How would you explain your job to someone who doesn’t know VFX?

My job is working with our client partners, production team, and our various department leaders every step of the way, from pre to post, to deliver the best possible VFX work on time and under budget.

What does a day in the life look like?

My day mostly consists of meetings with clients and our various team leaders, reviewing work, project planning and creative problem-solving, and the occasional hour or two on the box working on shots or concepts.

What are some of your favorite projects? Why?

Working on the Horizon film saga was a career highlight for me. The work was challenging but rewarding, we had a great working relationship with our client partners, and ING assembled an outstanding team that made working every day a pleasure.

Horizon: An American Saga - Warner Bros.

What's something you wish people knew about what you do?

Visual effects is a huge team effort - involving many artistic disciplines, and people collaborating from all different walks of life. A 5-second effect in a movie that you may or may not notice is usually the result of dozens, if not hundreds of people working together in sync, towards a singular creative vision.

What is something that excites you about your career?

While the sky is often the limit in terms of possibilities in VFX, at some point those possibilities need to be realized, and then married to the footage that was shot - which leads all kinds of interesting and creative problem-solving. And despite technology constantly changing and improving, the guiding principles of VFX, and art in general, will always remain the same.

Are you learning anything new?

VFX involves so many artistic disciplines, along with ever-changing technology. VFX is also an interface with reality, so I am always learning something new from one side or the other. On the artist side I am painting and practicing light and form, on the technical side I am learning Houdini and pipeline tech, and on the real world side I am studying cardiac anatomy, behavioral characteristics of certain animals, city planning in the 1860s, whatever knowledge the job entails.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I am passionate about electronic music and frequently go to sets or DJ with my record collection. I enjoy jogging and am currently training for a marathon. And I have a few other odd hobbies, like brewing beer or smoking meats.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Understand the why, not just the how.