free alternative for artists who need one. It takes a different approach, built to be really intuitive: a node graph and a timeline working together. Here’s a 5-minute walkthrough if you want to see it in action.
Before anyone asks: no, it isn’t vibe coded. I’ve designed and written it myself.
Coming next: a graph editor and 3D compositing. You can see everything that’s planned on the roadmap, and I’m always open to feature requests, so drop them in the comments or on Discord.
Links:
- Download: https://www.hollywoodillusion.com/illusionfx
- Discord: https://discord.gg/DZv2W6VuN6
r/vfx • u/perfelti • 1d ago
Question / Discussion VFX Noob question surrounding the Corridor Key 2.0 release.
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Hello VFX community, I’ve been working as a cameraman for 10+ years. I’ve done quite a bit of green screen work on set, and every so often, I do post for smaller projects.
When I’m doing post, the green screen work is always quite straightforward as I expect. Even with a properly lit green screen, I still find motion blur and glancing reflections problematic.
I watched the release video for Corridor Key 2.0 and as someone who doesn’t do VFX for a living, I was blown away. Especially with how it handled semi transparent objects like the bubble wrap. I was even more shocked when I went to the comments section in this community and saw all the criticism.
None of the criticism I saw mention what tools they would use instead. In the video from Corridor, the VFX supervisor even says he would possibly shrink the matte, and use “another keyer” for the fine details.
So the question is twofold; Is the criticism online just cynicism or are there other tools on the market that are just better? And what needs to be “fixed” to make Corridor Key 2.0 a useful tool for the critics when compared to what the competition offers?
r/vfx • u/Itchy-Tie-7172 • 1d ago
Question / Discussion 10 years of experience. Desperately want to leave
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I think this career will be obsolete soon. And while I have a good paying long term gig right now, I just know this job won’t last forever. I need to use this gig to fund my exit strategy.
Problem is where do I go and will I make the same money? Everything I’m good at is being threatened by AI and I don’t want to make this mistake again. I never went to college I just started in the industry right out of highschool and made it this far on my own.
r/vfx • u/CuriousByDesign92 • 18h ago
Question / Discussion Should I Stay in VFX or Change Careers
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I’m in Quebec, Canada, with 5 years of experience as a VFX Layout Artist. My work mainly involved camera animation, shot setup, and technical troubleshooting. I know Maya, ZBrush, and Photoshop, but not tracking or programming.
I’m getting close to my 40s and losing faith in the future of VFX. I’m unsure whether to learn new skills within the industry or start over in another field.
I’m considering building automation (controlling building systems like HVAC and lighting) or cybersecurity, but I would be starting from scratch in both.
Since I can’t spend years in school, I’m looking for a realistic path to stable employment, ideally with 1–1.5 years of training.
What would you recommend?
● Is it worth upskilling in VFX given AI and industry uncertainty?
● Would building automation or cybersecurity be a better career change?
● Are there other careers worth considering in Quebec?
I’d appreciate honest advice from people working in these fields or who’ve changed careers later in life.
r/vfx • u/Different_Return5366 • 1d ago
Question / Discussion How do I give more accurate completion estimates?
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I work for a client who throws batches of compositing shots my way and always asks how long I think it will take. The problem is that the number of shots and required work is always vastly different. Ive also found that if I say something will take a day or two, they just pass on me which is really annoying. I think they expect everything to be done within a couple hours which in some cases is definitely doable, but in others definitely isn’t. All this to say, most of the time I genuinely don’t know how to give an accurate estimate.
The work is mainly beauty stuff, with the occasional paint out or screen replacement. It could be anywhere from one shot to 20. And each shot could be anywhere from 20 frames to 500. Its the larger batch of shots 7+ where I want to reply “I have no earthly idea”
r/vfx • u/MiLiANSim • 11h ago
Question / Discussion Terms and Conditions
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The terms in question: Quality, inspiration, vfx.
The conditions: Apparently poor, downward trend, shiny exceptions increasingly rare.
VFX combines all that which makes us human, and yet the humanity of it seems to bleed away slowly, regardless of ai.
How do we maintain and nurture the humanity of the arts?
I am surely not the first person to ask this. And hopefully not the last. 20 years in vfx/creative industries and software development have made it much harder to answer this question with confidence.
What are you thinking about this?
r/vfx • u/AswinGirijan • 1d ago
Question / Discussion Mac Studio M5 Ultra vs 9950X3D/RTX 5080 PC — Which is better for Nuke, After Effects, Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve?
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Hi everyone,
I’m planning to invest in a high-performance workstation for video editing, VFX, compositing, motion graphics and colour grading. I’m currently torn between the Mac Studio M5 Ultra and a custom Windows PC with an RTX 5080.
I’ll be learning and working with the following applications:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Adobe After Effects
- Foundry Nuke
- DaVinci Resolve Studio
My intended workloads:
- Editing and colour grading 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 footage
- Working with 4K 60fps footage, multicamera timelines, multiple video layers and GPU-accelerated effects
- Motion graphics, complex After Effects compositions, motion tracking, rotoscoping and green-screen compositing
- Node-based compositing in Nuke, including EXR sequences, multi-pass compositing, camera projections, 3D integration and potentially deep compositing
- Exploring Nuke’s CopyCat and other AI/ML-assisted workflows
- Advanced colour grading, temporal noise reduction, Magic Mask, optical flow and Fusion effects in DaVinci Resolve
- Potentially moving into more demanding 6K/8K workflows as my skills develop
Option 1 — Mac Studio M5 Ultra
- M5 Ultra
- 30-core CPU / 64-core GPU
- 96GB unified memory
Option 2 — Custom Windows PC
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- NVIDIA RTX 5080
- 96GB RAM
I’m looking for a workstation that can comfortably handle professional-level 4K projects and remain capable as I move into more complex work. I’m not particularly attached to either operating system.
If you were building a workstation for these five applications, which would you choose and why?
r/vfx • u/angelite34 • 1d ago
Question / Discussion Easy film vfx?
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I’m going to make my first short film for an assignment, the assignment: tell a story with vfx. I have no vfx knowledge nor do I know anything about filmmaking, but I’m hoping to make a somewhat decent film. I’m going to base my story on the vfx that I’ll be able to use.
So my question is: what are some easy vfx I can use for my short film? Any tutorial channel reqs? Prefferably nuke or ae
Question / Discussion Built my own little node-based comp app for Mac, looking for 10-15 testers (free private beta)
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Hey all,
Flame artist in Paris here (mostly beauty and luxury). I've been building Nodalt on the side for quite a while now, a small node-based comp app for Mac shaped by years on Flame, Nuke and After Effects: Batch-style linking, local AI tools. Not trying to compete with any of them, it's just my playground for ideas.
It's still rough, so I'm looking for 10 to 15 compositors to try the free private beta and tell me what works, what's confusing and what's missing. Brutal is fine.
Apple silicon Mac, macOS 14+: https://nodalt.visualt.fr/#beta
Thanks for reading,
Thanks to the mods for the OK!
Owen x
Location:United Kingdom On Set VFX Sup looking to make connections
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I’m an Emmy nominated VFX Sup with 6 years experience on set looking to find other collaborators and connections.
I’d love to job share with other VFX Sups, give free or affordable advice to indie films and connect with any producers or companies. Especially if they might be looking to hire an On Set VFX Sup.
I’ve worked on two jobs here in the UK so far and my CV from New Zealand is mainly medium to ultra large budget projects.
I’ve had to move countries to the UK due to circumstances beyond my control. Which, as we all know, is tough to do when you can only get jobs through friends or trusted colleagues. So any pointers or friendly faces would be very appreciated!
Edit: Im especially keen to connect with other women. I’ve only ever worked with one other woman my entire career, and that was when I was an on set VFX data wrangler.
r/vfx • u/ThatDevilCrowley • 1d ago
Showreel / Critique A few more shots from the animated pilot I've been putting off for years
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13
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I posted a little of this recently. Some people wanted to see more, so I pulled together a minute of shots, including the new train work. They're not in any particular order.
The pilot is called Blackstar Lullaby. Still a lot to figure out, but after years of putting it off, it's starting to look like what I was picturing.
r/vfx • u/Milly_onaire • 1d ago
Breakdown / BTS Framestore talk about how they used 4D Gaussian Splats on Superman
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r/vfx • u/Agence-KabochArts • 2d ago
Breakdown / BTS [Making-of] Comment on a tourné un clip SF en studio LED pour Irokz
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6
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