You might be among the million-plus viewers of Kuroshio Sea already. This gorgeously simple, zen-like footage of a massive aquarium in Japan, including a number of majestic whale sharks, has struck a chord with viewers online.
And the footage was shot by a VFS graduate. Jon Rawlinson, a 1998 alum of the Multimedia program, the predecessor of Digital Design, is a successful and prolific filmmaker whose clients have included Intercontinental Hotels, Discovery Channel, Yahoo!, and American Express.
This size doesn’t do it justice. See it here in all its glory.
Acting for Film & Television grad Sara Canning is no stranger to success (and she introduces her friends to it too!): she’s appeared on Smallville, portrayed Nicky Hilton, starred in a Lifetime TV feature, and added her talents to the Slapshot film franchise. Most recently, Sara landed a recurring role on The Vampire Diaries, which will be airing on CW this fall. We checked in with her to see how things are shaping up on this exciting new project. Hi, Sara. First of all, congrats on landing a role in The Vampire Diaries. How did it all happen? Sara: Thank you! I auditioned for The Vampire Diaries in February – for three different roles. Landing the pilot was huge for me for a few reasons: firstly, it was a great script written by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, who are both fantastic. It was the first pilot I’d ever been a part of. Also, right before auditioning for The Vampire Diaries, I’d been banking on another job, which ultimately didn’t work out, and I was really disappointed. But along came this pilot with an awesome cast and production team, and the possibility for a great opportunity. It was the ultimate reminder that things happen for a reason. Needless to say, I was through the roof when The CW announced The Vampire Diaries was a part of its fall lineup!
Last night, VFS students from many programs – including Film Production, Writing for Film & Television, Entertainment Business Management, and Acting for Film & Television – were treated to over an hour of Winter’s time as he talked about the joys and difficulties of making movies in today’s industry. The producer of such films as Fantastic Four, Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, and Star Treks III through VI, Winter screened a number of Wolverine clips — from early promo trailers to never before seen (and not likely to be seen again any time soon) stunt choreography, giving students a look into the imagination of Hollywood stunt performers. After talking about his favourite aspect of producing – theatre-hopping on opening night for his films – he repeatedly stressed to students that, above all, this industry runs on collaboration. “If you think you’re the one person who’s going to muscle it past the goal, you’re wrong,” Winter said. “It’s got to be collaborative.”
We’d like to congratulate some of the women and men behind the scenes, namely a host of VFS Animation & Visual Effects grads mostly working out of industry heavy Rhythm & Hues and locals CIS Vancouver and Image Engine. Among them: Animation Supervisor Adam Yaniv, Lead Rotoscope Artist Jessica Wan, Pre-Visualization Artist Joey Wilson, Animators Jessica Wong-Chan and Amy Lu, Technical Animator Nicholas Augello, and Character Designer Julianna Kolakis. These guys represent a great cross-section of VFS talent, from Classical Animation to 3D. Well done!
The upshot? A line in this summer’s I Love You, Beth Cooper that was ultimately cut. Then another step: a recurring role as a Raptor pilot in the web series Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy, a series which, we might add, was recently nominated for an Emmy. And now he’s got a recurring role on Defying Gravity, a CTV/ABC series starring Ron Livingston that’s being pitched as “Grey’s Anatomy in Space”. Defying Gravity‘s two-hour pilot premieres on Sunday, August 2nd at 9pm, and will continue on Sundays at 10 after that. The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native’s career is still in its infancy, but his efforts are beginning to pay off. We caught up with him recently to find out more about his journey, his recent roles, and life as an actor who’s just getting started. Since graduating in ’07, what have you been up to? I mean, apart from the roles in bigger film and TV productions? How does an actor fill his weeks when he’s just starting out? Will: I was lazy in my first few weeks. I got my headshots done a month after I graduated, and didn’t rush to get an agent. I got a job doing security, working the graveyard shift at a video game company, and during this I did a short film with a VFS Film Production class in December 2007, where I would shoot in the day and work security at night. A good friend and VFS grad, Sara Canning, referred me to her agent, Michael Levitt, who was looking for males like me for his roster. I applied, and read for him, and he said I was “good, but not great.” He suggest that I apply to as many other agencies as I’d like so he could be assured that I was making the right choice. I received no responses from the other agencies I responded to, so I signed with Michael in January 2008. Now, let’s talk about the Beth Cooper, Battlestar Galactica, and Defying Gravity roles. What can you tell our readers about them? Actor and VFS Grad William C. Vaughan Paul Bergie – I Love You, Beth Cooper Will: I Love You, Beth Cooper was my first-ever real audition, and it was for the casting directors Coreen Mayrs and Heike Brandstatter. This is really where my career started. Heike enjoyed my first audition enough that I got a call back where I auditioned for the director, Chris Columbus. It was very cool auditioning for him, because he was the first “famous” person I ever worked in front of. I didn’t get the part, but they read me for four other parts in the movie, until I finally got the part of Paul Bergie, who had one line. I was so excited that I got it, that I didn’t care about the size. When I arrived on set, I had no idea what to do, or who to talk to. I ended up walking up to the only person I recognized – one of the producers. He sent me to the 3rd AD, who sent me to hair and makeup, where a kindly older British woman told me not to write about any of my on-set experiences in my blog. “We wouldn’t want Fox’s Lawyers coming for you,” she said. I won’t say anything about the shooting of the film, because although the film has been released, I’m afraid that legal threat may still be binding. Just don’t look for my face in the finished product. It’s not there. And I have a hunch I was voiced by someone else. Maybe it’s just my actor’s paranoia. Maybe it isn’t. A few months later I was invited to be an audition reader for Coreen and Heike. This is why I say my career started with them – the next three parts I booked were mostly due to my reader’s job. What does an audition reader do? Will: An audition reader is the guy or gal who stands next to the camera and reads the lines of the other characters in an audition. The auditioner usually has no clue who the reader will be, and in some cases the reader can make or break an audition. What are some of the challenges or rewards in taking on that kind of work? Will: I couldn’t imagine a better job for a young actor to have. I’ve had the privilege of seeing literally thousands of auditions, and the honour of working with some terrific directors. It’s a very selfless job. You’re just there to give the auditioning actors a good audition, to serve them. You need to complement them – not literally, but if you say “good job” to one, make sure you say “good job” to all! – and be a quick study of the lines. You need to give the actors your eyes as much as possible, and give them as much feeling as possible, without being distracting. Just the experience of being in the audition room for as many hours as I’ve had is a master class all its own. Will as a Raptor pilot in the Emmy-nominated Battlestar Galactica web series J. “Shark” Finnegan – Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy Will: I read for some episodes of Battlestar Galactica, and the director Michael Rymer was a friend of my agent. He cast me in a part that I hadn’t auditioned for, one that we didn’t end up shooting. Months later, my agent called to tell me that I was cast for the part of J. “Shark” Finnegan in a webisode series for BSG that started shooting on my 24th birthday. Quite a birthday present. I had a ton of fun with the cast, and I got to be a Raptor pilot, which, being a huge sci-fi nerd, was awesome. The series hit the web in December 2008, which gave me something to show people when I went back home to visit for Christmas. Kind of a “look at me! I’m really doing it!” to my friends back home. Arnel Poe – Defying Gravity Will: After the webisodes, I was “the” audition reader for Defying Gravity, a new series by the creators of Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. The show is about eight astronauts embarking on a six-year mission around the solar system and the people in mission control who monitor them billions of kilometres away. Eventually, I was asked to audition for the part of Arnel Poe, an astronaut candidate who ends up being grounded and working in mission control while his friends live his dream. Much more – and a trailer! – after the jump…
In a rebrand, designers have the power to reinvent a business. Here, Yuan reconceptualized Tapioca Inc.’s look, and mapped out ways to brand everything from business cards to the storefront design and even, as Yuan’s own case study shows, a car. Congrats, Yuan. Great work! Check out Yuan’s case study for this project on her website.
Well, take that, pessimists, because Dexter is on its way to iPhones near you, courtesy of Showtime, Icarus Studios, and Marc Ecko Entertainment. Early hands-on reports have been positive, and the recent trailer from San Diego Comic Con is great (see below). Behind the scenes is Writing for Film & Television grad Andrew Kemp, who’s on the team at Icarus tasked with bringing Dexter Morgan to portable devices. We asked him recently just what he’s been doing on the Dexter game and how his writing background factors in. Could you give us an idea of what it is that you do? Both writing and game design, is that right? To the layperson, what does that mean? I’m a Game Designer at Icarus Studios, which covers all the different roles I take on each day. I work under the game’s Lead Designer as part of a team responsible for every story and game element a player will see in Dexter, from big picture gameplay, to mini-game designs, to the stories and individual conversations that the player experiences through Dexter’s eyes. My primary focus is the game’s plot, characters, and dialogue, but I have a voice in just about every design decision involved with the project. I became interested in screenwriting somewhere around the 8th grade. I loved movies and telling stories, and I just decided one day that the two were a natural fit. I came to VFS leaning toward feature and television writing, but one thing my teachers impressed on me was the importance of exploring every available medium to make a living as a working writer. That reality led me to investigate the video game industry while I was still in school, and I began pursuing game work as soon as I was back in the real world. I really love what I do. There are always new challenges to overcome, and I get to work on a great game alongside great people every single day. It’s a dream job. Could you describe your journey, post-VFS, to where you are today? When I left school, I wasn’t sure how best to begin. I started looking at writing contests, submitting scripts to a number of national competitions, and collecting a few successes to put on my resume. I made a number of no-budget short films, a few of which performed well at festivals – including one called After, which had started as a class project at VFS. Some people say that getting into the video game industry can be mostly about who you know, not necessarily what you can do, but I had a different experience. Having a contact in the company helped to get me an interview, but it was the work I put into my writing, as well as my VFS background, that got me the job. Bottom line: an employer wants to know that you can do the work. How does a background in screenwriting – or a familiarity with traditional Story – come into play in video games? Like the movies, video games are a visual medium and being able to tell a story using only what the player can see or hear is a valuable skill. Also, as in screenwriting, a game designer must be able to write good, solid dialogue from the point of view of multiple characters with very different personalities… and on a tight deadline. Most importantly, VFS put me into a collaborative environment with other writers, which is a major part of my job. If you can’t work effectively as part of a writing team, you won’t go very far in this – or any – creative field. Having said all that, movies and TV are mostly passive for the viewer, while video games are completely interactive. The player brings his or her own experiences and expectations to any game they play, and I’m learning new things every day about how to make that dynamic relationship between the player and the game as exciting as possible. It’s been a fun experience, and I’m just getting started. Thanks, Andrew! Hope you’re riding high on the SDCC buzz! Readers should check out the trailer below. It’s just a tease, but it gives you an idea of just how far the game could push the boundaries.
VFS will be there. If you’re dropping in, come visit us at Booth 2014, say hi, and pick up a brochure! You’ll also have the chance to meet Head of Animation & Visual Effects Alastair Macleod and VFS Managing Director Marty Hasselbach. SIGGRAPH 2009 And as we mentioned in June, 3D Animation & Visual Effects grad Sveinbjörn J. Tryggvason‘s VFS film, Friends?, is up for the Well Told Fable Award at the Computer Animation Festival! All in all, SIGGRAPH is a can’t-miss event for pros and students alike.
Compositing. It’s ubiquitous in film and TV, and you often never even know it. Countless VFS grads have forged long and successful careers as compositors. But what does it mean? Digital Design student (and Foundation Visual Art & Design grad) Jordan Clarke explains – and illustrates – in this short, sweet take on a ‘talking head’ assignment:
Organizer Jonathan Tiong explains that this talk series “provides artists and students affordable opportunities to meet and learn directly from professional artists who are normally inaccessible.” The reception starts at 6pm with Brennan’s talk at 6:30pm. You can pre-register for $15, or pay $20 at the door. Update: This event will be held at the 221A Artist Run Centre. Venue info here. For more information: Check out Daisho’s Facebook Group Page here.
Grad Sinks Her Teeth into The Vampire Diaries
Vampires have been feasting on TV audiences since Buffy could sling a stake. With all the attention book series like The Vampire Diaries and Twilight are getting, it must be an actor’s dream come true to land a role in a TV adaptation and get this level of exposure.
Can you tell us about your character? How do you prepare to play “Jenna Moyer”? X-Men Producer Visits VFS
“One of the things I think we did do well was blow things up and fight,” Ralph Winter says of his latest produced feature film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.Aliens Invade Attic, Theatres
Aliens in the Attic (once known as They Came from Upstairs), about a group of kids defending their family from a bunch of mind-controlling aliens, hits theatres Friday. No early screenings for the press – not usually a very good sign – but the movie looks like it might be a decent little diversion for kids on a hot summer’s day.
Actor Defies Gravity
Fostering a career as a working actor is tough – it takes ambition, chops, perseverance, savvy. Just ask William C. Vaughan about paying dues. The Acting for Film & Television grad has worked his tail off since graduation in 2007, taking jobs where he could get them, slowly building a reputation with casting directors, and auditioning, auditioning, auditioning.
Grad’s Rebrand Wins an Applied Arts Award
Digital Design grad Yuan You has brought a whole new life to tapioca. She recently won a student design award from Applied Arts – “Canada’s Visual Communications Magazine” – for her rebrand of Tapioca Inc., a Taiwanese-American bubble tea chain. You’ll see Yuan’s name listed in the Sept/Oct issue of Applied Arts.
(Note: a pdf will load in your browser.)
Through Dexter’s Eyes
Taking a hit cable series about a likable serial killer and turning it into a game seems impossible. But taking a hit cable series about a likable serial killer and turning it into a mobile game seems downright unfathomable.
What first drew you to screenwriting? Did you know, coming to VFS, that you’d ultimately be working in games one day?
I also shopped a couple of scripts in LA. I got some interest, but no magical big-dollar movie deals. I wasn’t sure where my career was going until I got a call from a friend who worked at Icarus Studios.SIGGRAPH Is Coming!
SIGGRAPH 2009, the computer graphics industry’s premier event, is fast-approaching! This year’s is in New Orleans, promising a unique experience for attendees and exhibitors alike.
Exhibition – Tuesday, August 4, 2009 – Thursday, August 6, 2009
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, Louisiana, USAWhat Is Compositing?
Game Design Grad at Artist Talk Series
On August 1st, Game Design grad Brennan Massicotte will be sharing his experiences as a professional Concept Artist at United Front Games at the next Daisho, Digital Art Workshop event.
daisho@221a.ca or 604-568-0812