At the renowned Felix & Paul Studios, I worked as a Senior Technical Artist. During this time, I contributed to a top-secret VR project, creating assets in Unreal Engine with a focus on the Niagara particle system. My tenure at Felix and Paul Studios was brief, as I was accepted into graduate school at CalArts and chose to pursue that opportunity.
About Me
I am an Art & Tech Director with over 12 years of experience in animation and interactive media. I like to make stuff, and help other people make stuff, too. My current focus is on interdisciplinary research to bridge technology and creative practice. I’m currently seeking new challenges and opportunities.
Work Experience
Career Break
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Following my departure from ED Films, I embarked on a career break to dedicate time to personal projects, including the development of the Olm, while also applying to graduate school.
As the Lead Art & Tech Director at E.D. Films, I was responsible for project based leadership, including organising and delegating, as well as designing, prototyping, coding software tools. I was also responsible for technical and creative aspects related to film project needs, including animation, compositing, VFX, and rigging. My experience would be called upon to determine the technical impact of the artistic vision. I would frequently develop best practices, solutions and tools, as well as undertake research to solve challenges.
I was also responsible for maintaining the rendering pipeline, a critical system that I helped to establish and enhance during my tenure. Additionally, I served as an IT liaison and network administrator.
After a short period doing freelance work for E.D. Films, they enjoyed working with me so much they offered me a full-time position. I graciously accepted, as they were my favourite client. My list of responsibilities included animation (2D & 3D), technical direction, tutorial creation (for their once-active YouTube channel), research, pipeline development, digital tool design, and scripting/coding.
While in this position I also began developing the studio infrastructure to be better equipped for bigger and more challenging projects.
Freelance Animation & VFX
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Eric Max Kaplin Montreal, QC
During this three year period, I worked freelance, using my skills in Adobe After Effects to create motion-graphics, VFX, and compositing for various clients.
Clients include: E.D. Films, Ottoblix, Unité Centrale, Beanduck Productions and more.My career in animation began at what was then-called Studio Pascal Blais. I was hired for my skills in compositing and VFX for stop-motion style animation. It was here that I began to learn much more about 3D animation and the lighting and rendering pipeline, that would go on to inform future work of mine.
Community & Volunteer
Guided by a friend’s recommendation, I discovered a vibrant non-profit makerspace in Montreal’s Chabanel garment district. Embracing this opportunity, I now work and create within this inspiring studio space. I find myself surrounded by an exceptionally talented and thoughtful group of artists and makers that give so much to the arts community in Montreal. I feel like I should contribute back in whatever way I can. The Communications Committee is responsible for developing and managing the internal communication systems, ensuring effective collaboration across the organisation.
This non-profit gallery is a pillar of the local arts scene in Montreal. It’s widely known in the community for its biweekly life-drawing evenings and exhibitions spotlighting emerging talent. My volunteering involves hands-on support with art installations and providing technical expertise for various events and displays. Whether it’s setting up lighting, audio-visual equipment, or assisting with any other technical aspects of exhibits, I’m glad to help out at a place that is so vital to the local art scene.
Selected Work
Olm 2023
Artist
This personal project is both an interactive sculpture and a tool for randomly generating ambient soundscapes and music.
I wrote a project proposal for Puppet Tool, a software tool that aims to change the way artists create animation, by leveraging real-time technology. The proposal was sent along with a grant application and it was awarded financing from the Canada Media Fund and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. I led a small (but mighty) team to explore various different technologies, and we came up with some interesting techniques
Directed by M.R. Horhager & Aaron Hong
Funded by Epic Games
Short animated film, created in Unreal Engine.
Director: Daniel Gies
For this project I created a system for generating the paper cloth simulation using Vellum in Houdini.Directed by Sean Buckelew
For this series of animated shorts, I would supervise animation for the robot vacuum and robot car. I used techniques developed for the Drone project to execute similar results.
Hellbrunn Automatons - Justin Wright 2022
Co-Director & 3D animation, lighting & rendering
For this project I learned how to use medical imaging and scientific data analysis software in order to extract 3D models from my friend and frequent collaborator Justin Wright’s CT scans. Using the new Geometry Nodes features in Blender, I was able to create an animation using his medical data.
Directed by Sean Buckelew
For this short animated film, I was in charge of animating and rendering the 3D shots of the drone. The interesting challenge of this project was finding a way to render the 3D model so it would match the style of the 2D animated characters.
Premonition: On the Eve of Signing Treaty 6 2022
3D animation & pre-production
E.D. Films Montreal, QC
Director: Barry Bilinksky
Short animated film, related to the Fort Edmonton: Indigenous Peoples Experience.
Director: Jeff Barnaby
Feature film
Giant Bear 2019
Animation Lead, Visual Effects Supervisor & Post-Production Supervisor
E.D. Films Montreal, QC
Directed by Neil Christopher & Daniel Gies
Short animated film, 10+ awards, including Canada Screen Award for Best Animated Short.
I was a core member of the team for this film. I developed the techniques used to achieve its signature painted look, along with overseeing the production and contributing to the character animation, background painting and special effects.
Fort Edmonton: Indigenous Peoples Experience VR Walkthrough 2019
Lead Developer & 3D Artist
E.D. Films Montreal, QC
Client: Hidden Story Productions
VR museum walkthrough prototype. While never released to the public, this project was integral to the development of the Indigenous People’s Experience at Fort Edmonton. Taking architectural plans, I was able to build the under-construction space so that we could test out our projection mapping techniques in a virtual space.
Director: Jonas Poher-Rasmussen
Client: Sun Creature Studios
Flee VR was a test scene for the VR portion of an animated documentary. Built in Unreal Engine, the test allowed for exploration of different techniques to create atmosphere and tension for a short VR experience. As lead developer for this project I created tools to allow the artists to paint backgrounds seamlessly, designed particle effects, contributed to the 3D assets, and worked on the general assembly of the scene.
Director: Amanda Strong
Short animated film
Ville Neuve 2017
SFX Animator & Compositor
Freelance Montreal, QC
Let There Be Light 2017
Motion Graphics Animator & Designer
Freelance Montreal, QC
Directors: Mila Aung-Thwin & Van Royko
Client: E.D. Films
Feature documentary film
Louise en Hiver 2016
SFX Animator & Compositor
Freelance Montreal, QC
Director: Jean-François Laguionie - Client: Unité Centrale
Animated feature film
Director: Marc-André Bourgoin - Client: Patrimoine Canada
Interactive animation
Director: Kun Chang - Client: Ubisoft
Animated video game cutscene
Client: Subway
Animated TV commercial
Subway: Breakfast Squad 2013
VFX Animator & Compositor
Tonic DNA (formerly Studio Pascal Blais) Montreal, QC
Client: Subway
Animated TV commercial
Cafiaspirina (Dragon) 2013
VFX Animator & Compositor
Tonic DNA (formerly Studio Pascal Blais) Montreal, QC
Client: Bayer
Animated TV commercial
Mega Bloks: World of Warcraft (Episode 3) 2012
VFX Animator & Compositor
Tonic DNA (formerly Studio Pascal Blais) Montreal, QC
Client: Mega Bloks
Stop-motion web-series episode
Full-length LP
Valhalla 2011
Director & Animator
A short stop-motion film I did at Concordia University. For my effort, I was awarded the Concordia University Stop-Motion Award.
Photochromorama 2010
Director & Animator
Experimental stereoscopic animated short film
Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More To Life 2010
Art Production Intern
National Film Board of Canada Montreal, QC
Directors: Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
Short film
Full-length LP
Bright Light Rite 2008
Director & Animator
A short experimental animated short film I made at Concordia University. 2008 – Fantasia International Film Festival, Montreal, QC
Education
Currently enrolled.
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Film Animation
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Concordia University - Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema Montreal, QC
Graduated with distinction.
Awards
Stop-Motion Animation Award
Concordia University - Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema Montreal, QC
This award was given for "outstanding results in the Traditional Stop-Motion Animated Film
Full Circle Award in Film Animation
Concordia University - Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema Montreal, QC
I received this award for "outstanding achievement in first-year Film Animation
Skills
- Animation
- Rigging
- 3D Modelling
- Visual FX
- Blender
- Houdini
- Maya
- Unreal Engine (Niagara)
- Unity
- C#
- Python
- Pure Data
- Virtual Reality
- Git
- IT/Networking
- Linux Servers
- Deadline Render Farm
- Adobe After Effects
Languages
- English (native)
- French (fluent)
Fun Facts
- I have a deep interest in the science and art of holography. Over the summer of 2017, I attended the Pulse Laser Holography Workshop, in Columbus, OH, where I learned how to create true laser holograms. No “Pepper’s Ghost” illusions here. I am amassing a collection of holograms that I’m slowly purchasing off ebay.
- From 2006-2012, I was a core member of the band Sweet Mother Logic. We released three albums.
- I taught myself coding.
- I took jazz piano lessons for seven years.
- I worked as a bartender in an Irish pub in Paris. Despite no accent, I was constantly being asked if I was Irish.
- I’ve been admitted to hospitals in at least 5 countries. Am I prone to injury, or do I just travel that much? The answer is, actually, that I have a peanut allergy.