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My name is Caterina Castiglione and I’m looking to go into the VFX industry as a Roto/Paint Clean Artist and eventually, a Comp Artist. I've always loved watching movies and would try to analyse how they were made. I wasn't sure what area of film I wanted to apply to until my VFX course at Escape Studios; that's where I narrowed down to the 2D side of VFX. During these last three years, I’ve been dedicated to learning every aspect of this position and what is required. I’ve learnt new skills such as Keying, Comping and Matte Painting, skills that I find enjoyable and hope to build further.
Specialisms:
Roto and Prep Clean up Artist 2D
SHOWREEL
GET TO KNOW CATERINA
What was your inspiration for pursuing a career in VFX?
I love the creativity behind it and the chance to create something special. It's a highly sought after job role that offers me finances for future ambitions. I've always loved watching movies and would be interested in the work that went into them behind the scenes. During these last three years, I’ve been dedicated to learning every aspect of the 2D side of VFX and what is required. During this time, I’ve learnt new skills such as Rotoscoping, Cleanup, Keying, Comping and Matte Painting, skills that I find enjoyable and intend to build further.
What hobbies do you have?
My main hobbies would be reading literature, drawing and listening to music.
I've always dreamed of creating stories and I find listening to music is the perfect tool for world and character-building.
In my free time, I would draw and create animatics. I'm currently trying to expand my knowledge to different software such as drawing in Photoshop rather than just Procreate since that is a good skill to have.
Reading is another good inspiration for me. Since studying in London, there is a bookshop around almost every corner, hence why my collection of books at home continues to grow.
How would your peers describe you in 3 words?
After asking my peers for feedback I've been told that I am Inquisitive, Kind, Timid.
Inquisitive because I am eager to learn new skills. Kind because of a welcoming attitude (as well as and providing snacks) and Timid. At the start of University I was quite quiet so I understand this feedback. Despite growing more confident through the years I will continue to work on this.
Do you have any industry experience? If so, please give a concise explanation of the experience.
Despite having little direct experience within the industry, there have been situations where I have volunteered to work on shots for short films, 'Odd Socks' and 'Oceans', in exchange for credit and experience. Beyond than that, I have also attended various workshops, seminars, livestreams and talks. These have been extremely helpful and provided insight into what would be required of me upon entering the industry.
How would you describe your contribution to your group project?
In the project 'X-Terminate', my role was 2D Lead. To make sure the 2D side of the team didn't get confused at the start of the project, I made sure it was easy to keep track of where files were saved and stored. I'd create a file for all of the relative assets, so that it wouldn't be difficult for my team members to find their work. We all agreed on a naming convention for the scripts and versioning up.
Other than this, I would also create reference scripts to work from and provide the denoised plate and lens distortion for each shot. This was to help make things easier for my teammates and so that there wouldn't be any delays in the project.
What lessons did you learn from undertaking your project that you'll take with you into your career?
A lesson that I will carry with me into future projects, and my career as a whole, is to constantly ask others for feedback, this being from peers or mentors. I've experienced this many times during my course, gaining constructive criticism can help improve a shot drastically. I always try my absolute best to implement feedback that I've received.
Another lesson that I've learned and will take with me into my career is time management. This is an important skill in any project, especially group projects. Sticking to deadlines is a must, I've learnt this throughout my time at Escape.
What would your ideal first role in the industry be?
I would love to start as a Junior Roto/Paint Clean-up Artist in any size production house. Since it would be my first time working in industry, I would love to experience working as a team in production, exposing myself to new and exciting tasks. I would have the opportunity to be involved and meet new people. This role would allow me to strengthen my skills and learn new techniques.
What's an achievement from the past 3 years that you're proud of?
At the start of the course, there was a lot that I had no experience in - I didn't even know that I wanted to go into VFX until the end of the first year. At the start, I was quite quiet and nervous about team projects. During these projects, I learnt that it took a lot of commitment, time management and problem-solving skills to perfect. However, throughout these projects, I've been able to refine these skills. I learned so much about myself and the importance of teamwork that I will never forget, I have also grown in confidence which I am extremely proud of.
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