Tell us about your creative process.
My creative process is all about problem solving—it’s the driving force behind all my work. As a visual effects artist, the first problem I face is simply the unknown: how can I do what is asked of me technically, what tools or techniques will I use to create a desired effect. Next, how can I do this efficiently and on time, because ultimately VFX is an industry with deadlines and production costs. Finally, and most importantly, how can I create an effect in service of the story that I am helping to tell? Can I convince the audience that what they are seeing on screen can exist in that world? It is this rush of problem solving and creativity that both challenges and excites me.

What do you love about working in the creative arts?
Creative problem solving motivates a lot of people in this industry and I love taking on varied tasks each week. As one project (or “show” as we call them) winds down, another is on the horizon to challenge me in a new way, whether that's in artistic direction, scale of work, or the technology used.

What would people be surprised to learn about the special effects industry?
I think what really surprises people about our industry is just how much blood and sweat goes into every single shot they see on screen, even those that are just a few seconds long. A team of artists will work on a single shot, moving it through the “pipeline” over the course of weeks, or even months, to achieve the photoreal quality that makes the shot believable in the story. 

It is also interesting to see people from various professional backgrounds come together within this industry. Because there is no educational blueprint for these jobs, I get to work with people from all walks of life: architects model sci-fi buildings; painters create digital matte paintings for backgrounds and skies; photographers and filmmakers apply their knowledge of light and frame to simulate lighting in 3D scenes. I came from a computer science and information technology background (a far cry from an arts program), yet now I’m a visual effects artist!

How was your creative spirit nurtured at LAS?
I can point directly to Mr. Padick’s yearbook and multimedia classes where I was first introduced to Photoshop, video editing, and photography. These skills culminated in a memorable senior year film project where I created action-packed sequences with muzzle flares, blood puffs, and tracers for a short little film—these classes offered a glimpse into what visual effects can add to a story.

Have your creative projects kept you connected to other members of the LAS Global Family?
It’s always fun to text my LAS friend group chat to tell them about my latest wrapped show. Sometimes they will go see one of my projects in the theater and stay for the credits, excited to find my name (or disappointed that they missed it!) in the sea of names that help make a movie come together. 

Can art bridge cultural divides to create a more interconnected world?
I believe the existence of art, and the act of creating it, is enough to connect us to one another. Films can bring friends and strangers together, murals shed light on current issues—art provides an opportunity for us to share our thoughts and bridge what divides us, even subconsciously. Even without narration or text, visual art can convey universal themes across cultures: struggle, love, fear, and hope. Without the barrier of language, we quickly realize that our lives aren’t so different—we all experience the same ranges of emotions. Art is central to our humanity. 
 

 

 

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