Todd Masters, the visionary behind special effects company MastersFX, has spent decades at the forefront of special effects and television production. His journey from a young artist fascinated by animation to an industry leader has been defined by adaptability, foresight, and relentless curiosity. For those aspiring to enter or advance in the television industry, Masters offers a wealth of hard-earned wisdom on how to navigate an ever-evolving industry.

Failure as Progress

“One other big piece is learning how to fail,” he says. “A lot of people talk about how failure is really your first step to success, and I think that’s important.”

In television production, as in any creative field, failure is inevitable. Especially in a discipline as niche as special effects. But rather than fearing mistakes, Masters sees them as essential learning experiences. “You’re going to learn faster by messing it up, getting yourself back up, and doing it again,” he insists.

He points to early film pioneers like Charlie Chaplin, who refined their craft through trial and error. “Chaplin didn’t have a camera growing up, he had to learn film language by doing,” Masters explains. “He would shoot something, process it, and immediately cut it in. If it was funny, great. If it wasn’t, he’d reshoot it. That’s how film comedy was invented.”

This iterative process is still relevant today. “Don’t get so precious with everything that you do,” Masters advises. “It’s all a step to tomorrow. Keep progressing until you get stuff that you really like, or that maybe other people do.”

In his teens, back in Seattle, Masters found work at a film lab where he contributed to The Empire Strikes Back, the ultimate brag for a teenager of the time. By the time he finished high school, he applied to several prestigious art schools, confident his portfolio would secure him a spot. To his surprise, rejection letters arrived one after another. “I had this kind of attitude at 16 or 17, like, ‘Oh, they have to take me.’ And they all rejected me. Pretty funny.”

Following his reality check, Masters took matters into his own hands. With a Volkswagen bus full of his artwork, he drove to Los Angeles, California, chasing a dream he refused to let slip away. He had already made connections in the special effects world through industry magazines. He knew he had to take the leap.

Within 24 hours of arriving in LA, he landed his first professional gig—working on Big Trouble in Little China and Poltergeist II. That was just the beginning. 

Masters’ recognises his good fortune in his early career, but leaves some advice for newcomers pursuing industry jobs in the modern age.

Plan for an ever-evolving future in special effects

One of Masters’ most essential pieces of advice is to think ahead with agility. The rapid pace of technological advancements in film and TV means that industry-standard practices that are relevant today may be obsolete tomorrow. 

For professionals in television, where innovations in CGI, AI, and virtual production are changing workflows at an unprecedented rate, planning is not just about setting career goals, but about anticipating industry shifts. “You don’t want to spend a lot of effort on a craft that’s going to be obsolete by the time you’re ready to put it to market,” Masters warns. He recommends studying emerging trends, observing technological disruptions, and making ‘educated guesses’ about where the industry is headed.

“We’re just starting to live in a world of AI, and soon robots may be everywhere,” he says. “We already have Waymo, no-driver cars in some places.” For those working in television and special effects, understanding how these advancements might influence storytelling or production methods is crucial. “Change is inevitable. It’s just constant,” Masters adds. “You need to be ready to face it, absorb some of the impact, and be aware of where you might sit in this world.”

While passion and technical skill are important, Masters emphasizes the need for professionals to understand the broader ecosystem of the industry. Many aspiring filmmakers and TV professionals make the mistake of focusing solely on their craft without studying the market they’re trying to enter.

Getting a Foot in the Door: Know the People

For Masters, success in television isn’t just about talent, it’s also about connections. “Knowing people, being able to communicate with people, getting them to remember you. That stuff is way more important now than even when I started,” he says. Easier said than done Mr Masters. 

He continues, “the industry is more competitive than ever, with thousands of aspiring directors, editors, and producers vying for limited opportunities. The best way to get a foot in the door is through networking.” However, Masters advises against expecting immediate breakthroughs from top executives or well-known figures.

“You’re probably not going to meet a person that will make your entire career,” he admits, “but you might meet their friend.” 

He urges newcomers to use the technology of today to their advantage. “Social media is great for that,” he adds. “If you’re going to be a filmmaker or in the entertainment business—or anything at this point—you need to develop your individual brand.” He encourages young professionals to not consume aspects of the industry online but also think about building an identity, participating in the TV community online and breaking into conversations within their field.

Don’t Wait for Permission to Start Creating

Hand in hand with networking chops, one of Masters’ most direct pieces of advice for aspiring producers is to simply start creating. “The days when expensive cameras and film stock were barriers to entry are in the past. Just pick up your iPhone and start shooting stuff,” he says.

While film schools provide a solid foundation, Masters believes they often lag behind the industry’s rapid evolution. “A lot of these traditional schools are several paces behind,” he says. “The style of filmic language changes almost minute by minute. Social media platforms have given rise to innovative new storytelling techniques that weren’t possible even a few years ago,” he notes.

“With any type of art you need to kind of learn your fundamentals, and then you need to kind of move on, and create what you want them to create with. A knowledge base, but your own artistic direction, right?”

“Francis Ford Coppola once said he was always fascinated by the idea that if we gave cameras to everybody, we’d see who’s really a filmmaker. It sort of emerges,” Masters explains. With today’s technology, the proof of talent lies in the work itself, not in waiting for an opportunity.

Masters’ career journey started with the world of special effects. It was not the result of a carefully laid plan but rather a pursuit of creative outlet.

His fascination with animation began after seeing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. “I was really trying to figure out, like, well, what is that? I mean, that’s not clay. What is that?” he wondered. This led him to the work of London-based Ray Harryhausen, the legendary stop-motion animator behind classics like Jason and the Argonauts. “I started studying the movies that he did and other people like him,” Masters says. 

He started by doing a short film instead of a book report for school, and the rest is history.

By the age of 12, he had already landed his first job in animation, an unconventional start in the basement of a house in a rough Seattle, Washington neighborhood. “It was a birth control film,” he laughs, recalling the irony. “My parents hadn’t even told me about the birds and the bees yet!” 

Know the Rules and Break Them

While it’s essential to understand the fundamentals of storytelling, cinematography, and editing, Masters encourages experimentation. “Some rules are there for a reason, but other rules are meant to be challenged,” he says.

Innovation in television and film often comes from those willing to push boundaries. “I’m always thinking about how to make an impact,” he says. The most successful creatives, he notes, are constantly balancing originality with an awareness of industry expectations.

“You need to find that deliverable,” he says. “What is it that, as an artist, makes you stand out? The ones who get more eyeballs than anyone else—they’re always thinking about how to be original but also how to fit into the room.”

For those looking to build a career in television or within special effects, Masters’ advice is clear. Be adaptable, understand the industry, network strategically, create relentlessly, and embrace failure as part of the learning process.

“In this business, it’s about constantly moving forward,” he says. “The landscape is always shifting, and the only way to stay relevant is to keep evolving with it.”

By following these principles, aspiring TV professionals can carve out their own path in the industry. It is a career that rewards those who are willing to push the boundaries, stand out, and never stop learning.

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