In this episode we meet with Arpita Venugopal, Head of FX at One of Us and a highly accomplished Houdini Artist.
We talk about her career in FX and how it has increased her appreciation for the beauty in the World. She gives advice for showreels and applications based on her role as a Head of Department and in recruitment. We discuss managing artists, her favourite projects, her plant-based Instagram @platefulofbliss and what makes SideFX Houdini so powerful in the field of FX in particular.
You will not want to miss this one and if you are an FXTD or aspiring FX-TD you may want to take notes!
Timestamps:
00:00 : What to expect and intro
02:19 : Meet Arpita, career outline
03:55 : Bollywood movies and VFX
08:53 : Getting into 3D and Houdini
10:10 : First job at MPC - Voyage of the Dawn Treader
11:35 : Why FX is so rewarding
12:10 : Research process for film FX
14:46 : Does working on FX change your perception of the World?
16:05 : A feline digression
17:20 : How Arpita broke into the industry
18:28 : Showreel advice and showing good attitude
20:00 : What is a technical reel?
21:41 : Do Houdini artists need to be science experts?
23:56 : The place of FX in the pipeline
27:40 : Show based vs department based organisatoin
32:26 : Work from Home and blended workflows
36:36 : The role of the Head of Department
38:42 : Specialities within FX
40:27 : More does and don'ts in job applications
44:56 : Favourite shows
46:58 : Important new developments in workflow and software
49:21 : Bringing people in for specific experience
49:54 : Marker 23
52:04 : A Plateful of Bliss: plant-based cookery
57:40 : Houdini is like a recipe book
01:01:29 : FX Artists use of Nuke
01:01:58 : I wish every artist got to spend a week in every department
01:03:55 : Houdini's tools for helping comp
01:07:05 : Goodbyes and outro
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Links:
One of Us: https://www.weacceptyou.com/
A Plateful of Bliss: https://www.instagram.com/platefulofbliss/
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