Designing My Journey.
Post by Eduvos, November 22, 2022.
Eduvos Graphic Design graduate Bianca Lee Burgess talks to us about her journey as designer and what it’s like working for an Emmy award winning agency.
You have experience working at some of the top VFX studios in the world, can you tell us what that is like?
It is surreal. I am constantly around some of the most creative people in the world, whom I am always learning from and some of them have become lifelong friends. They are from all over the world so it's also great to learn about their cultures. Having worked on Bafta and Emmy award winning shows I feel forever grateful for the opportunities I have been given. Most recently at Image Engine, I worked on The Book of Boba Fett which received the 2022 Emmy Award for outstanding special visual effects!
Why Graphic Design?
I have always known since I was young that I wanted to be in a creative field. When I was in high school, I found out about Graphic Design and it seemed like the perfect job for me, where I could be both creative as well as tech focused. During my last year at university, I learnt more about 3D animation and VFX. I then swayed my career goals and chose to go down this path.
What made you decide to study Graphic Design at Eduvos?
When I saw the wide variety the curriculum had to offer from Typography and Storyboarding all the way to 3D Animation I wanted to join. It seemed like a well-rounded course, covering a lot of different topics -which became a good foundation for me.
Tell us about your learning journey with Eduvos
I had some amazing lecturers. They would always push me to not only bettering my work but also bettering myself. They never micro-managed my tasks which I really liked, they let me make mistakes and learn from them. They taught me to think critically and to listen to other people's opinions, which really helped me to embrace feedback and be ok with making changes and staying open-minded. That helped me not just in my work life, but also in my own life.
Tell us about your career and how you've achieved this pivotal moment
When I left university, I moved to the UK where I got my first step in the door by being a runner at a production company. This opportunity allowed me to network with people in the industry. After a few months I brushed up on my showreel again, watched a lot of tutorials, worked on improving my matchmove skills and overall 3D knowledge.
After that, I got my first major job in the VFX industry working at Dneg TV. We worked on Bafta award winning TV shows such as Chernobyl and Black Mirror, to name just a few. After a few years I wanted to try films so I got a job at Framestore, where I got to lead the matchmove team on Tom and Jerry.
Then the pandemic happened, however I was luckily not affected but this pushed me to apply at other studios so I applied to ILM and got an offer which was amazing, however I always wanted to live in Canada so after a few months I applied to Image Engine. I knew they worked on films like Chappie and District 9. When I heard they wanted to offer me a position I was over the moon. I have now been working in VFX for almost 7 years now!
How did your studies help you land your job at Image Engine?
Having a background in graphic design has helped me in the sense that I am super deadline driven and detailed orientated. When I was at university every day late is 10% off so that for sure ingrained something in my mind - I need to reach targets. Not only that, having a foundation in design principles and really understanding them helps me be a more well-rounded artist overall.
How do you like working at Image Engine?
I enjoy working at Image Engine because we are a smaller studio so it's easier to get to know people. We are such a diverse group of people coming from all over the world! They are willing to help you grow as an artist, offer training if you ask and it feels like they really care about helping you progress. We also have some great social events and the HR team has been so amazing to me in helping me move over to Vancouver and getting my visas in order, they are the best!
Which projects are you most proud of and why?
It’s hard to say, each project I have worked on had something I enjoyed about it. If I must pick one, it would probably be Chernobyl. I loved learning about what happened in Ukraine at that time and also I got the opportunity to work not just on the matchmove side of things but also Layout! I must also mention that I am currently working on my all-time favorite TV show, the Mandalorian and I am so excited to be a part of it.
What is your advice to young Graphic Design graduates – what should they focus on?
This seems pretty obvious but make sure your showreel and portfolio looks good. Ask for lots of feedback and only put in your best work. I recall I reached out to people in the industry to get feedback on my work and they gave me such great advice. These days there are so many great online tutorials, take advantage of that and don't rely on learning everything from your lecturers.
Something I wish someone told me when I left university is don't let rejection get you down, if you don't get your dream job after one rejection that is ok, find out what you can improve and keep trying till you get it right.
Don't be shy to ask questions! I really appreciate when junior artists ask me for help instead of struggling. No one will judge you! We have all been there. Speak up and be willing to ask for what you need, be it training or negotiating your contract. As a lead or a supervisor we don't always know what your goals are so if you don't let us know we assume all is well and you are happy as is!
Would you recommend Graphic Design at Eduvos and why?
I would recommend it depending on your goals. If you are looking for guidance and structure to your learning then yes. In the creative field in all honesty, you don't really need a degree, but what it does help with is building a solid foundation on which you can build upon. At Eduvos, especially if you are unsure about what path you want to take, they cover a wide variety of subject and it can help one to figure out what route is best for you. It's also nice to be around people who have similar goals and you can bounce ideas off of each other and motivate one another.
