Christian Toft
3D Digital Artist student / 5th semester - Trainee at Ghost
Nationality: Danish
Age: 34
Future dream: To work with special effects, VFX, visualize energies.
 1. Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I grew up at a plant nursery in Jutland, where I lived and worked until I was 21. Then a friend put me in touch with a graphic artist at an advertising agency in Aarhus. He showed me some 3D stills, and I was fascinated. Through the advertising agency I went into a sort of apprenticeship at a photography lab, where I learned about layout and 2D computer image processing, mostly in Photoshop. I worked at the company for 7-8 years, and when I became unemployed I found out about TRUEMAX. I checked out their website and saw immediately that they were offering a solid education, so I enrolled in the 3D program.
2. What made you decide to enter the 3D Digital Artist program with TRUEMAX? And what are you doing during the current semester?
I felt that TRUEMAX offered the most in-depth, solid 3D education in Denmark. What also attracted me was that it is a real education – a long-term program – and not just a bunch of short courses all strung together. Right now I’m doing the Trainee semester of the 3D Digital Artist program and am working at Ghost Digital Production House, where I do special effects for a feature film for children. I have been there for 6 months now and have a contract to do another 6 months.
3. How did you hear about TRUEMAX?
My mother saw an advert for TRUEMAX in a newspaper.
4. How much 3D work had you done by the time you arrived at TRUEMAX?
Only a little when I was quite young and just getting interested in 3D. I worked on an Amiga computer. It was very slow going.
5. What is the most important thing you have learned during your time at TRUEMAX?
Craftsmanship. And planning work to meet deadlines, which is extremely important when you go out into the real world and work.
6. Have there been any surprises during your 3D education?
How comprehensive it all is. With 2D you can get an overview of everything in a relatively short space of time. But with 3D there are so many aspects to it that the extent of the work processes can be quite enormous.
7. Which 3D areas fascinate you the most?
Special effects. Especially energy special effects like magic wand traces and particle effects used for the flying Dementors in the Harry Potter films.
8. What inspires you the most when it comes to 3D?
People like Richard Bailey who create cool particle effects (see www.imagesavant.com). Meats Meier has also done some great special effects in ’Hellboy’ – the blue energy portal. Sunit Parekh’s work on the ’twins’ in ’Matrix Reloaded’ is also pretty exciting.
9. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
Either in Denmark or the USA. Working at a visual effect company like Ghost. When I have gained more experience I can see myself going freelance and getting into special effects development.
10. What advice would you give someone thinking of entering the 3D program at TRUEMAX?
You have to want it. Give it all you’ve got while you’re there. Be committed, because you’ll need everything you learn at TRUEMAX when you become a 3D professional.
The interview was made January 2006. |