Confetti graduate Elliot Macey
Elliot is a BSc (Hons) Visual Effects Production Technology alumnus who now works at Oscar-winning VFX house, Framestore.
Can you tell us a bit about your role at Framestore?
I started off as a runner, looking after the clients and artists, cleaning and tidying the facilities, sorting post, making coffee and delivering hard drives to other studios.
After running for a few months I was given a secondment into the paint and roto department, and a few weeks later I was given a full-time contract in the department. Day-to-day, I create mattes and paint plates, as well as removing rigs and unwanted objects. Compositors will then use the supplied mattes and painted plates to integrate all elements of an image.
Do you feel like your time at Confetti helped you secure a job, and helps you day-to-day with the work?
Definitely! Confetti’s Industry Weeks are very useful in building your network and getting a job in the industry. Framestore presented at Confetti and I decided to add all of the recruiters on LinkedIn, which eventually got me my job.
In terms of preparing for the role, the course content I learned at Confetti was crucial. When I started I didn’t have any idea of what department I wanted to work in once leaving university. At Confetti, we were given the opportunity to try out all of the software used in the industry and then was encouraged to base our final year project on that specific area I chose. My final year project was about roto-scoping, which is the reason I decided to pursue a career in paint and roto-scoping.
You’ve touched on the areas you specialised in, but what’s your favourite thing about working in VFX?
Getting to work on some of the biggest films and seeing it before anyone else has. When I watch the films in the cinema, I know how it was all created, which is a cool feeling.
I also enjoy the social side of it! There are a lot of artists at Framestore – every Friday you will find people at the local pubs – and there’s a monthly party. They’ve also got a lot of other activities and clubs if you are not into drinking, like clay sculpting, sports, games and more.
Are there any exciting projects you’re working on currently that you can tell us about?
I’m working on a Christmas film for the next few months but can’t say much more than that. Some of the other artists in my department are working on James Bond and Tom and Jerry. There are quite a few big projects in the near future which I will hopefully get to work on too.
The last thing we want to ask is, simply, would you recommend studying at Confetti, looking back?
Definitely! Confetti provide all of the industry-standard software, and help direct you on a career path if you haven’t yet decided. The tutors are very helpful and it is a great atmosphere to learn in.
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