2D Effects with Alex Redfish

This episode is an interview with Alex Redfish, Senior VFX Artist at Riot Games.  He is a legendary VFX artist in the 2D Effects arena with famous works on games like Diablo 4 and Battle Chasers.  Alex shares his knowledge on what it means to be a VFX artist in today's world.

Alex Redfish
ArtStation - https://www.artstation.com/alexredfish
Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/user12223385
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKdO5ViTgEsEJwN__7ezAeg
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-redfish-6354aa80/
Deviant Art - https://www.deviantart.com/alexredfish
Twitter - https://twitter.com/alex_redfish?lang=en


Resources:
Project L - https://youtu.be/WRf9tnWk2sg?t=197
Arc System Works Games - https://arcsystemworks.com/games/
Adam Duff LUCIDPIXUL - https://www.youtube.com/user/AdamationStation/featured
Joe Madureira - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Madureira
Texture Packer - https://www.codeandweb.com/texturepacker
Procreate for iPad - https://procreate.art/ipad
Klaus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taE3PwurhYM

Transcript

spk_1:   0:00
Hello. I'm Michelle Ghani, and you are listening to the real time visual effects podcast where wizards reside.

spk_2:   0:12
You have a gift. You have a passion for creation. There's something inside you that wants to express itself and that something has led you to explore the world of visual effects. A place where magic happens on the only limitation is your imagination. All the greatest artists in the world started somewhere learning and growing into the people they are today. You being here is the first step to building your legacy as an artist learned from the best and brightest in the real time visual effects community. Sharpen your skills and be your best self. Today's interview features Alex Redfish, a senior visual effects artists at Right games. Currently working on the new Fighting Game Project L. Alex is well known for his two D visual effects style that he brings to the table. I am always amazed at how much creativity and ingenuity he puts into each of his hand painted effects that he creates, and I'm excited to share that amazing journey with you today. That said, Let's dive in.

spk_1:   1:17
Here is your host, Travis mc Callum. Hey everybody. I've got Alex Redfish here. He is a senior visual effects artists at right games and has worked in other studios, like Airship Syndicate and Blizzard Entertainment with Diablo for Alex. How are you doing today, man?

spk_0:   1:36
Hey, Dingle, right? How you

spk_1:   1:38
I'm doing good, man. I'm staying locked indoors with quarantine going on. But the weather outside is beautiful. It is like almost 90 degrees here in Dallas.

spk_0:   1:48
Ah, yeah. I don't know what 19 degrees means I know sells his, but ah, it's pretty hard out here as well. Him Bay area.

spk_1:   1:56
Oh, Are you in San Francisco?

spk_0:   1:58
Ah, next. Oh, that's rebel city.

spk_1:   2:00
Oh, cool. Cool, man. So, Alex, I want to jump in tow all the cool stuff that you're doing in the visual effects industry. But before we get started, can you tell me, how did you get started in visual effects?

spk_0:   2:12
Yes, sure. I think like my first defects job was in 2011 maybe 12. And ah, I started as ah, just generalised artist. I guess that's the word where I did character arch environments, a large ah, cards or animations and also the effects in a small start up company making games for social networks. And it gave me the chance to try like every type off art you can do, I guess, for four games and ah, I enjoyed making defects the most eso I started publishing my works online on Devens hard and that I start receiving job offers and commissions. So I slowed shifted into vfx artist role. And I do character are just as a whole. Be

spk_1:   3:03
so thinking back like when you first got into games, What was it that really attracted you to that area in the first place? Did you have any kind of inspiration or things that kind of thought, Oh, I want to do that someday.

spk_0:   3:15
I mean, I love games have been playing games for my home, my whole life ants I love, I love drawing. I've been drawing for my whole life as well. And originally I was trying to get a job in the animation industry but ended up lending one in the media game industry. So that worked, too, and even right now, half of my projects are in animation and half of them are in video games. So I kind of in between 2 to 2

spk_1:   3:41
worlds here. Yeah, so you're, Ah, Jack of all trades of a Renaissance man. A lot of a lot of experience in a lot of areas, well rounded. In that sense.

spk_0:   3:50
Well, I will. I won't say that it's more of Ah, actual. Like my skill set is very specific and limited. I would say I do hand drawn to D frame by frame animation. That's like my main thing. And sometimes games needed. Sometimes animation muse it so. But like most of the games right now, they need three dfx, which I'm not as experienced with and basically not not as good at doing this type of the effects. And, frankly, it's It's not. It's fun for

spk_1:   4:23
me. Yeah, so why two d effects? Then what is it that really kind of draws you toward that area as opposed to three D?

spk_0:   4:31
I enjoyed drawing, and I feel like in three d vfx when you're making, like noises sense Ah, UV distortions and all this mashes Vertex offsets. It's it's very technical. And sometimes when I work on three D effects like I don't touch my stylist for weeks, so I don't draw at all versus when I make to de Haan drone prima frame animation. It's It's drawing just your drawing, every frame, and I enjoy it a bit more. And it's fun

spk_1:   5:02
talking about drawing for somebody who's maybe never drawn. You know, a thing in their life. What is some advice I'd like tips you have and learning how to draw? Where can we get started? How do we stay sharp and really kind of flex that, that drawing muscle

spk_0:   5:15
They're definitely like everyone has their own way off learning and progressing. I'm very bad at following the like any courses or, I guess, like traditional rules off drawing. So ah, I think that's like in some ways it's my weakness where I don't know the like basics. Basically, I kind of like always was self learning, and I like a lot of knowledge, but I enjoy this learning process a bit more versus just like schools and courses, but just find what works for you. There are a lot of good schools online and offline, but I think you can succeed in just if you enjoy the process. Just look out at the other art, the find, something that inspires you and try to understand what you like about this growing and Koumas copy to your work's not like directly copy and paste. But try to get the idea off the concept that makes you enjoy this. Our peace.

spk_1:   6:21
Yeah, In the world of real time visual effects, we often have a very ambiguous definition for what real time visual effects are. So what is your personal definition of what makes up our TV FX?

spk_0:   6:35
Uh, I mean, it's like a man, and since I prefer prefer handmade frame by frame animation cel for me, that's that's, Ah, visual effects. It's not like real time, usually in most like procedural stuff. A bit more, I guess where frame by frame animation is more towards the words like the other one. I know how it's called, like pre baked or pre made pre rendered. I guess that's the word, but it's interesting, like in rt the effects community, I guess, and just like in this job, there are so many different types self people working this field. Some of them are lean more towards technical aspect, some of them more towards like artistic ants. Sometimes you can find people doing the same well with the same job title with a completely different skill set. And I think it's important for people to understand that there are different skill sets involved in this job. I guess so. You don't hire people that you like you don't need or you don't hire people to do the job that they're not comfortable doing just like me. Don't hire me or technical stuff, I guess.

spk_1:   7:46
Yeah, absolutely. Jason Kieser is a good example of that. From what I've heard, he often says that he's very artistically oriented. And once you get to the Shader stuff, that's just kind of like above his pay grade is the way he described it, So he'd rather be on the art side and less on the topside. Yeah,

spk_0:   8:04
yeah, that's very similar to do what I'm doing.

spk_1:   8:06
So thinking back maybe 5 10 years ago, when you first started into visual effects, what are some things that you wish you had known when starting out?

spk_0:   8:16
Ah, I guess that's not very the effects related, but just look like for your artistic goals related, and it might sound bad for some people. But don't try to work like don't make companies your dream. I guess that's the way to say it. Like, don't find, try to find a way trying to find what you actually enjoy doing dance. If some of the companies do the stuff that you enjoy, that that's great work with them. But don't make the corporation the goal itself.

spk_1:   8:51
Yeah, so don't think of it like I'll take any job I can get at Blizzard. I'll be Huet. I'll be animator. I'll be programmer instead, Focus on the craft and whatever company takes you for that craft. That's the blessing in itself.

spk_0:   9:04
Yes, and I feel like that will give you arm or in enjoyment off what you're doing versus just, I guess, like this state of sent right off working for, like, popular good company. And that's something that I

spk_1:   9:19
learned. Okay, man. Okay, what do you really into right now? What's something that you're curious about in the world of visual effects,

spk_0:   9:28
stylized stuff. And like I'm achieving this stylized look with flip books, a lot of people are achieving it with, like, procedural stuff hands. Most of the time it's very noticeable, but it's like frame by frame, handmade animation versus procedural, stylized, but some projects gets closer and closer to Blanding. This gap that's making stylized effects that Luke Han drawn.

spk_1:   9:54
And can you just explain to me like what is stylized? And what would you contrast it to?

spk_0:   10:00
Ah, I guess Like you have battlefields and color. Beauty is which arm or ah, like simulating real life and stylized this very broad definition as well. You can go as far as being like super cartoony, like Looney Tunes or, ah, I guess like legal legends, this stylized but not a start uni and enemy is stylized A visual effects. That's kind of my point of reference for my works, I guess.

spk_1:   10:27
Okay. Okay. What's something, Alex that maybe you've worked on and you failed at And how did you handle that? And what kind of lesson did you take away from that experience?

spk_0:   10:38
So I've been working before, like for the I came to the U. S a couple a year ago, a year and 1/2 ago, but to work that blizzard in house. But before that, I words almost exclusively remotely has a freelancer for six or seven years. And, um, what I learned is you need Teoh. You need a community like other fellow effects artists to just to learn from them to ask for advice. Since there are benefits self figuring out everything on your own, you can come up with some non standard ways of doing things. But a lot of times it just and just reach out to people. Ask them questions about their the craft.

spk_1:   11:22
So was there may be an example at some time in your life where you found that if only you had consulted with the community, you would have saved a lot of time. And,

spk_0:   11:31
ah, sure so on the project Battle Chasers Night War I was the defect guy. I didn't know a lot about unity all like three D defects in general. So the way that I set up Oh, my effects was just awful. And the every flip book texture Let's say I have, like, a fire flip book texture, and I need a green fire, fully booked texture, the way I did it make a second texture, which is like green with pre rendered color, and it ended up in like, five versions. So pretty much the same thing. And the Dexter memory was absurdly large, where it would be way more efficient to use grayscale textures and then color them maybe with reading maps on or color teams or something like that. And that's just something I didn't know about that I didn't have anyone to ask how to do this stuff. At least like I didn't know any people personally. But you can always ask questions online.

spk_1:   12:33
Totally, man. So looking at the work of your stuff, or maybe the work of others, what are some things that you're looking for when you're seeing that work?

spk_0:   12:42
I value unique Luke a lot these days, I guess. And I guess they're just because of working in one field for a long time, to kind of get bored of the same stuff over and over again. How many fire flip books can a person make ants? It gets a bit boring with that with time. So I'm looking for just unique approach. Just sends new ways off style izing or new ways off, rendering certain animations like, for example, it's not, I guess, if X but the character rendering the heavy seen the Klaus on Netflix and I made a movie?

spk_1:   13:21
No, but I'm going to see it now, but you're telling me about it. It's Ah, house. How do you spell that?

spk_0:   13:27
K l a like a sant son. Santa Claus?

spk_1:   13:31
Yeah, that's what it sounds like. Okay.

spk_0:   13:32
Yeah. And so they have a very cool approach to cameras there. Rendering which you can apply to flu books. If you patient enough. So that's something not. I guess it's not, like, completely new, but see, you haven't read. Eventually see this in animated movies this often, and it looks unique. And I really value that. Like when people try to make something different.

spk_1:   14:00
Okay, looking in the visual effects industry right now, Alex, what are some of the trends that you're seeing out there that are maybe in their nonsense stages, Still, like growing or have potential? Or maybe things that are really popular and are trending, you know, just across the games or the film side of real time?

spk_0:   14:21
Yeah, I'd say stylized effects. It's just not just the facts, but I guess the just trends in the industry like character art and just the whole artistic these in for projects like Fortnight over. Watch where? A lot off this cartoony looking games right now.

spk_1:   14:40
Did you Did you see that Travis Scott concert that just happened recently?

spk_0:   14:44
I heard about it, but I haven't seen it.

spk_1:   14:46
OK, I just wanted to see if you had an opinion on that. But,

spk_0:   14:50
I mean, I think I think that's cool, that we have miss merging off media Say yes. And it's also I don't know, the artist. I haven't seen it, but just the concept I I like because that's something new. Once again, people doing new stuff, it's exciting. And yet for the trance Ah, stylized stuff.

spk_1:   15:12
Okay, Okay. Uh, I just want understand, Like, let's say I'm new to visual effects and I'm trying to figure out Well, how do I create? Let's say, Ah, campfire. How would how would you go about creating a campfire? Can you kind of talk me through what that workflow may look like from start to finish? Or maybe you have a project you worked on the past. You give an example just so I can understand that pipeline.

spk_0:   15:36
Yeah, there's, ah, the fun part about the effects that you can do things in, like, hundreds of different ways. And it's like my my approach. My go to approach would be just make a looping flu book of, ah, like fire like camp fire ants as Osama like amber barnacles and maybe some heat distortion of the project style allows it in some smoke particles. Or you can go more procedural way where you have a billboard where you can scroll, you have a mask and your scroll difference noises thread. Maybe, with you be disturbed person as well. And we can go like more realistic more. Ah, style. Estas Well, the other approach is also flip books, but you don't make them, but by hand. But he used, like flu simulations and export flip books from from this software and he dance up looking like more. Really stick, I guess. Or you can just have, like, separates fire particles send have, ah, particle emitter and it old it all. All these ways will result in different look fires, which is

spk_1:   16:47
cool since ham pain it flip books. Is your bread and butter talk to me like how you go about creating a flip book that you could maybe import into game and maybe the programs or, you know, the steps. If we started, like step on Step two, how would that work.

spk_0:   17:02
Yeah, sure. So the smart way of doing it is making concept first. So you know what you're making. Sometimes I forget this step and it sometimes ends up in. You spend a lot of time making flip book, and then it so, ah, make a concept Pacific and draw. Or at least find some references to Yes, So we can look at them and kind of imagine what he wants to achieve before starting. Actually producing for the flip books. I started using procreate on iPad, which is exciting. I almost completely abandoned my vacant tablet and, ah, since procreate added animations support. So I'm doing my flip books in procreate. I export them as PNG sequences. Then I use sometimes I useful shop Teoh. Just some frames, like at some glow, so blurs. Maybe just the values a bid. Then I use texture. Backer. What's that Cold? Yeah, Software. Cold texture. Becker it Just assemble soul your PNG's indie sequences in a sprite should and yeah, you can then imported into your game engine. And if you have specific shade, er's set out. Then again, you ski like colored Redden's to color your grayscale flu books or Maybe it's a cool thing to add some UV noise to your flip books to, I guess. Like make them Luca Bids last handmade, but in a good way.

spk_1:   18:39
Cool man. Cool. So you're originally from Russia? Well, Russia,

spk_0:   18:43
like near Moscow Moscow region.

spk_1:   18:45
Okay. What? What brought you toe the US And what was that? That transition like

spk_0:   18:49
I was looking for in house job. And I guess, like like a mansion. It's working on battle chasers. That was my project. One of the projects before moving to the yes, where I worked remotely worked alone and slow. I just thought that OK, I need Teoh work around people to continue growing. And it's getting a bit hard to grow on your own because I feel like there there might be Ellen. It's there where you can get stuck without just fellow artists. They're on you. So yeah, I I applied Teoh loser dance came here until the s working in house. There was a lot of new things for me. This It's whole new country and it's working in house and I'm not used it. I I worked in the office before that, like, eight years ago. Maybe for a year, and that's it. Most of my career I worked remotely from home. So a lot of new things to learn. Just also, Blizzard is a huge company. It's not like it's tiny indie studio, so teams are large and there Ah, a lot of people. It's very big contrast from working alone from home, but it's cool. I learned a long time that I knew a lot of new, talented people. And, yeah, it's been raised off.

spk_1:   20:08
Are cool. Man, Have you feel about studying graphic design at MH ta in Moscow? And how did that help in your VFX career?

spk_0:   20:17
It helped me to get a work visa. That's pretty much it. It's a very low tier university and slow, I guess. Like the Russian system educational system might be a bit different. I'm not sure, but I had this. I only went to the University of one day perfect, like on Sundays. So it's basically just for the degree ants. I didn't learn that much.

spk_1:   20:43
Did you feel like most of your learning was self taught to begin with? And you just spent a lot of time outside the classroom, you know? Really?

spk_0:   20:49
Yeah. For sure I was working while I was studying. So most of my experiences, like from my Jobs and I enjoy self learning process a bit more. Just looking at the references sense, searching for stuff. It might be a bit slower, but I think it's it sticks better than you find out something on your own versus someone telling you how to do things. And also I like the So let's say, let's compare going to school versus self learning in school, they teach you things. They give you answers to the questions you didn't ask yet they just Here's how to do this. Hair has how to do that. But you didn't even ask how to do this. Things like you don't know you that you needed versus when you self learning you encounter a problem. Okay, how do I do that? And then you start searching for an answer. I think that's a bit more efficient in some ways, but at least for me, it's definitely different. People learn in a different ways,

spk_1:   21:53
absolutely, and I feel like one of the big things I've seen from my my schooling and my self taught journey and visual effects is when you're in school. Oftentimes they tell you what the goal or the objective is. So it's a very structured path on how things are achieved. But when you're learning on your own, anything can happen. Your imagination, your goal setting that's very arbitrary and unique and in specific toe, whatever you decide. So it's both scary and exciting at the same time. Because yeah, practically anything in that paradox of choice really kind of overwhelms you if you're not able to quote, focus in on what you want accomplish?

spk_0:   22:34
Yeah, definitely. But I think it can result. It's it's definitely, like, way more Celtic, and he have to have, ah, a certain set of mines to to be able to stay focused and actually understanding what you want to dio and so where you want to move. But I think it allows for very personal experience where you have, like, your own way.

spk_1:   22:58
And like you said, a lot of times when you're involved with a community for visual effects, you can look at other people's effects and be like, Whoa, how did he do that? And then you go on the rabbit hole of Google to really kind of search it out and figure it out. And maybe sometimes you reach out to the artist directly and ask him, Do you like from your

spk_0:   23:18
to do that? But I should

spk_1:   23:21
do well being so popular with your to the effects. Do you feel like you get a lot of people reaching out to you, asking how you do things?

spk_0:   23:28
Sometimes I try making. I tried making some I wouldn't call them tutorials. But just what's the right word? Like

spk_1:   23:36
the time lapse where, Yeah, I

spk_0:   23:39
guess Time Labs, where It's just because that's the way I prefer to learn. So so that's the way I prefer to present my workflow as well, where I'm not very good at explaining things. And when I learned I don't really bathe, ensnared people explaining things. So I just look at how they do things and try to understand the concepts. And I did some videos like that, and they were pretty successful, and I hope you helped some people to learn something.

spk_1:   24:09
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you've done visual effects for both gameplay effects, but also in the cinematic space.

spk_0:   24:16
Yeah, I worked for on some cinematic sense. I worked on some movies

spk_1:   24:22
as well. Do you see any like key differences between the cinematic vfx? This is the gameplay. The effects

spk_0:   24:28
yet? Sure. So for cinematics and animation, it's way last second goal. You don't care about optimization. All this stuff you just think about what do you want to see on the screen? And you just make it so it's very stress free for me. I enjoy working on cinematics a lot, but the things you don't have is the interactivity, I guess. Gus, when working on games, you have to think about all this technical stuff. But in the result, you have interactive effects that you can press the bottom and see an explosion. And it just different feeling where it merges like this tactile feeling off. You doing stuff with the visual and with the sounds as well. It just feels good. So sometimes you want to stop caring about optimization, and you work on some cinematic

spk_1:   25:20
thinking about the interactivity aspect of it. Do you ever end up kind of like injecting your own effects into the game, play maybe through like, unrealized blueprints or through unities like scripting? Do you kind of help out in that side of the pipeline with any of your effects ever.

spk_0:   25:37
Yeah, usually you are responsible. Well, it depends on the Broadway, but the effects are just usually work close to animator sense game designers to kind of hook up everything. And ah, it's not just you're producing the facts like isolated and then some other people use them because it's it's all the very inter veined together. No, that's the correct word. But say,

spk_1:   26:02
Interconnected, interconnected, connected. Yeah, You work with the animators, you work with the rigors. You work with the technical, you know, all over the place. Yeah,

spk_0:   26:11
because you want to get the rights. Feeling the right timing, the rights. Ah, fantasy. And ah. So also, it should work with the game design like you don't make nuclear explosion for, like, basic fireable. You have to make sure the effects Luke accordingly, to the like power level off the Biloxi or something like that.

spk_1:   26:33
Yeah. Alex who? Some of your role models that have inspired you in the world, The visual effects or just in life in general,

spk_0:   26:41
I can say, like artists, names that inspired me artistically. Yes, a lot of them are not the effects artists, but Joe Madureira. His great comic style inspired me a lot and think I used his works as a references for my Yeah, thanks, even though he doesn't do the attacks. But sometimes you can see some smoke all fire in his comics or drawings were Okay, that's cool style. I can steal that for my flip books and try to recreate it,

spk_1:   27:15
whether it's his comics.

spk_0:   27:17
Well, battle chasers, I guess. Okay. His most known and ah, like he worked for with DC and marvel a lot off big comics companies. What else? I'm very bad with artist names. I follow a lot of people in our station, but I remember, like the the Avatar over the profile. I remember the world like the works they do. But I'm very bad with names.

spk_1:   27:44
Yeah, it could be a little bit more challenging when you have, like, their real names. And then they also have these, like online aliases. Right? So it's like, Yeah, flip flop. You know, when you're in game playing, you know, call of duty. He's like Killer Ace 999 and then in real life, he's like, you know, Joe smoke or someone?

spk_0:   28:04
Yeah, just like me. Alex Redfish is my It's not my real name. It's my guess. Artistic name. Guess okay, Like my Russian name when you work as a freelancer. Your name Museo Brand and it To be successful in this field, you have to be recognizable and easy to remember. So, Alex Redfish I thought, It sounds cool and it's it seems like it's working out.

spk_1:   28:30
Yeah, it's definitely think your name stands out. Alex, are you ready to get into the lightning round? Quick. Crazy. Just like visual effects. Yet what is the perfect get away for one day in Los Angeles, California and the surrounding area

spk_0:   28:48
Nature whale watching. Allow that it's, Ah, just being from Russia, where you don't have like ocean near Moscow. So it's cool being here near the ocean and able to go on a boat and see some dolphins and whales. That's awesome.

spk_1:   29:06
That's super coy. I did not know whales were in the Pacific Ocean right everywhere. What video game or app are you using on your phone that is most fun

spk_0:   29:17
Procreate, and Gary's Ben. What's garish band? It's like music app. That's Ah, a hobby of mine Teoh get away from art. So, you know, it's burn out.

spk_1:   29:28
You got a very I was gonna say you got a favorite soundtrack or playlists that you put on Repeat, maybe kind of zone in when you're doing stuff.

spk_0:   29:35
Street Fighter five soundtrack. It's like three hours long on YouTube and you just It's a perfect like set. Teoh. Get somewhere down for three hours. The soundtrack is over. Okay, take a break.

spk_1:   29:49
Nice. What is your favorite thing to cook her? Eat?

spk_0:   29:52
I don't know noodles. I'm very bad at it. Cooking and I like very simple stuff. Just rice and beans or something.

spk_1:   30:00
They have, ah, place in Cali. I lived in Japan for two years, called Coco's Itchy Bon curry, and they have the best, like curry and rice that I've ever had. So whenever you mentioned like noodles, I think Japan food immediately on the why What is your favorite book or podcast you've listened to recently?

spk_0:   30:19
I guess that's not really a podcast. But on YouTube, Adam listened Pixel video us hit us. This great talks about being an artist, I guess, and some ways to improve some struggles that the artist are facing and it's very, I think, Ah, things he says are very wise sent, coming and inspiring at the same time. So I would recommend that

spk_1:   30:46
good. What's your favorite video game? Visual effect that your jealous off that isn't your own

spk_0:   30:53
arc system works games. They'll half beautiful effects from the guilty gear. Serious Teoh Dragonball, Fighter Dizzy and now Grande Bleu fantasy versus It'll Fighting Games. But that's what I love and the way they're. They're implementing stylized or frame by frame animation into the these Games. Cysts. Always, it's always enjoying to see what they come up with next.

spk_1:   31:23
I feel like in another life, you might be like an aspiring pro player in the fighting game. Seen

spk_0:   31:28
sure it would be cool. I enjoy play playing. Fighting games sense. I have this. Ah, yeah, I like grinding stuff. I guess just practicing him like climbing tears, too, to improve. I kind of tried to get away from it. Actually, yes. Sometimes you focus on the grow and achievements would be too much where you start losing their enjoyment of the process itself.

spk_1:   31:55
Okay, I can relate with that. 100% Best advice for first time visual effects artists or people looking to get into the industry.

spk_0:   32:03
Just do something and posted. Don't think that you're not ready yet or you're not good enough yet to to show your works. Just do something else. Finds like a community I know, like a discord server or the website or something like local and show it to

spk_1:   32:22
people. I was about to ask in terms of places where you recommend people should post their work to maybe get feedback. Er, just to show it off. What do you think are some good places for that?

spk_0:   32:31
I don't know why I'm giving this advice, do people and I'm giving This applies to myself as well, because I'm very bad as being a part of community. And I'll like I both my stuff on our station or like female on or YouTube. But that's not the fax Onley websites, so you get some feedback, but it just looks cool. Looks bad, but not rial. Sit back where you again learn something and I don't know, man, I'm looking, but you keep looking as well. I find something

spk_1:   33:06
like I feel like art station is like the place for your art to show up case because recruiters air there. You can really kind of like, you know, scout you out and give you job opportunities whether you're looking or not. But it's also a chance for people to like subscribing to follow your work. My question on that subject for art station though, Alex is, Should you Onley post your best work there or is it okay not to post the best work?

spk_0:   33:32
I mean, it depends on what you're trying to achieve, like do whatever you want. It's there are no rules. Actually, if you're trying to land a specific job than I think all our station again, you're gonna have, like, your profile works your gallery, and you also can have like a separate portfolio page. And if you want to learn a specific job, you can assemble portfolio specifically for the studio you want to work with. And in that case, just with something that close to what they're looking for, get rid of well, the unnecessary stuff. Because sometimes, like when you look through portfolios off applicants, there's definitely can be a cases where, if you if you don't, if you didn't put this work here, we will we would have rate your portfolio a bit higher and, like this specific effect ruined to the whole impression because all other works look good. But how? How did you miss that? This one is bad.

spk_1:   34:31
Yeah, that's good advice for sure. Has there ever been a question that you've never been asked that you wish you were asked more often?

spk_0:   34:39
I'm not sure. That's that's an interesting question. I don't think I have an answer for this right now. It's something do you to think about. I guess I had the time to think about that. I didn't come up with a

spk_1:   34:50
smart answer. Good man. It's all good. Any final thoughts to plug any things you wanted to promote? Maybe that you're working on or that you just want people to know about.

spk_0:   34:59
I mean, sure, yeah, I'm working on Ah, fighting Game tried, which were announced some time ago, and it's very exciting for me. I hope I can do some great stuff for for people to to play our game. Ants make fighting game community heavy.

spk_1:   35:15
That's also man. Um, and can we find out more about that game now? Where is it? Still kind of hush hush.

spk_0:   35:20
Oldest stuff that we can talk about its online just on a Google right fighting game.

spk_1:   35:26
Right? Fighting game. Okay,

spk_0:   35:28
Yeah, we announced its during legal legends 10 years celebration, so there's not a lot of beautiful on it, but it's out there.

spk_1:   35:36
Awesome. Alex, I want to thank you for your time today. Be available to talk to us about your experiences of visual effects artists. It's been a real pleasure.

spk_0:   35:44
Sure. Thanks for having me. Of course,

spk_2:   35:48
everyone. Thanks for listening to today's episode with Alex Redfish. I hope you took some things away. The key takeaways that we have Number one. Focus on your craft, not the company that you want to work for. You focus in on the actual activity that you're doing. You'll find so much more satisfaction than trying to fit in a box that any individual company may have. Number two. It's okay to be specialized in one area. Some people would prefer working more on the art side of visual effects and others more on the technical side. Five. What your strengths and your interest in your passions are and understand that there will always be a place for you in that area Key. Take away number three. Find your community. Don't work in a silo because they're gonna be issues and challenges you run into having other people to bounce ideas and to get feedback on critiques from is going to help your craft immeasurably. This is a great episode to do today. And I'm really excited to be doing the next episode with you shortly until next time Rock on.