In this episode, CG Spectrum’s Chief Creative Officer Jeremy Chinn interviews Emmy-nominated VFX Supervisor and CG Spectrum alum Charlie Lehmer. Charlie shares his inspiring journey from aspiring filmmaker to a VFX career working on major projects like All the Light We Cannot See, Avengers: Endgame, and Deadpool & Wolverine.

Discover how Charlie’s unrelenting commitment set him apart—whether it was flying across the country to demonstrate his commitment to a gig, learning advanced tools like Nuke and Maya while working full-time, or simply making the best sandwiches to show his dedication to craft. He reflects on the challenges and rewards of his career, the critical role of mentorship, and his advice for aspiring VFX professionals looking to break into the industry.

Charlie reflects on his early days, crediting CG Spectrum’s flexible, mentor-led training in 3D Modeling and Nuke VFX for helping him bridge the gap between production and post-production, and allowing him to stand out in the industry. Through hard work, perseverance, and a deep love for the craft, Charlie rose from entry-level roles to becoming a lead VFX supervisor. With his success story, he wants to encourage more professionals to explore specialized learning as a tool for career growth.

This episode is packed with practical tips and inspiration for aspiring VFX artists and film professionals looking to carve their path in a competitive field. Don't miss it!

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Find Hubert: https://www.bonjam.ca/

Learn 2D Animation: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/2d-animator

Maxine speaks with Hubert Lapointe, Online Educator/Creative Director and Founder at Bon Jam Animation, about how to work as a freelance animator, including how to determine your rate, whether to charge hourly or daily, and marketing yourself on social media. Plus, Hubert gives some great tips on how to succeed in e-learning. This episode is chock-full of actionable tips and is not to be missed, especially for those who are considering starting to work as a freelancer!

Hubert Lapointe is an online educator, Creative Director and Founder at Bon Jam Animation and mentor of 2D Animation at CG Spectrum. His experience ranges from Toonboom software instructor to animation supervisor, to director and finally studio founder at Bon Jam Animation. He has worked at studios like Oasis Animation, Bardel Entertainment, Shed, and Happy Camper Media and has credits on shows like Rick and Morty, The Ollie and Moon Show for Netflix, and primetime children TV series Jon Le Bon.

🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/freelance-animation-hubert-lapointe

00:00 Intro

01:24 Hubert’s background, starting as an animator in Quebec

03:26 Failing the animation test, Hubert’s first job

05:10 Getting into the industry through side roles, finding your path

9:20 Becoming an Animation director

13:50 Benefits of freelancing versus working in a studio

18:34 Getting started as a freelancer and online exposure

24:02 How to make content more interesting for social media

30:10 Producing consistently and creating engagement

36:09 Knowing the audience for your demo reel

42:30 Qualities Hubert looks for when hiring juniors

48:00 How to set your rate and other practical tips

53:16 Hourly versus daily rates

55:45 Starting at a discounted rate

59:15 Negotiating your rate

1:05:10 Tips for e-Learning

1:10:40 Where to find Hubert

Connect on:

📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum

📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum

📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School

📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrum

Hubert:

📍 https://www.bonjam.ca/

📍 https://www.linkedin.com/in/hubert-lapointe/

📍 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8153335/

📍 https://www.instagram.com/bonjam.ca/

📍 https://www.instagram.com/bleu_ecarlate/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Find Azra: https://www.azralkan.com/

Learn Real-time 3D: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/virtual-production

Maxine speaks with Azra Alkan, Compositing Supervisor and Real-Time Look Development Artist, about how to determine your worth as an artist in film and games. Hear about Azra’s career journey, from moving to the United States from Turkey to study computer programming, getting into compositing supervision and then real-time 3D virtual production. Azra breaks down why authentic networking is so valuable and how important it has been in her profession, including landing the highly competitive Epic Games Unreal Engine Fellowship in 2019. Plus, practical tips like how to research to create opportunities for yourself!

Azra Alkan is an Unreal Engine Artist, Visual Effects Compositor, and Filmmaker. She has been predominantly using traditional tools such as Nuke, Maya, and Houdini to work in the film industry for over 10 years. After being selected for Epic Games’ Unreal Engine Fellowship in 2019, Azra has been trying to unlock new ways that bring power to the traditional VFX pipeline with the addition of real-time tools.

🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/real-time-3d-look-dev-artist-azra-alkan

00:00 Intro

01:14 Azra’s background, growing up in Turkey

04:58 Studying computer programming

07:48 Getting a sign, moving to the States, and starting film studies

11:54 The value of going to school vs. self-guided learning

14:32 If it’s not the right job for you, there is something else

19:55 How to overcome the challenge of not working in a studio

22:30 How to network authentically

26:35 Moving from compositing supervisor to virtual production in real-time 3D

31:32 Epic Games Unreal fellowship

36:18 Advancing by combining skills and talents

42:29 Knowing your boundaries

47:30 Prioritizing your health and keeping perspective

52:08 Making a liveable wage

55:55 How to give helpful critique and feedback

59:44 Listener questions: staying current with software, creative applications for software

1:07:10 Where to find Azra

Connect on:

📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum

📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum

📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School

📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrum

Azra:

📍 https://www.azralkan.com/

📍 https://www.linkedin.com/in/azralkan/

📍 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6784875/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.