Bucks lecturer Alex Williams talks about his work on the Harry Potter films

Bucks lecturer Alex Williams worked on the last three Harry Potter films, while employed at the London VFX house Cinesite, in London's Soho. We asked him to talk about what he did on this very popular films series which help to transform the scale and quality of visual effects work being done here in the UK.






Bucks: What did you do on Harry Potter?

Alex: I worked on the last three installments of the Harry Potter series. On Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, I helped to animate some magical birds which Hermione creates when she is angry with Ron Weasely. The work was done at Cinesite in London, and I was one of two animators who did the animation.

The birds were modelled and rigged extremely carefully, with a full range of motion such as folding wings, and individual feathers, to withstand very careful scrutiny. This is often the case on a visual effects job, where you have to create assets that are suitable for an extreme close-up - even though you might only end up using them in wide shot. When you go and see the final version in the movie theatre you think: "why did we do all that work? It goes by in an instant and it's all motion blurred!" But that's the VFX business - you never know when the client will ask for something new and complex - and you have to be prepared for every eventuality.

Bucks: What else did you work on?

Alex: I also did some design work for the Patronus Doe in the last two installments of the series: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Parts 1 and 2.  The modeling department at Cinesite had created the 3D models, but the client was not happy because they weren't appealing enough. Needless to say, the models were in fact very accurate, based closely on the topology of real deer which they had used for reference. But often what is needed when you model something realistic is a kind of heightened reality, not actual reality. Movies are an illusion, after all, and visual effects are just that - an effect. So my job was to make the doe seem cuter, more appealing, more like Bambi than a BBC nature documentary.

My background in animation was as a 2D animator, and I have always loved to draw. So the job was a pleasure for me, as it utilised all the skills I had learned on traditionally animated movies like The Lion King and Spirit - Stallion of the Cimmarron.  The client was very happy with the revised designs (which were still realistic, just more appealing) so we went ahead and made the changes to the 3D model. Below is a clip of what the Patronus looked like once it was animated.



Bucks: What was it like working on Harry Potter?

Alex: It was a real privilege to work on a film series that was seen by so many people and did so much for the London visual effects scene. Also, on a personal level, it's nice to work on something that people have actually heard of!

For more on the experience of studying at Bucks New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days,  take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK. Find out why we're giving free laptops to all our students, and why we give all our students free access to videos at Lynda.com. Also, see what financial assistance might be available to you. Learn which is better for animation, a PC or a Mac? Get hold of a copy of a map so you can find your way around campus, and learn about motion capture at Bucks. And find out about how our online video tutorials work.







 

Cinesite explains what they look for in a great student demo reel

One of the most common questions asked by our students at Bucks is: how do I get a job? The answer, of course, is to be really good at what you do, and have a great demo reel to showcase your talent. But what makes a great animation reel? After, all, different companies have different priorities, and everyone is looking for something a little bit different. Luckily, many companies, including Cinesite (which offers the excellent Inspire internship for budding visual effects artists) have posted a lot of information at their website about what, exactly, they look for in a graduate's demo reel.

Using previous Inspire internship winners' work as examples, Facility Production Manager Dan Pettipher gives advice about creating a successful reel.

You can see Dan's incredibly helpful advice here:  http://www.cinesite.com/podcasts/9.

---Alex

(Editor's Note: For more practical advice on careers, read what Blue Zoo has to say about demo reels. See also advice from Disney, Sony Pictures Animation, and watch our video on how to create a great demo reel. Read about what our graduates had to say at the recent Graduate Panel. Check out this post on how to set up an small business. Also learn about your first client project, read out our post on Portfolio Careers, and read this piece on Survival as a Freelancer. Study the nuts and bolts of freelance life by reading our guide to invoicing clients, and our guide to freelancers and taxes.  For more on careers in general, check out our guide to animation careers here, and also take a look at this map of digital studios - a great place to start your search for work in the business. Finally see our article on the jobs page at awn.com )

Who is hiring in Soho?

One of the key aspects of finding a job is knowing who is hiring. If the jobs aren't there, or your skills don't match the vacancy, then it doesn't matter how talented you are - you won't be likely to find work. So, a big part of finding a job is knowing what is out there, who is hiring, and when.

Here are some jobs boards which show what sorts of skills the big Soho VFX companies are looking for. Add these to your bookmarks - and check them often.

• Moving Picture Company (MPC) jobs board 
• Double Negative (DNeg) jobs board
• Frame Store jobs board
• Cinesite jobs board
• The Mill jobs board

Of course, these are just the big companies. There are literally hundreds of medium and small-sized digital FX companies in London that are in constant need of fresh talent.

There is no substitute to keeping your ear to the ground and finding out what is available. It might take weeks, or months, or even (hopefully not) years,  but sooner or later someone will be looking for a graduate with your skills. So don't lose heart - perseverance and persistence pay off.

---Alex

What Do Modellers Need To Get a Job?

At the end of last year I met with Royston Wilcox, who heads up the modelling department at Cinesite in Soho, one of London's leading VFX houses. We worked together on many projects at Cinesite, including Underdog, Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Marmaduke, and between us we helped set up a super-efficient pipeline for realistic animal lipsync.


We are delighted that Royston has agreed to be one of our external reviewers, making sure our course at Bucks is fit for purpose and gives students the skills they need to find work in the industry. It is through developing and deepening our contacts with industry that we intend to make our course one of the best in the country.

And getting those jobs is more competitive than ever. Cost pressures on VFX work is driving modelling work out to China, farming it out to super-cheap studios who can do it for less. This places pressure on entry-level positions in London, making the job market even more competitive.

The good news from Cinesite is that they do offer entry-level jobs, and also internships. This takes the form of a competition - the submissions get judged and the best work gets an internship at Cinesite.

What does Royston look for in a modeller? - ideally someone who has worked on a film, understands the process. This kind of real-world experience is vital, because it lets an employer know that the candidate understands how the process works.

What about Runners? Does Cinesite hire them? Absolutely. Prospective runners get interviewed by HR and they spend up to a year working as runners, doing a fair bit of drudge work but at the same time learning the business and getting to know the company. This can be a great opportunity to start a career.

What should a good modelling reel demonstrate? Here is Royston's checklist of what he looks for in a prospective modeller:

1. Good surface topology, properly displayed. A good reel should show the topology of the mesh.
2. Show the reference used to build it. Does the model match the reference? Is the model accurate? This is super-important, as most studio jobs involve matching reference exactly.
3. A good working knowledge of Maya. Maya is now the dominant software in the industry in Soho - 3DS Max is less in demand, at least in London.
4. Watch out for objects built with ZBrush and Mudbox. These tools are very good for creating sculptures but the mesh ends up very heavy. They are not necessarily suitable for production.