In his year at VFS - he graduated in 2006 - David was part of the Game Design team that created the Elan-winning Seas of Europa, which was subsequently post-mortemed by teammate Ryan Stancl for Game Career Guide. He recently took time out of his busy life in Illinois to look back on that experience… and, of course, talk Saints Row 2.

How would you describe your role on Saints Row 2? What were you responsible for?

I am the first designer to be hired by Volition from VFS. So, they really didn’t know what my capabilities might be. They first tasked me with the designing and doing all the scripting for the strongholds, the fortified areas your enemies control which you need to take over. This was a great experience. Since Saints Row 2 was in pre-production, I got to go wild with ideas. The only constraint was my imagination.

As the project advanced I was able to contribute more - thanks to my VFS training! - to many other parts of the game. In the end, I worked on all the strongholds, the Samedi mission arc, the drive by diversion, and our drop-in/drop-out co-op design.

I was also fortunate that the design team on Saints Row 2 really worked well together. Also, no one let ego or position get in the way of recognizing a good idea and running with it.

You’ve been doing the rounds to promote and preview the game. What’s that been like, being the ‘face’ of the game?

Doing press events is something I really get excited about. I mean, what’s not to like? You get to travel, go to big events, and meet a lot of industry peers. The reality is that and more! Especially, with a game like Saints Row 2 that has a lot of excitement building around it.

If there is a downside, it’s that you are doing a lot of presentations all day, every day. These events have a lot of information that PR wants to get to the press, but not everyone can see the game at once. So you actually have to give several presentations to lots of press, buyers, and bloggers, sometimes 8 or 10 times a day.

Plus, there are one-on-one interviews that we do for all types of media outlets. All of this is both exhilarating and exhausting at the same time.

What was one of the biggest challenges you, personally, had to tackle in the design of SR2?

Studios in Canada and the West Coast of the U.S. have a pretty good idea of what VFS graduates are capable of, since most of the graduates get hired from companies in those areas. As I mentioned before, I was the first designer from VFS that Volition had hired, so I don’t think they really knew what a VFS Game Design graduate was capable of.

Of course, coming in from VFS, I was ready to hit the ground running. So, one of the biggest challenges that I had to face was proving that I was not only willing but able to make the kind of AAA-quality gameplay that they were looking for. Thankfully, I proved that I could to all that was expected and more.

I can tell you one thing - I’d like to see more VFS grads at Volition in the future.

Seas of Europa stands out as one of the more ambitious games made at VFS, even though it was only in the fourth graduating class. First, looking back, and with some time as a professional since, what really sticks out to you from that whole experience?

The passion of the team, our productivity, and how well-received Seas of Europa was, in the end, were all aspects of that time that stood out to me.

We had four extremely talented people with a shared vision that worked in a super-collaborative way to produce the highest quality product that we could in a short time - three months. Everyone on the team really contributed their own talent and passion.

Did you find that that experience prepared you for stepping in at Volition?

Absolutely! I would say that VFS prepared me very well for the volume and type of work that I do and to produce the kind of gameplay that I can be proud of.

How do you feel now that your first title is out?

It really does feel great to have my first title out the door and on shelves.

The funny thing is that it was really anticlimactic. The last part of the project is this furious push to polish as much as we can, and then one day the game goes gold. That’s it. You go from working like mad to not having much to do for about a week or so. Don’t get me wrong, it still feels incredible, but it seems like there needs to be horns blowing and parades. Ha!

A recent group of 3D Animation & Visual Effects students specializing in Visual Effects, led by the program’s Visual Effects Supervisor Brent Greening, had the chance to visit the set of Roland Emmerich’s doomsday extravaganza 2012. You might recall that Head of Animation & Visual Effects Alastair Macleod consulted on the film.

Of course, the students were sworn to secrecy about everything they saw during their visit. But they can talk about what they’re able to take away from behind-the-scenes field trips like this.

Student Sofus Graae: “There are so many aspects of the production you simply will not experience from a simple ‘behind the scenes’ DVD feature. That’s why field trips give us a good insight to the massive requirements of the whole crew - from pre- to post-production. Seeing how all the people involved work together to create a stunning final result is an amazing experience and very motivating.”

Student David O. Escobell: “At VFS, we learn Visual Effects, but going into the big sets as a VFX student helps me understand how they take advantage of VFX in really big budgets. That and asking questions - it’s the best complement for us.”

Here’s the 2012 trailer. Enjoy!

A side note: Ballast, written and directed by Lance Hammer - a recent guest speaker here at VFS - is tied for most noms this year with six.

VFS Makeup Design for Film & Television Open House
Saturday, December 6, 2008, 1pm-3:30pm
VFS Café, 390 W. Hastings St., Vancouver
(corner of Homer & Hastings)

- Learn about the acclaimed one-year VFS Makeup Design program
- Meet Head of Department and veteran makeup artist Stan Edmonds (The Butterfly Effect, Unforgiven)
- Watch alumni and current students demonstrating prosthetic and application techniques
- Hear from Makeup instructors and VFS Admissions Advisors
- Get a look inside a VFS student’s incredible Personal Makeup Kit

Space at this event is going fast, so don’t wait! To book yours, email openhouse@vfs.com or call 604.631.3590.

On top of landing the lead in multiple Canadian independent films and commercials for such companies as London Drugs, she’s taking on the roles of Producer and Director.

Since graduating in 2005, she’s co-created a theatre company, GAL Prods, landed a gig directing a short film, and started her own production company, Spinning Top Productions. Her first production will be a short dramedy called Double Occupancy.

“It’s a great story about a down-on-herself travel agent who decides to ‘live a little,’” Aili tells us. “She falls for a handsome man who is booking a vacation with her. Is it a simple love story or one wrought with miscommunication?”

She plays the lead character, Sophie.

Putting together her first film was somewhat chaotic for Aili, but she knew she was in good hands. Her crew included VFS grads from multiple programs – among them, Acting grad Katherine Wright as Acting Director, Acting grad Ryan Younglao as Production Assistant, and Sound Design grad Trevor Mason – as well as Acting faculty and staff including Program Manager Kim Tough, Production Coordinator Hilary Marsh, and Production Manager Michael Chase.

“We are all excited for the film to be done so that I can send it off to numerous festivals around the world,” Aili says.

What’s next for Aili?

“I recently returned from LA where I signed with my manager Cheri Barner with CG Artist Management. I’m just trying to keep busy and tell stories I want to tell.”

The film’s director, Richard Martin, is an instructor in our Film program. When he needed crew he could rely on, he went right to VFS grads he knew were up for the job. This includes Nemo Balkanski as Storyboard Artist, Thomas Pound as Assistant to the Director, and PAs Lexy Burg, Jeffery Hornung, and Katy Boriskov.

The film also featured VFS Acting grads in major roles, including Sara Canning as Hope, and Peter Benson as Mark.

Richard keeps it simple in terms of the graduates’ success on set: “They were all amazing!”

Congrats on being part of the Slap Shot legacy, everyone!

“My keynote speech about the Changing Role of Game Designers was received very well, with a lot of questions, and a large group of interested gaming fans quizzing me after the presentation,” he tells us. “What a great opportunity to see another group of gamers that aren’t from Vancouver or California.”

Of course, Dave will be at our very own Game Design Expo 2009 in Vancouver February 7-8. Find out how you can be there, too.

In fact, they entered as Tricky 17’s defending champions, and although they didn’t take top spot this year, they did walk away with the Best Editing award for their trailer of an action/superhero epic starring office supplies, “made in 52 hours on two dozen Red Bulls.” Most importantly, they got a chance to work together again.

Michelle: “A big part of it is the ‘who knows what we’ll make’ adrenaline kick, but the camaraderie and bouncing ideas off of each other is the best! Everybody has their niche, and we just laugh the whole time - creating the story, while we’re animating, and especially in the editing/sound phase - and if we’re laughing that’s the whole purpose of the thing. I guess maybe we’re just so animation crazy that it feels natural to meet and hang out and just happen to make a film while we do so!”

Check out their film, which is so densely packed with sight gags and silliness, you really have to watch it twice.

L-R: Tammy, Michelle, Choom, Ian, Bill, Tzanko

Update: We’ve also gotten word of a number of other Classical Animation (and Foundation Visual Art & Design) who entered, including Classical Animation grad Lawrence Chung - on the team that won Best Production Design!

Update 2: The Beard of Moose’s entry has been Dugg and it’s spreading like wildfire!

By Alastair Macleod
Head of Animation & Visual Effects

I was invited to attend PISAF in Korea to be on the panel that was judging the student work submitted. The event was held in Puchon (also spelled Bucheon), which is about an hour out of Seoul. VFS sponsored the event by offering a scholarship to the 3D Animation and Visual Effects program.

I watched over forty short films during my week there - all of them produced as part of a school program, from high schools, colleges and universities around the world.

There was some excellent work, most of which I had never seen before. VFS itself was represented by The Switch by Zack Mathew and Seeking You by Jean-Julien Pous, who also presented a workshop.

As part of the jury, I was very conscious of where the films were produced. It was interesting for me to hear the other judges’ wide-ranging opinions of the work, and there was some general consensus as well as some disagreement, which led to healthy discussion.

I consider myself to be fairly well-travelled in the world, but have never been to anywhere in Asia, let alone Korea, so I had no idea what to expect other than what I had seen on TV.

The food was amazing. I think I must have eaten one of everything there was to offer. The kimchi was tasty and was served both cooked and raw, the various fish, meats, noodles, soup you cook at the table… It was all there. I learned not to ask what I was eating, and I enjoyed it all. The soju was tasty too.

All in all, it was a brilliant trip and a very positive experience. I learned a lot about Korean culture and the wide selection of work currently being created in Asia and around the world.

In fact, all three finalists are Canadian, although the competition was open worldwide.

The description alone makes it all worthwhile: “Kim took a grid of formal graduation photos and inserted a picture of herself with an iguana on her head.”

How can you resist? The winner gets featured in an upcoming issue of Print. Voting closes on December 12, so cast yours now!