I went to a private french school of Digital Art called Isart Digital which had a rythm of one week at school and one week free which you're supposed to use to get work experience. So I started being active in the industry quite quickly ! When I chose Isart Digital I was very lost and actually didn't really understand the "alterning" dynamic of the school but when I understood it I was really hyped. One fear of mine has always been the moment where I'd have to switch from my life in school and the one where I would have to work. I always did quite well in school but I was terrified that my luck would run out once thrown into "the real world". I don't know why but I always imagined I'd freak out after graduating because I'd have my diploma in hand and wouldn't know what to do with it. And I'd find no jobs and fall into despair and loneliness (and poverty). By having an alterning education, I was actually able to put one foot into professional work while keeping the other at school. It made it all much simpler for when I graduated because I already had learnt all I needed to work. And I actually already worked and made contacts.
I was very lucky to be recommended by my teacher for an internship at Mikros Image on Astérix : Le Domaine des Dieux. I worked in the fix animation department, where you essentially fix all the little mistakes the animators didn't have the time to polish. It was an amazing first experience which really conforted me in my choice to work in the 3D animation industry.
When working on Astérix : Domaine des Dieux, I was still on my second year at Isart Digital and working on my student shorfilm called NEILA. It was a very intense experience both mentally and physically. Lots of all nighters, drama, crisis and panic. But in the end I'm proud of what my group and I acheived together ! I also graduated top of my class which was a great reward after all this hard work !
I actually made a previous post about it. Go watch it and give it some love ! https://steemit.com/video/@zelyn/neila-my-3d-student-shortfilm
When I finally graduated, I was contacted by MacGuff (the ones who did Despicable Me / Minions) to work in the CFX department on the movie SING. CFX being Character FX, included Cloth and Hair simulation. I didn't do much CFX at school so I was grateful to be given the opportunity to learn a whole new skillset. The team was huge and everyone was so nice ! It was my first experience of a fulltime job in a big studio and I really learned a lot about CFX as well as all the talks about salary, work dynamics, hierarchy and such. Eventhough I felt like CFX was the department I wouldn't want to continue working in, I really had a great time.
After Macguff, I wanted to get back to Mikros which was a smaller structure and where I would move from department to department trying different things easier. I had my eyes set on Astérix 2 since I worked on the first movie but it hadn't started being in production yet so I was offered a CFX artist post on Captain Underpants. I was even considered as a option to become lead artist of my team which was really flattering and surprising considering it was only my second production working in the CFX department. Finally they decided on someone with more experience than me and I could more focus on work than management. I was only lead as a replacement for a week and man was it stressful haha !
I realised my experience in CFX would allow me to find a job more easily in this field in the future, but I really didn't want to be typecasted into a CFX specialist, so I insisted to move to another departement on the next movie at Mikros which would be Asterix 2.
I had to wait 6 long months before finally being called to work on Asterix 2, this time in the Layout department ! It's basically the step that comes after Storyboard (which is 2D) and Animation (where animators animate). The Layout department assembles and places all the 3D assets (characters, sets & props) and the cameras and create the base of the 3D scenes in which all the other departments will add in. It's almost like were stage directors and cameramen at the same time, only in 3D space. It's absolutely awesome !
The movie is still in production and the layout department should end next month so... This is where I'm at for now.
A la rencontre des équipes de Mikros Image. from Ecran total on Vimeo.
Recently I've been interviewed by a French Online Magazine about the movie industry, along with other colleagues. They cut it in order to keep the basics but I remember one question the journalist asked me and what I remember most was his reaction to my honest answer. Since I'm quite young, he asked me if I planned to go work abroad one day or what were my general plans for the futur. I answered that I had no idea and that I prefered taking things one step at a time. As you might have noticed from my past experiences, I mostly go from oportunities to oportunies. I don't have a professional end goal and rather let my curiosity and desires drive me from job to job. I enjoy discovering and learning new departments and skillset and I'm not afraid to explore unknown territory. Even a "bad" experience to me is just a way to make sure this isn't the way to go and that i should try something else. I'm also aware, as I wrote in my very first post as introduction on Steemit, that I am very much subject to change and so are my objectives in life and the conditions to my hapiness. I don't believe making a life plan is a good way to go if by focusing on reaching this goal, one forgets to listen to himself, his needs, his new aspirations and changes in his life. For now, this is what I believe in and I am very grateful to be able to live this way and that until know I've always found interesting opportunities around me to continue on my way in the 3D movie industry.