About
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I am 3D generalist specialising in modelling based in London, UK.
I’m currently working on characters and environments at Cinesite London on Disney’s John Carter, the motion picture (click here for trailer and here for IMDB page), on environments, digi-doubles and props with Maya and Mudbox.
Previously, I worked as 3D artist for the Moving Picture Company commercials and as Lead Modeller on BBC Kerwhizz at Blue Zoo Productions. Before that, I freelanced in London and worked for the creative animation studio Aproductions in Bristol.
I work mainly with Maya but I’m quite flexible with software. I’d like working for a while in cloth or lighting, as I think that both are ideal complements to modelling.
I enjoy working on props, characters and environments, from concept, illustration, direction or from my own design. Hard surface and organic modelling are both very interesting to me.
Technical skills
3D generalist specialising in modeling of props, environments, digi doubles.
Hard surface and organic, unwrapping, texturing, blend shapes for facial deformation.
Sculpting (Some Mudbox, some Zbrush, but I greatly prefer the first)
Knowledge of nCloth.
Software:
Maya, Mudbox, Photoshop, Nuke (Nuke basics), Zbrush, After Effects, 3DMax, some Cyslice and nCloth.
Credits
A list of some recent credits:
-Modeller (digi doubles, environments, props) on John Carter (of Mars). Disney Studios at Cinesite London.
-3D artist/modeller at Moving Picture Company (MPC) commercials:
Cadburys “Olympics – Spots vs Stripes” – Outstanding Animated Commercial at the 9th Annual Ves Awards
Merceds “Next Revolution”, Shell “Lab”, Strongbow “Honours”, SYFY channel promo 2010, Samsung “Galaxy-Start Something”, Philips “SensoTouch”, Sprite, Channel 4 Jamie Oliver “30 minutes meals”, ITV “Brighter Side-Dodgems”, Toyota “Carline”, Orange, H.Samuels “Mr Sparkles” Christmas 2009 and 2010.
-Blue Zoo: Lead Modeller on BBC/Studio 100 “Kerwhizz”, on 24 episodes.
-Trunk Animation/Red Bee “Fun facts” – British Animation Awards Winner for “Best Film and TV Graphics”, “Best Educational, Scientific or Industrial Film” at Annecy International Animation Festival
-Aproductions: responsible for all assets and 3D modeller on “Where’s Boo?” series 2: Tell-Tale/Entertainment Rights/BBC-Cbeebies.
-Other miscellaneous companies I worked for: Wieden Kennedy/UTR (“Discovery” SpaceNK Beauty Apothecary), Cartoon Network, SKY-Subvision, Aproductions-Microsoft UK (promo for Disney Pirates of the Caribbean), Chase Animation, Atlantic Digital, FlashbackTV, KeyframeStudios, Medi-Mation.
Education
I have a professional one year degree in 3D animation (National Animation and Design Center of Quebec, Canada) for which I won a placement and a three year university degree in general media and advertising with a 30 cum laude thesis on electronic paper and its applications (University Per Stranieri of Perugia, Italy). Before that, I attended a five years Humanities high school (very similar to a grammar school but of free entry). I keep up with short 3D courses and online tutoring and have attended an Anatomy for 3D Artists course and a Zbrush Foundation course.
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Things
Having some experience in theatre set design, costume and prop-making for small budget productions I have learnt how to optimize resources, how to build things and how they work from reality. In one occasion for example, I built large props in wireframe, meaning that I spent days bending actual metal wire with pliers: I can assure there’s no better tutorial to learn good wireframe topology. I also like seeing things and characters in context, in their own bigger picture, as that is the best way to make a scene work and its story to be told. I enjoy scavanging props from flea markets or designing and assembling them, of my design or others’. In general I like vintage and antique objects and how they work and why. Things tell stories.
Characters
The most interesting aspect of a character for me is how his or her nature, needs, past, aspirations and stories transpire through its attitude, posture, gesture, clothing and accessories, like for example the way some people wear glasses, on the very tip of their nose. The anatomical aspect is very interesting, too, as it reflects habits and emotional states but also in its most basic mechanical nature, as a system of pulleys for example. The appearance tells a story, as the way of moving, the accent and the gestures do.
Books and images
I’ve been an avid reader since childhood. I love classics such as Daniel Defoe, Charles Dickens, Jonathan Swift, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and their ability to describe things, places and people so vividly that every single time you read them the same images play in your head, like a movie. That’s why I always try to think of the big picture, at the use and collocation of a 3D model in its environment, how it’s going to help telling the story or delivering the sensation one is trying to achieve.
Some images from recent work commercials work. Sorry I can’t show any John Carter work! The movie is out in March in the States and the trailer is here.
