What does it take to be a leader in VFX?
82Do you dream of becoming a leader in the VFX industry but unsure how to achieve your goal? Hear from Head of CG Zoe Cranley, Owner & Head of FatBelly VFX Shannan Louis, and Senior Head of 2D Nathalie Girard on the path they took to step into leadership positions. Join our exclusive session to learn which decisions helped (or hindered!) to develop their career, and what they wished they knew when first starting in the VFX Industry.
Join this inspiring panel of VFX leaders and have a chance to get your questions answered - live!
Zoe Cranley
As Head of CG Canada at beloFX, Zoe oversees shows from their very initial discussions until their final delivery and beyond! With over 18 years of industry experience, she is excited to adopt emerging technologies and resources– giving artists a new and exciting means to create VFX of the highest level.
Zoe started her career at DNEG London in 2005, progressing through a variety of roles. She subsequently moved to the Singapore studio as CG Sequence Supervisor before moving to British Columbia to help set up the Vancouver Studio in 2015. From then, Zoe took on the role of CG Supervisor, Head of Build (Assets), and finally Head of CG before joining beloFX as Head of CG Canada in 2021. Zoe's creative credits include titles such as 'Harry Potter: The Order of the Phoenix', 'The Dark Knight', 'John Carter', 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire', 'Godzilla', 'Alice through the Looking Glass', and 'Wonder Woman'.
Zoe's tremendous creativity and knowledge continues to help beloFX expand their diverse teams of talented artists and its VFX capabilities. She is passionate about supporting artists' career growth and creating a thriving environment where people can work at their very best in an ever-evolving industry.
Shannan Louis
Hailing from a performing arts background, Shannan contributed to various theatre companies both on and off stage. By her early 20s she was an established amateur performer in the Perth (Western Australia) arts scene. Shifting gears in 2002 she focused her efforts and moved into the nonprofit sector.
An avid traveler, Shannan and her trusty backpack have solo traversed the planet. From standing on the pyramids of Giza to bicycling down death road in Bolivia, she’s experienced the best of what the world has to offer.
After settling in Canada, Shannan decided to return to school and study documentary filmmaking.
Building on her interest in film, she entered the thriving VFX industry in 2015, working on some of broadcast and streaming’s highest rated episodic productions.
FatBelly VFX incorporates Shannan's interest in filmmaking, her love of giving back to the community around her and her ability to foster talent to make incredible film and television visual effects for global clients.
Nathalie Girad
One of the few female creative leaders in visual effects, Nathalie Girard joined Rodeo FX in 2021, returning to Canada after more than a decade in the US. Over the last 18 years, Girard specialized in compositing and continuously explored new software and solutions to stay ahead of the curve. She trained herself on Autodesk’s Flame very early on and was one of the first few women at Industrial Light & Magic to be trained on Nuke, developing a unique set of skills.
Girard's impressive portfolio includes notable contributions to Oscar-nominated films such as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, War of the Worlds, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Transformers, and Iron Man. Additionally, she played a vital role in supervising ILM's groundbreaking venture, the first theme park project at Universal Studios, known as The Transformers ride. This ambitious two-year endeavor marked a new milestone for the company and can now be experienced in every Universal Studios theme park worldwide. As a testament to their exceptional work, Girard's team was honored with a VES award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project.
Girard's creative genius also extended to the Warner Bros. feature film Happy Feet, which made history for the studio by winning the prestigious Best Animated Feature category at both the Academy Awards and the BAFTA Awards in 2007.
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