Can you describe your role at Lux Aeterna?

I’m a Compositing Supervisor, reporting into the directors, Steve Burrell, Rob Hifle, and Paul Silcox. I’m given a lot of freedom to direct projects, especially when it comes to developing the technical side of the VFX pipeline and introducing new processes.

I was instrumental in setting up a new VFX pipeline when I first joined Lux Aeterna as a freelancer. I brought my experience from setting up a similar pipeline at the previous studio where I worked. This included introducing ShotGrid, as there was no way of tracking the workflow previously. The first thing I did was onboard everyone on to ShotGrid, and it’s really helped to streamline our production process. There was a bit of reluctance at first, but once people understood the benefits of what it brought to production workflows they pretty quickly got onboard.

What’s your favourite film?

The original Blade Runner. Ridley Scott’s cinematography is a work of art and is instantly recognisable. Also, Jet Li’s Hero. It’s a Chinese film that’s less known in the West, but it’s beautifully shot.

What’s your favourite TV show?

Season one of Westworld is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. It’s impeccably produced, visually impressive, and it really gets you hooked on the storyline.

Is there a particular sequence or film that inspired you to go into VFX?

Not really, I got into VFX by accident! I started out studying live sound engineering at university before moving into animation. I couldn’t get a work placement for sound engineering, as jobs were few and far between, and still are, especially given how static the music industry is. My then-girlfriend, now-wife suggested a traineeship at Disney in London and the rest is history. I’m so thankful I chose to work in VFX – I don’t regret the decision at all.

What makes Bristol a great location to work in?

Bristol is a really creative city and it attracts lots of talent and projects from out of London, so you get the creativity without the pressure that working in the capital can sometimes bring. Lux Aeterna also has a great work-life balance, and we often socialise outside of work, whether that’s in the pub, or watching the rugby.

What project have you enjoyed the most so far at Lux Aeterna?

I’ve worked on a lot of exciting projects, but Our Universe was truly unique, mixing epic 2001: A Space Odyssey-like sci-fi imagery with a stunningly intimate nature documentary. It was really satisfying to develop a completely new language of visual storytelling, and to collaborate with the great teams at BBC Studios and Netflix. I especially loved working with BBC Studios’ series directors Stephen Cooter, Alice Jones, and Naomi Austin.

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