These are general purpose informational questions about different areas of specialization.
When asking domain-related questions the key goal is to figure out where the candidate fits into the spectrum of skills related to the domain, rather than “passing” of “failing” them based on past experience. Generally an answer should help you see place the candidate somewhere on the follwing spectrum with regard to different aspects of technical art:
The candidate is familiar with the most basic concepts but has little practical experience with them.
Candidate knows enough to do routine tasks without assistance, but may often be following instructions rather than acting from a solid understanding of the technology. Probably needs help for complex tasks.
The candidate can handle most production tasks without guidance, but may not always be able to find the optimal solution to complex problems. Has a solid grasp of the fundamentals.
Candidate is fluent in the technology and can handle complex problems with assurance. Able to innovate and expand the state of the art.
Note that it's pretty normal for someone to be expert at some aspects of a given specialty while being less advanced in others: for example an excellent hands-on rigger may not be an expert programmer, where a skilled pipeline programmer might have only limited exposure to shaders.
When looking at domain expertise, try to distinguish between experience and ability to learn. It's quite rare that a candidate needs practical experience in every aspect of a problem space to be productive. Particularly when interviewing junior candidates or those from underrepresented backgrounds, look for evidence of willingess to learn and adaptability as much as pat answers to specific questions. Experience matters but so do a growth mindset and good collaboration skills.
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