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Futureworks is the UK’s foremost higher education provider for people seeking a career in the creative industries. Our continuing series of alumni interviews focuses on how one BA (Hons) in Visual Effects student, Chris Francis, went from graduation to creating visual effects for a leading Netflix show in a matter of weeks.
Chris, why did you choose to study VFX at Futureworks?
“I learned about visual effects following a guest lecture on VFX while studying at Sir John Deanes Sixth Form College. I started looking for universities where I could study. I visited Bournemouth, Bolton, Salford and Escape Studios, but a fellow student in my 3D Design class mentioned that she was off to study at Futureworks. I attended an Open Day, and I remember that it was a warm sunny day, and everyone was lovely. It just felt right. Riverside Campus was in the centre of Manchester and with the big studio being in Media City, where we’d be working the most, it was the location that sold it to me. It was bang in the right spot and made me feel comfortable, like being away from home but also quite close. Now, I’m working just around the corner from Futureworks Studios as a 3D Generalist for Space Digital Film & VFX.”
What does a 3D Generalist do?
“A 3D Generalist is capable of working on multiple aspects of the VFX pipeline, from modelling and texturing to lighting and animation. Depending on the studio they can also be tasked with 2d tasks such as rotoscoping or basic compositing. My first job when I started working at Space was working on a bunch of shots with an Apache Attack Helicopter for a Netflix show called Fool Me Once, starring Michelle Keegan and Adeel Akhtar. I joined at a stage where my colleague was close to completing the Apache helicopter asset and I was assigned to rigging, animating and lighting all the shots that featured the Apache ready for the 2D department to composite them into the shots. I even had the opportunity to composite some of these shots which I really enjoyed. Not a bad first job and just a few weeks after leaving Futureworks.”
Working at Space have you carried on creating cool stuff like the Apache Helicopter?
“Well, that project went on for about five or six months, but yeah it was super fun. I’ve been here for a year and a half, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. That might sound sad, but I love what I do. One day, I’m creating smoke simulations; the next day, I’m back on the helicopter, working on different shows and commercials. It’s really varied, and the skills to create the work I’m doing were taught on the Visual Effects course I did at Futureworks.”
“I’ve studied all different aspects of the VFX pipeline and brought a lot more to the table than just 3D. An example of this was whilst working on Fool Me Once I was assigned match move and compositing tasks where I had the opportunity to composite some of my 3D shots. This was a great opportunity to take a shot from start to finish, and I’m grateful to be trusted with that.”
“I’ve also worked on many commercial projects. I’ve always loved advertising and one of our biggest clients is Castrol. We are typically tasked with creating photorealistic 3D renders or stills of cars and their moving parts which are then used on posters around the world or featured in adverts to help visualise how effective their product is.”
You mentioned that you learned many skills you’re using at Space from Futureworks.
“Definitely, yeah. When I joined Space, I obviously wasn’t an expert by any means. Still, because I’d been taught a generalist set of skills, I could develop those skills further, in my own time and on the course, and be at a comfortable stage with my skillset when I joined Space. A good example would be compositing. My other two colleagues who worked with me on Fool Me Once are 3D Generalists, and they didn’t have a lot of experience with compositing in the software Nuke. I’ve been able to help them learn the software and teach them little tricks; that was something I was able to bring to my role, and in return, I’ve learned a lot from them as well.”
What are your highlights from the Futureworks VFX degree course?
“Definitely my motion graphics project in the second year. It was a free-roam project to create a motion graphic sequence and I chose to create a fully CGI advert for a set of speakers. This was when I’d finally been given the chance to create anything I wanted, and I did an amazing job. I look back on it now, and it wasn’t the greatest, but at the time, just a year into the course. I remember my tutor giving me a pat on the back, saying it was outstanding and that he could easily see this on TV without batting an eye.”
“My honours project was another highlight. It’s a CGI advert for Toyota Supra, a typical fanboy car for a young lad. That was all created in Unreal Engine 5; it looks photorealistic and incredible. The hardest part was creating the car itself, which I modelled from scratch. You start with a cube in a 3D space and make it into a car. Working with smooth and precise reflective surfaces made the project more complicated than I expected, and it took months to build, but it looked incredible. You can watch it on my website and YouTube.”
What would you say to anyone wanting to study VFX at Futureworks?
“I’d say go visit, go to as many Open Days as you need; I know it doesn’t seem like it’s selling Futureworks, but you need to get a feel for different universities so that you’ll have a comparison for Futureworks, and hopefully, you’ll appreciate the difference. You’ll get a gut feeling about what’s right for you. Futureworks is super friendly; you receive happy, smiling faces when you enter an Open Day. Controversially, I’ll say that you should judge a book by its cover when it comes to Futureworks; what you experience is what you get. Everyone is friendly, especially the highly skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced tutors.”
“You also must remember that you’re only going to get the desired result if you do the work needed to succeed. University does matter, but it comes down to your work ethic, which will make the difference. It’s not just about the work you put in at university; it’s about you’re the work you put in during your own time if you want to achieve your goals.”
What’s the future looking like for you Chris?
“I’d like to stay at Space for as long as possible. I’d like to progress and hone my skills as a 3D Generalist and continue to do more compositing and the 2D side of things. Because we’re a small studio and I’m not specialising in anything, being a 3D Generalist opens more doors to opportunity. For example, grooming hair on humans, animals and creatures, some artists specialise in just doing that for a living, but as a Generalist, I can be doing many different things, so there are a lot of pathways that I can follow.”
“At the moment, though, I’m doing work that I love.”
You can contact Chris and view his work on his portfolio website. You can also follow him on Instagram.
If Chris has inspired you to pursue a career in VFX, why not book one of our open days and experience Futureworks for yourself?
At the Open Day, you’ll receive a tour of our facilities, get hands-on with equipment, watch demos, listen to student work and learn more about our BA (Hons) in Visual Effects, the course modules and how to apply. You’ll also have a chance to meet our students, hear what they say, and discover why Futureworks is the UK’s foremost provider of creative degree courses for individuals seeking a worthwhile and rewarding career in the Film and Television industries.
We’re excited and looking forward to meeting you!
Read more about our School of Film, TV & Media on our website.
