Saravanan Rangaswamy graduated from 3D Animation & Visual Effects in 2007. He has since returned to his native country of India to begin a career as an FX Artist. Recently, Saravanan had the opportunity to work on Arjun: The Warrior Prince, a full-length animated feature film released in India and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. We talked to Saravan about his experience at VFS and life as a visual effects artist.

Why did you chose to come to Vancouver Film School to study?

Saravanan: I was looking for a school that would provide me with the knowledge I needed to begin a career in the CG industry. I researched numerous schools around the world and found VFS ranked as one of best. They also provided the course I wanted in the shortest time frame.

Copyright Walt Disney Pictures/UTV Motion Pictures

Can you take us through your first few months after graduation?

Saravanan: After graduation, I applied to numerous studios in Vancouver and other parts of the world. This was at the beginning of the recession so unfortunately I had no luck. I decided to return to India and start my job hunt there. A couple of weeks later, I got a job with Tata Elxsi, a company that I still work for. The patience I had during my search landed me this job. I originally joined as a Lighting Artist but became fascinated with FX and changed departments to become an FX Artist.

As you are currently working in India, can you tell us how VFS prepared you with the skills needed to work in various countries around the world?

Saravanan: My instructors at VFS were extremely supportive and experienced in the industry. They taught me what it really takes to make a career in Visual Effects. We were also given a great deal of exposure to the real world of animation and effects through various seminars and lectures from professionals. Having experts look at our work and offer feedback was very encouraging and really prepared us for our first step into the industry. It was also amazing to see so many students from around the world coming together to learn. There was always a great creative atmosphere around the school.

You worked on Arjun: The Warrior Prince, a newly released animated feature film. What was your involvement in the film?

Saravanan: Arjun: The Warrior Prince is a one-of-a-kind film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and UTV Motion Pictures. The film portrays a part of Indian mythology know as “Mahabharata“. I worked as an FX artist, doing the majority of the water effects – mainly shots involving pools, rivers, rain, and some underwater sequences. We are a small team of artists Tata Elxsi but contributed a major amount of the FX on the film. Working on Arjun was a great learning experience for me and I am very glad that I was able to be a part of it.

What projects are you working on now?

Saravanan: I am currently involved in few international animated TV series and a Bollywood live action film, Ek Tha Tiger.

Thanks so much for speaking with us Saravanan. Best of luck with your upcoming projects!