How did you go from paste-up graphic design to computer generated visual effects?
I specialized in 'Audio Visual Design' back in the 1980's before CGI had taken off. I remember there was one computer there that a professor had written a program for, but I wasn't interested. Then, for a graduation project, we created an animated opening graphic using the 'AVD' letters of our program.
You did this on the computer?
Yes. A few years before earlier Channel 4 in England had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds creating an animated '4' with spinning blocks as a signature graphic. Inspired by that logo, we replicated the idea with the 'AVD.' It really opened my eyes to see how far the capabilities had progressed in such a short time.
So you went out and earned a living doing graphics like this?
I ended up in Australia, first working a camera and animation stand to create graphics for ABC news broadcasts. Then I moved to Channel 10 in Adelaide where they had a couple of Amiga computers. I was paid to create 30-second pieces such as bouncing balls for a kids show.
You had to learn how to make CG graphics on your own?
Well, yes, and it gets better! In Singapore a few years after that, I visited SBC (Singapore Broadcast Corporation) where they had an SGI computer and a program called 'Alias' that no one knew how to use. They hired me "for a few weeks" to see if I could figure out how to use it. I ended up staying there for a few years. I got pretty fluent in CG and then joined another company also in Singapore that made commercials.
When did you discover feature films?
There's a funny story there. We'd just completed a Canon copier ad featuring a chameleon that changed colors as it walked through various scenes. We were very excited: it was the first all-CG commercial in Southeast Asia and we'd worked for eight whole weeks on it! So when we were done we decided to go out to a movie to celebrate. The movie we chose was something called "Jurassic Park." Well, I thought we were doing good CG! Jurassic Park just blew my mind. That was my new holy grail.
VFX by Hybride Technologies |
