Film Production short Hail Mary, a dark and affecting film by recent Film graduates, is premiering at its first festival!

The film debuts this weekend at the New York City International Independent Film and Video Festival.

Congratulations to everyone involved, including Writer/Director Jean-Sebastien Di Fruscia, Director of Photography Cole Stamm, Producer Veronica Bautista, Editor Leo Lu, Art Director Paul Orlando, and sound designers Craig Carpenter and Gunnar Petersen.

Cole, whose work on the film was recently honoured with a CSC nomination, says: “Everyone worked incredibly hard and was serious about their roles, which helped in delegating certain things and backing up to see the big picture. And, we got to shoot in an insane asylum that was absolutely haunted. That was memorable.”

UPDATE!: The NY Film & Video Festival has two sets of screenings, in July and September. Hail Mary is, in fact, premiering at the September festival. So there’s still time to make travel plans…

Have you RSVP’d for the upcoming VFS Open House yet?

This Wednesday, July 23 event is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to get a first-hand look at all 13 programs at VFS, meet their Heads of Department and senior faculty, and see award-winning student work.

You’ll also have the chance to meet students and grads, including some we’ve profiled on this very blog - Nicky Forsman and Tihemme Gagnon are but two examples!

VFS Open House
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
6pm – 8pm
VFS Café
390 West Hastings Street

To register for this Open House, email openhouse@vfs.com or call 604.631.3590.

Seems every major blockbuster this summer has VFS grads involved — including today’s big release Journey to the Center of the Earth!

Graduates from 3 programs (3D Animation & Visual Effects, Classical Animation, and Sound Design for Visual Media) played their part in the production, including Aaron Gilman - Animation Supervisor, Julianna Kolakis - Concept Artist and Modeler, Geeta Basantani - Matte Painter and Senior Compositor, Jelmer Boskma - Lead Creature Modeler, Christopher Downs - Lighting Technical Director, Jeremy Elzinga - Technical Support: Sound, Yann Tremblay - Animator, and Giorgio Bertolone - Character Technical Director.

The movie promises to be the summer’s perfect kid-friendly popcorn flick… especially since it’s playing in 3D in select IMAX theatres. Read about star Brendan Fraser’s feelings about the technology here.

A chance like this doesn’t come along every day.

Join us on July 23, 2008 to experience a behind-the-scenes look inside all 13 of Vancouver Film School’s programs: an unparalleled introduction to a one-year education in every dimension of film, TV, games, and design, all under one roof.

This evening is not to be missed.

At this unique VFS Open House you will:

- Hear about our 13 programs: 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Classical Animation, Digital Character Animation, Acting for Film & Television, Acting Essentials, Digital Design, Entertainment Business Management, Film Production, Game Design, Makeup Design for Film & Television, Sound Design for Visual Media, Writing for Film & Television, and Foundation Visual Art & Design

- Meet our award-winning leaders, including the producers, writers, sound designers, makeup artists, and execs behind Zoolander, Three’s Company, The Butterfly Effect, Whale Music, EA’s NHL video games, and countless others

- See amazing examples of student films, reels, and portfolios from all of our programs, including incredible never-before-seen work

Wednesday, July 23, 2008
6pm – 8pm
VFS Café
390 West Hastings Street

To register for this Open House, email openhouse@vfs.com or call 604.631.3590.

Sound Design for Visual Media alum Todd Mason isn’t the kind of librarian who’ll shush you just for being alive - in fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Todd, who graduated in 2003, is Sound Librarian for video game giant Electronic Arts. He was kind enough to answer some questions about just what, exactly, that means.

So, SFX Librarian at EA worldwide - Is that right? What does a SFX librarian do, exactly?

Yes, I am the Sound Librarian for EA Sports at Black Box, which incorporates approximately 9 different studios around the world. I look after the SFX library, which means listening to, mastering and databasing the SFX that already exist and new ones that will be recorded in the future. As well as collecting the libraries from the other 9 studios. We use database and search applications like Soundminer & Netmix. I will also be partaking in recording sessions as a SFX recordist.

Can you tell me a little about yourself, where you’re from, and what drew you to study sound design at VFS?

Read the rest of this story »

Sound Design for Visual Media alum Julius Selbach knows the value of networking. He parlayed a job at Herold Studios in Germany, where he worked on several Uwe Boll projects, into a sweet new gig as a Junior Sound Designer at Crytek - the game developers behind the popular Far Cry and Crysis.

We caught up with Julius to ask about how he got the job. Tturns out career success can sometimes have a lot to do with knowing when to say “yes” to an invitation to beer…

First, could you talk about what drew you to VFS and the Sound Design program in particular?

I came across a VFS ad in an audio mag, so I had a look at the curriculum for the VFS Sound Design program. Since I wanted to get a job in the games industry, I was sold on the game audio part of the curriculum.

Another thing which drew me to the program was the hands-on feel it offered. The location was a bonus really, since I always wanted to see Canada.

So, you graduated - then what?

Read the rest of this story »

We’ve got a TON of fantastic news to share about Food for the Gods! The short, directed by H. Scott Hughes during his year in the Film Production program, is seeing some serious public success.

Last week, the film screened at the New Asia Film Festival at the City of Richmond Cultural Centre. In attendance were VFS Writing grad Phillip Matte (the film’s co-writer) and Acting grad and co-star Beverly Wu, along with co-stars Tara Pratt and Yuki Morita—and the film’s lead Yvette Lu as the guest speaker. Yvette and Food for the Gods were featured in an article in the Burnaby Now newspaper.

Then, the film had its television premiere on Sunday, May 25th — showing on Shaw’s Multicultural Channel during their Filmmakers Showcase.

Congrats to the many VFS graduates — from Film, Acting, Writing, Sound Design, and Makeup – who contributed to this film and its success!

Legendary designer, artist, and ‘visual futurist’ Syd Mead came to Vancouver last night, to speak to a sold-out crowd at the Empire Theatre.

But before the designer for Blade Runner, Tron, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Aliens talked to the public - he spent the day with us.

Syd enjoyed a tour of the Animation & Visual Effects and Sound Design programs, sharing thoughts about his process, anecdotes about his experiences, and signing the occasional autograph (as well as his own drawing in a Classical Animation class).

He then spent time with students at computers in labs and in the “ant farm”, offering thoughts on work in progress, and advice to the next generation of artists.

Syd’s impression of the work coming out of VFS was that he loved the sense of humour in so many students’ pieces.

As far as how VFS enjoyed Syd’s visit, one 3D instructor was heard speaking to a few students in low tones: “God is here today”.

Thank you so much for the visit, Mr. Mead - you’ve been an inspiration for decades, and we thank you for your work, your time, and your words.

“Have you seen Iron Man yet? Wasn’t it awesome?” How many times did you hear that one over the weekend?

The Belleville Intelligencer has a lengthy profile of 3D Animation & Visual Effects graduate Adam Marisett, who worked on sequences featuring Tony Stark’s proto-suit out of local VFX house The Embassy. (Adam: “We had the suit here for a little while, and we got to try a few things on, which was very nerdy and cool.”)

Not to be outdone, Sound grad Jessica Lemes da Silva is credited as a Foley Recordist on the blockbuster.

Standard Operating Procedure, the new documentary by Oscar-winning Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line, Fast, Cheap & Out of Countrol, Mr. Death, and The Fog of War) has a VFS connection.

Jeremy Bowker, Sound Design grad, was Sound Editor on the film, which is a exploration of prisoner abuses in Abu Ghraib.

It’s a move to weightier fare for Jeremy down at Skywalker Sound - his last film credit, you might remember, was Horton Hears a Who. Standard Operating Procedure opened in New York over the weekend and it’s in pretty limited release for now, so keep a careful lookout for showings near you.