Who or what has most influenced your career and why? In more recent years the client landscape has changed with the streaming services turning into studios by creating their own content. It made it a lot more accessible for schools and individuals and the industry grew quite rapidly.
There was a big change in the early 2000’s when the software we were using started to be available on non-specialised hardware. What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?
Foxit PDF for reading scripts and various mobile apps that syncs to keep notes and thoughts accessible everywhere. Maya and Nuke are useful sometimes to mock up things. For client calls cinesync, skype and google hangout.
I constantly use Ftrack and RV to stay on top of scans, edits, dailies and all sorts of information on the show. What VFX tools to you use day to day and why? It took close collaboration between production, editorial and vfx to get to the finish line. It was constrained and restricted in many ways, so we didn’t have the resources to create all the vfx in a computer which forced us to think of solutions that included renting a camera and filming our own plates. I’m very proud of what we achieved in vfx on Lone Survivor. It’s a little too early to reveal my current project, but it’s an upcoming American epic fantasy series. What have you worked on recently / are working on at the moment? I really don’t enjoy when the opposite happens! When the production is underway it’s great when things run smoothly, and the result is something to be proud of. What are you favourite and least favourite parts of the job? T2, Death Becomes Her, Beauty and the Beast to name a few made me want to explore 3D. I suppose I’m meant to say Star Wars here but what actually got me hooked was reading magazine articles about films using CG in the early ‘90s. I did art at High School and Computer Graphics at University. I applied and was accepted and have only occasionally looked back. I saw and article in a computer magazine about a Computer Graphics University course in Sweden. I was too naive to realise VFX could actually be a paying job. On a daily basis I draw upon all my past experience to ensure things run smoothly and keep the teams creative momentum going throughout the project. We’re headquartered in London where I’m based, but we have studios in Montreal and Vancouver alongside VFX brands Image Engine and TRIXTER, within the Cinesite group.
Cinesite is an independent studio offering services in visual effects for film, streamers and television, in recent years the company has expanded to include feature animation.