When Jesse Davidge and Jonathan Busby graduated from the Classical Animation and Maya programs at VFS (the latter would soon evolve into today’s Digital Character Animation) they both took a pretty well-journeyed career path, working for big local studios like Studio B, EA, and Bardel.

A few years on, Jesse and Jon wanted something a little different. They wanted chances to work on smaller, more diverse projects – to build their own relationships with clients and see their work all the way through from concept to completion.

That resulted in the founding of Blatant Studios, a new Vancouver-based production studio specializing in animation and motion graphics. Jesse and Jon form two-thirds of the operation. “Blatant began as a way to brand our after-hours commercial work,” Jesse says. “Eventually, it became a full-time company.”

Blatant now boasts a splashy website and a nice track record of pro work, and, as Jon explains, it’s not the kind of thing you start on a whim. “Starting a studio is not an overnight venture. It takes years of networking, knowledge of production, and building a client base. It’s a 24/7 commitment.”

The two are putting their full range of animation, directing, and producing skills to use on an array of interesting projects – like this spot for Sprint/NASCAR, produced in collaboration with San Francisco’s Gunshop. Even more recently, they were approached by Tribal DDB to produce two videos for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the Winter Olympic Games. They had about 3 weeks. Like a lot of homegrown talent involved in the many facets of the Games, it brought a whole new level of exposure. “The thought of having millions of people see our work definitely energized us to do what was needed to see the project realized,” says Jesse. The second of the two videos was projected on the floor of B.C. Place during the Closing Ceremonies.

We’ll leave you with a video for the Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan that Blatant did. It was released earlier this year, and it’s pretty awesome.

To see all their latest work, check out the Blatant Studios website at blatantstudios.com.

Today is International Women’s Day, a time to reflect upon and celebrate the achievements of women the world over. And in honour of the occasion, we’d like to tell you about our Women in Games Scholarship, presented in conjunction with Game Design Expo 2010.

The Women in Games Scholarship covers the full tuition for the one-year Game Design program at VFS.

“The Game Design program at VFS has been a very rewarding and enjoyable experience thus far,” last year’s winner, Shannon Lee, told us. “Applying for the scholarship was the best decision I’ve ever made and I’m sure that the next recipient will feel the same.” Shannon started in the program in late October.

The scholarship is a big part of our ongoing initiative to support women who aspire to be professional game designers. It’s about giving women opportunities to excel – and, as we’ve seen with our past female graduates, we believe our Game Design program is a great launchpad for just that.

The 2010 Women in Games Scholarship will be officially unveiled with full details at the Open House on Sunday, April 11!

Along with many millions of viewers just like you, we watched the Oscars last night. Many incredible (and some underappreciated) films were honoured, and it was a real source of pride for us to see all the love for District 9. Though it didn’t win, it brought some deservedly renewed attention to this sci-fi gem.

So we’d like to take this moment to join in the applause for our nominated graduates, Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, as well as the many other alumni – especially those behind the film’s beautifully integrated visual effects – who made District 9 Oscar-worthy. And make no mistake – it was Oscar-worthy!

For Neill and Terri, especially, it’s a high point in what will surely be a long career. We haven’t seen the last of them on the red carpet!

It was only three years after Thomas Cantley graduated from VFS’s Film Production program that he heard  some shocking news that would irrevocably change his life and burgeoning career as a filmmaker/photographer: he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

In an amazing display of courage, Thomas responded to this life-threatening disease by filming his experiences for a documentary he could then share with the world — all in an effort to help create an open dialogue about testicular cancer.

Thomas is currently anticipating the completion and release of this feature-length film, appropriately titled “Ballsy”, which will also feature interviews with other men affected by this disease. He recently answered a few questions for us about what drove him to take on such an ambitious and personal project.

Can you talk a bit about the early stages of development on this project? When were you originally diagnosed with testicular cancer and how long was it before you started filming your experiences?

Thomas: I was living in New York City when I was first misdiagnosed on September 15, 2009 with a bacterial infection in my left testicle. As my testicle became more swollen and extremely painful – even after taking the prescribed medication – I was then diagnosed with testicular cancer on October 1, 2009. I had my first surgery a week later to remove my left testicle.

I then found out the cancer had spread to my lymphoids. It was then that I made the decision to capture what I was going through on film. I wanted to share my story, but I also knew it was a way to keep going when I wanted to give up. Having a camera and filming my toughest moments is the most therapeutic way for me to cope as a filmmaker.

I also had to make the decision to move back to Canada when I found out the next step of treatment for my cancer:  I was told it would be best to skip chemotherapy and to have a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (commonly referred to as RPLND), which is a procedure to remove abdominal lymph nodes to treat testicular cancer. The surgery took place on November 16, 2009.  I started filming a few weeks before, documenting the preparation and establishing what my life was like before cancer.

Why did you feel compelled to capture such a personal experience on camera?

Thomas: When I started doing research, I felt that there was no information out there. When I was in the hospital back home in Nova Scotia, I met a young guy who was only 17 and was going through the same battle I was. We quickly became friends. He felt alone too — it’s hard for young guys to speak up if they notice something irregular about their balls. I want there to be a platform for men to talk easily about it. This is why I am bringing awareness to a sensitive subject.

What is the biggest misconception about testicular cancer you’ve encountered while shooting this film?

Thomas: The age. People do not realize how early this disease can affect them. The most common age to be diagnosed with testicular cancer is anywhere between 15 to 35. If it’s not caught in the early stages it can spread so fast, like it did with me. Three years ago, 8,000 men were diagnosed with testicular cancer, and about 390 men die of this disease each year.  Now-a-days, 40,000 men are diagnosed and 8,000 die each year. It’s a staggering and frightening statistic.

One of the trailers for Ballsy highlights the fact that most men ignore the early warning signs, as you did in the past. What are those early warning signs you’re referring to?

Thomas: Loss of sex drive, and slight enlargement and firmness in the testicle. For months I ignored these signs because there was no pain. It was only when I started experiencing pain that I went to the doctor’s office.

Where do you go from here, both personally and in your filmmaking career?

Thomas:  I plan to do more documentary work. It’s my passion and love. Personally, I have grown a lot from this experience, which the documentary will show. I had a different mentality before I was diagnosed. I feel humbled because of this disease.

Thanks for sharing your story, Thomas. We look forward to seeing the film!

Click here to watch the Ballsy trailer on YouTube or visit The Canadian Testicular Cancer Association’s website to learn more about this disease.

The 82nd Academy Awards are live this Sunday night! We’ll be cheering on all the VFS alumni whose work in District 9 has been nominated, including 3D grad Neill Blomkamp and Writing grad Terri Tatchell, who are competing in the Writing (Adapted Screenplay) category.

To celebrate their nomination, we’ve put together a special prize package of District 9 swag that has all been autographed by both Neil and Terri, including a D9 mini-poster, the D9 DVD, and a copy of VFS In Focus Magazine’s special District 9 issue.

For your chance to win, leave a comment on this blog post — not on Facebook or Twitter — with a prediction for the Oscars: pick a nominee you think will win on Sunday night (doesn’t have to be District 9-related) and be sure to fill in your name and email address in the boxes below.

This contest is closed. We’ll soon be notifying our randomly-selected winner.

Thanks for entering!

Eve Pearl has a lot of experience as a makeup artist for such television programs as Live with Regis & Kelly, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Dateline, The Late Show with David Letterman, and – the source of her five Emmys — The View.

She dropped by VFS recently to demonstrate her corrective makeup technique for current Makeup Design for Film & Television students, and to also share some of her industry secrets such as:

Peach fuzz? Shave it. In her experience, it never grows back darker.

Powders? Don’t use them on HD shoots. They sit below the surface of the skin and won’t stand a chance against the cameras.

While demonstrating different techniques on her student volunteer, Hannah Eustis, Eve discussed a number of issues students might encounter when applying corrective makeup, like concealing veins, tattoos, bruising, and 5 o’clock shadow. Her big advice from years of experience in live television is to not experiment too much when something’s already working.

“You want consistency,” she said. “I don’t want to see my news anchor with different eye shadow every day — I wouldn’t trust him.”

Click here to check out more photos from Eve’s visit on VFS’s flickr page.

The perennially eerie Tim Burton has once again returned to classic children’s literature in his next film, Alice in Wonderland.

Opening in theatres this Friday, a number of VFS grads have helped realize this not-surprisingly eccentric tribute to Lewis Carrol’s magical story of a girl who tumbled down a rabbit hole.

Alumni include 3D Animation & Visual Effects grads Andrew Lawson (Character Animator), Geeta Basantani (Digital Matte Painter), John Iskandar (Visual Effects Artist), and Phan Wiantrakoon (Animator), alongside Classical Animation alum Ken Kaiser (Animator).

Update — Not surprisingly, we’ve just heard from more 3D grads who have worked on this film: Veronica Marino (Compositor) and Jacob Curtis Miller (Digital Artist).

Click here to watch the film’s trailer on YouTube.

Looking to break into the world of design or update your skills to meet your clients’ evolving demands?

On Thursday, March 25 at 6pm, you’ll have the chance to attend a free Open House hosted by our world-class one-year Digital Design program, where you’ll discover how our grads create award-winning portfolios that get them noticed by the global design community and hired at companies like AKQA, DreamWorks, and DDB.

Digital Design Open House
Thursday, March 25, 2010
VFS Café
390 West Hastings St.
(Corner of Homer & Hastings)

At this Open House, you will:

- Meet Head of Department Brett Forsyth and find out what makes VFS Digital Design the best program of its kind on the planet
- Discover an innovative curriculum that spans motion graphics, branding, interactive design, and everything in between
- Speak with students and graduates about life during and after the program
- See examples of student work that will both challenge and inspire you

Register now at vfs.com/designopenhouse or call 604.631.3591. We look forward to seeing many of you there!

The world is Vikas Mathur’s film set.

The 2006 VFS Film Production alum, born and raised in Hyderabad, has carved out a career in India – but that film industry’s propensity for shooting in all kinds of locales around the world has, in turn, led to a globetrotting lifestyle for the producer and director.

At VFS, he produced two well-regarded shorts directed by fellow student Paul St. Amand – Grover’s Mill and One Last Thing. After graduation, he began working as a co-director and producer in the Indian industry, on features like Aegan, Godava, and Kasko. His most recent work is on a high-profile feature that he’s still tight-lipped about.

It’s a life he welcomes. ”I would like to be the proverbial gypsy,” he says, “chasing film ideas all over the world and stopping by to do interesting films, wherever these are made!”

“Hollywood or Bollywood, it matters little.”

He found time in his schedule recently to discuss his career, from India to Switzerland to Thailand.

You graduated from VFS in 2006 and seemed to quickly jump into the professional arena. How did that come about?

Vikas: Right after VFS, I was offered to produce a music video for a local Canadian artist, after which I went back home. Home is Hyderabad, India.

In Hyderabad, I started meeting a few people from the industry. Among them was Mr. Kodandarami Reddy, a Tollywood and Bollywood veteran who then had 93 feature films to his directing credits. In less than two hours we spent together in our second meeting, Mr. Reddy invited me to work with him on a film he was directing and producing. He looked after me like a father figure, consulted me constantly, and respected my opinions, and more importantly, quickly discovered that I had it in me to help him co-direct his movie. This was my first feature film. [ed. 2007's Godava]

It was a heady feeling working for that film. At just 22 years of age, I was in charge of script supervision, managing business affairs, scheduling the entire production, and even handling production finances. Despite feeling somewhat over-awed by the responsibility, I realized I was doing everything necessary to run a production, yet just drawing a salary for it. And a thought occurred: ‘Why not run my own productions?’

Vikas Mathur was a co-producer on Kasko, directed by G. Nageswara Reddy

What about that producer/director divide? Do you lean particularly strongly one way or the other, or is it just about where the opportunities are? We all understand the appeal of directing, but what kind of rewards can you find as a producer?

Vikas: I have co-directed two feature films and just lately finished co-producing my first feature. To deny the producer/director divide is foolish. Slipping into both shoes has been extremely helpful, at least in my experience. Today, I find it easier to understand and appreciate opposing perspectives on merit.

Running a film crew is never easy and does require strong doses of merciless objectivity. Sets are expensive, time is money, and creative egos are larger than life. I am nothing without the people I work with. For me, getting the team to work together is like knitting a lot of egos. The flip side is playing the blame game. It delays or shelves a film. That’s unaffordable. Actually, to stand still in the motion picture trade is like walking backwards.

What drew you to this industry in the first place?

Vikas: Growing up in India, I saw the joy films gave people from all walks of life. I would see students skip classes, people even skipping a meal or something to spend money watching a movie. “First day first show” holds a special fascination! In India, virtually everyone sings film songs, recites popular film dialogue, dresses and tries to ape the hairstyles and mannerisms of their favourite actors. That’s the kind of impact films have on people in India – young and old, men and women – alike! Film stars in South India have fan clubs that run into thousands. Stars have also launched political parties with great success.

I looked through the lens of a camera at the age of seven. It left me absolutely awestruck. That feeling reappears every time I peep through the camera lens even today. Everyone depends on films for entertainment. Films make people laugh, cry, think, dream, inspire, love, despair, hate… Making films is absolutely the most vital motivational force of my existence. I just love it! When I’m on set, I’m happiest. It gives me great sense of fulfillment!

It took a lot of effort to persuade folks at home to allow me to study design in Singapore and film at VFS. Looking back, I feel all that was worthwhile.

Vikas Mathur on location in Switzerland to shoot Kasko

Your work has a strong international bent – shooting everywhere from Thailand to Switzerland to Hong Kong to New York and, of course, India. What kinds of challenges are there in making these productions happen on an international scale?

Vikas: The film industry in India is rather globalized. Indians have been shooting part of their films at foreign locales for decades, especially the all-important songs. I love to travel and my association with the production and directing teams of the Indian film industry took me to different parts of the world.

Logistically, there is a lot more planning and work that goes into making schedules and travel arrangements for the cast and the entire crew and I often find myself as a “bridge” between Indian and foreign crews when we shoot abroad. The arrangement seems to be working seamlessly. So, that’s fine by me.

And it helps me re-bond with VFS alumni who I work with on my films abroad. Recently I worked with Film grads Alex Joho in Switzerland, Thomas Cantley in New York, and Rohit Sharma in Northern India. Catching up and working with old friends is always enjoyable.

Fundamentally, has working in the industry given you a different perspective on film, and film in India in particular?

Vikas: I would say that films are contextually grounded in cultural niches. Working in different parts of the world has enriched my perspectives considerably. I feel quite comfortable working in North America, Europe, South Asia or the Indian subcontinent! For a filmmaker, India’s diversity is surcharged with ideas that have found expression in mainstream/commercial and artsy/serious streams of filmmaking, each with their own dedicated audiences.

We’re told you worked on a “big banner production” that’ll be coming out this year… What can you tell us about it?

Vikas: Right now, it’s very hush-hush! I’ll be able to talk about it bit later.

In that case, we hope you’ll be in touch when you can. Thanks, Vikas! Anyone interested in finding out more about Vikas’ work and career should visit vikasmathur.com.

VFS’s Animation & Visual Effects department (including the 3D, Classical Animation, and Digital Character Animation programs)  recently hosted a visit from Rhythm & Hues Animation Supervisor Lyndon Barrois (Happy Feet, Speed Racer).

Head of Department Alastair Macleod offered the following summary of the afternoon:

“Lyndon talked about his experience starting out as a stop-motion animator, and his how he made the transition to 3D computer animation.   He gave some great advice on the challenges of being a successful animator and tips for new animators who are starting out.”

Lyndon also spent time chatting with students about their own projects, eliciting the following reactions:

“Lyndon, in a short time, gave me some very valuable advice on how to better approach my animation and push the limits of my character performance,” said 3D student Daniel Rojas. “This will dramatically help me to improve my final reel. His help is greatly appreciated.”

“It was great to meet an Animation Director and hear him talk about his work,” fellow 3D student Dennis Otte said. “He was so chilled out and smooth, you can tell he has a lot of experience.  He was really straightforward and gave us some good pointers.  It was impressive, the variety of projects he has worked on, everything from the robots in The Matrix to Alvin and The Chipmunks.”

“The visit from Lyndon was amazing and truly inspiring,” said Digital Character Animation student Ana Santos. “With honesty and sympathy, he talked about whatever we asked him, which just made us want to get to work right away and give our best, so that in the near future we can get our first job in the animation industry.”

Many thanks to Lyndon Barrois for his time and energy!