ABOUT
For roughly the past 26 years, I’ve worked as a Flame Artist, crafting beautiful and believable imagery of both impossible and mundane things. I’ve been credited as both a Lead & Senior Artist. But, really, I’m just one of those enthusiastic workaholic (voluntarily so) Flame Artists who just loves and lives the job, always aiming to produce the highest caliber work.
I’m primarily a freelancer, complemented by the occasional longer-term permalance residency. And I’m comfortable working on site, or remote. My company for doing business is Big Electric Cat, LLC, through which I’ve contributed to a who’s who of post houses.
To name a few … Kevin VFX, JAMM, The Mill, Chapeau FX, Framestore, Logan, Luma, The Mission, Digital Domain, Gentleman Scholar, A52, Zoic, Method, Ntropic, and a few that are no longer with us, like Motion Theory and Hydraulx.
These days, my focus is mainly commercials, but I also participate in a variety of films, TV episodics and music videos. Essentially, I can do whatever you need in the compositing world, with the extra-added artistry that a seasoned Flame Artist provides.
I’m comfortable amongst the most difficult client-driven finishing sessions and am quite effective in handling the shifting carpet of 2D on-set supervision. I’m also capable of aiding the bidding and design process. And whatever a given project requires, whether I’m there to lead, or lend my support, I’m there to offer my “A” game.
Flame skills include both the usual and unusual suspects: designing on the fly, comping the impossible, making CG believable, crafting/extending incredible and unremarkable environments, restoring youth and healthy complexions, keying the unkeyable, tracking the untrackable, and ensuring that everything conforms and delivers even in the most daunting of timetables.
I’m also pretty handy with Photoshop and can maneuver my way through Nuke or After Effects. And back in my early days, I used to be a Senior Broadcast Designer. I did it for six years, won two BDA (Broadcast Design Association) awards, and still draw upon that knowledge today.
Specialties: All things Flame.
EXPERIENCE
Big Electric Cat, LLC | Playa del Rey, CA | 2012 – Present
Lead/Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor & Finisher
Big Electric Cat, LLC is my company for freelancing as a Flame Artist and Digital Compositor for the visual effects and entertainment industry.
Kevin VFX | Venice, CA | 2019 – Present
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
2D lead, client-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
JAMM | Culver City, CA | 2024 – Present
Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
The Mill | Culver City, CA | 2014 – 2020
Lead/Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor & Finisher
2D lead, client-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
ArtJail | New York, NY | 2019
On-set Flame Compositor
On-set Flame compositor for Los Angeles-based shoot. Director/client-driven sessions to test and evaluate captured plates and VFX elements.
Chapeau FX | Los Angeles, CA | 2019 – 2020
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Found footage clean-up; grading; 2D effects; graphics compositing.
Zoic | Culver City, CA | 2015 – 2016
Lead/Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor & Finisher
2D lead, client-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
The Mission | Venice, CA | 2013 – 2015
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Client-supervised sessions, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up
Framestore | Culver City, CA | 2013 – 2014
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor & Finisher
Client-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
Logan | Marina del Rey, CA | 2012 – 2014
Lead/Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor & Finisher
2D lead, client-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
Luma Pictures | Santa Monica, CA | 2012 – 2013
Lead/Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor & Finisher
2D lead, client-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
Gentleman Scholar | Culver City, CA | 2013
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Director-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, color grading, beauty work, environment clean-up, screen comps.
Ntropic | Santa Monica, CA | 2012 – 2013
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Look development, shot layout/design, CG integration ,greenscreen/bluescreen extraction of Idols, 2D effects animation, clean-up, 2.5D matte painting.
Brickyard VFX | Santa Monica, CA | 2012
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Rig removal, food beauty, package cleanup.
D-Train | Venice, CA | 2012
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Conform, screen comps, color correction, clean-up.
Sony Imageworks | Culver City, CA | 2011
Senior VFX Compositor
Photoreal integration of CG body suit and energy effects with live action heads, 2.5D matte painting environments, bluescreen keys, color correction, 2D effects.
Big Block | Santa Monica, CA | 2011, 2013
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Integration of CG plate elements for US to EU cars, rig removal of reflections / shadows, extensive signage clean-up, beauty work.
Method Studios | Santa Monica, CA | 2010
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Integration of pyro elements for handheld video-style footage, extensive rig removal, clean-up, color correction, multiple-take plate blending.
Public VFX | Venice, CA | 2010
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
2D re-lighting, color grading, clean-up, tracking, beauty work.
Digital Domain | Venice, CA | 2009 – 2011
Lead/Senior Flame Artist | Nuke Artist | VFX Compositor & Finisher
2D lead, client-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2.5D matte painting, 2D effects, clean-up.
A52 | Santa Monica, CA | 2009 – 2010
Senior Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Shot design/layout, color grading, greenscreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
Motion Theory | Venice, CA | 2008 – 2009
Lead/Senior Flame Artist | Nuke Artist | VFX Compositor & Finisher
2D lead, client-supervised sessions, conform & finishing, shot layout/design, color grading, CG integration, greenscreen/bluescreen keys, 2D effects, clean-up.
Look Effects | Hollywood, CA | 2008
Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
Feature film compositing, clean-up, rig removal, plate extensions, color correction, greenscreen keys.
Hydraulx | Santa Monica, CA | 2007 – 2008
Flame/Inferno Artist | VFX Compositor
Feature film compositing, CG integration, greenscreen keys, color correction, beauty work, clean-up, rig removal.
Kakaty Entertainment | Los Angeles, CA | 2007
Lead Flame Artist | Inferno Compositor
Greenscreen keys, color correction, tracking, stabilization, roto.
Lakeshore Entertainment | Los Angeles, CA | 2007
Lead Flame Artist | Inferno Compositor
Integration of existing film elements (from Underworld: Evolution) into music video plates, color correction, tracking, roto.
G4 Media | Los Angeles, CA | 2004 – 2007
Lead Flame Artist | Senior Broadcast Designer
* Compositor, animator, and senior designer for show packages and promos.
* Supervisor for greenscreen shoots; Director for live action footage.
* Additional software: After Effects, Combustion, Photoshop.
TechTV | San Francisco, CA | 2001 – 2004
Lead Flame Artist | Senior Broadcast Designer
* Compositor, animator, and senior designer for show packages and promos.
* Won two BDA awards: Darwination (station ID) and TechLive (show open).
* Supervisor for greenscreen shoots.
* Director for live action footage.
* Additional software: After Effects, Combustion, Photoshop.
Xaos, Inc | San Francisco, CA | 1999 – 2000
CG Artist/Generalist | VFX Compositor
* Focus on 4K Imax features, 2K location-based entertainment, and broadcast graphics.
* 3D Studio Max modeler, animator, and layout artist.
* Shake, Combustion, Fusion, and After Effects compositor.
* Designer for ABC News’ “Election 2000” coverage.
Academy of Art College | San Francisco, CA | 1999
Flame/Flint Instructor
* Taught advanced level compositing and image processing course, featuring techniques in Flame / Flint, Pandemonium, and Photoshop.
San Francisco City College | San Francisco, CA | 1999
Multimedia Design Instructor
* Taught survey course on history, development, and fundamentals of graphic and broadcast design for multimedia-based applications.
* Course topics include color theory, motion theory, layout, and typography.
Organic, Inc. | San Francisco, CA | 1997 – 1999
Senior Graphic Designer
* Lead designer for online identity and company websites.
* Clients include Sega, Nike, Starbucks, Hewlett Packard, and Ringling Bros.
Ziff-Davis | San Francisco, CA | 1995 – 1999
Art Director | Senior Graphic Designer (Electronic Publishing)
* Art director / lead designer for monthly-themed “CG-ROM,” published on CD-ROM by Computer Gaming World magazine.
Substance, Inc | San Francisco, CA | 1993 – 1995
Co-founder | Art Director | Senior Graphic Designer
* Co-founded start-up multimedia company, distributed by Sony Imagesoft.
* Co-created and art directed “substance.digizine,” a quarterly arts and entertainment interactive magazine published on CD-ROM.
EDUCATION
Academy of Art College | San Francisco, CA | 1995 – 1997
Master of Fine Arts: Computer Arts
* AAC was the only school I could find that taught Flame … or at the time, the entry level version, Flint. A trip to NAB in Vegas, and a Digital Domain demo of using Flame for the harrier jet sequence from “True Lies” convinced me of this path. My education focused on compositing and image processing. I also spent a considerable amount of time learning 3D modelling and animation in Alias PowerAnimator – that’s Maya’s predecessor.
In my time at AAC, I conjured up a short thesis animation, titled “Groove Street,” based on a business card typo from when I lived in a warehouse on Grove Street. I thought of it as serendipity, being a music journalist and all. This piece is pretty rough around the edges. But I still enjoy is creative ambition.
UCLA | Los Angeles, CA | 1991 – 1993
Master of Fine Arts: Screenwriting
* At the time, I had aspirations of being a feature film screenwriter. I was young, inexperienced, and full of energy. Plus, I was already 4-5 years into a music journalism career. So I could write well enough. Ultimately, I realized my true path lay in a visual spectrum.
UCLA | Los Angeles, CA | 1987 – 1991
Bachelor of Arts: English Literature
* I tried Communications Law, Economics, and Business, but ultimately, realized I was an artist at heart. Art schools weren’t not as plentiful as today, so I chose the English Lit route, while working as a self-taught music journalist, which I continued to do until the mid-90s.