[FRAMED] Joint Head of Assets, Ray Leung, Melbourne

If you could travel back in time, which film, TV series, advert, or immersive project would you love to have worked on?

Hmm…too many. If I have to pick one, probably Avatar. (the blue people)

Which Framestore character do you feel you’re most like?

Lanky. One of the T.rexes from 65. Thin and tall, intimidating on first encounter but easily killed by a shot at the head.

What fictional world or place would you like to visit?

I would very much like to be enrolled at Hogwarts. I mean…who doesn’t like flying around on a broomstick and turning your classmates into mice?!

Your career highlight to date:

Winning the Emmy Best Visual Effects award with the team for Game of Thrones Season 6.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in VFX?

Jurassic Park 1993. Bringing the dinosaurs back to life was my motivation.

The DREAM project would entail:

A great variety of assets with lots of creative freedom and clear direction.

How do you explain what you do to someone who doesn’t work in VFX?

For starters, my mum used to think I played video games for a living. And I think she still does so I’ve kind of stopped explaining.

Describe your career journey into the exciting world of VFX.

Imagine the Hobbit trilogy, which is long and boring, but it’s nothing like that.

I graduated during the global financial crisis when no one was hiring. Most of my classmates decided to undertake a master’s degree. Instead, I focused on spending the time on building up my portfolio and I was fortunate enough to be selected by a placement scheme funded by the state government. That’s how I got my foot in the door.

I spent my early career as a Modeller but I was also given the opportunity to explore the texturing side of the 3D pipeline. Eager to explore all the possibilities out there, I decided to step out of my comfort zone but my first attempt on animated features was proven to be regretful. However, that reignited my passion for live-action features, which led me to my first overseas adventure — Vancouver.

After spending a year there, I felt driven by the need for change so I took the role of Creature ATD at a company I’ve admired for so long in New Zealand and began my “Middle-earth” journey. It opened my mind and when I felt fulfilled I decided it wastime to come home to spend time with my partner. And that brought me to Melbourne when I was offered a job at Iloura (then Method, now Framestore).

From a 4-month gig to 10 years in a few months, I’m grateful that I was given the chance to explore different areas, which isn’t always possible at other studios. I’ve developed a particular interest in character work over the years. At the time, I was doing a lot of environment work and the prospect of character work excited me. I started doing digi-doubles and picking up grooming soon after. And I began to take on more responsibilities as the team grew bigger. Eventually, I was offered the position as the Joint Head of the Assets department and I’ve been terrorizing my team since then.

See? This is no Hobbit trilogy. It’s more like Game of Thrones really.

What does the day in the life of a Joint Head of Assets look like?

I start the day by catching up with the team to make sure they have what they need for the rest of the day.

Then I usually have a window of 2–3 hours to go over my to-do list for the week. If I’m lucky, I would be able to spend some of that time doing some asset work. I still like to get involved whenever I can so I can stay in touch with the latest developments in tools/programs/techniques/workflows.

After that, we’ll have our afternoon reviews with the CG/VFX supervisors, where we go through all the dailies together. I would have cross-site/department catch-ups with other HODs or pipeline meetings with our TDs to review any tech issues or agenda items of the week before the end of the day.

Framestore is, to you, in three words:

My New Boss? (Yeah we Melbourne folks are fairly new to the big Framestore family)

Best thing about your work environment?

You always feel surrounded by really talented artists, who are genuinely nice people.

Framestore is great at:

Making bears? No kidding, we’ve done a lot of bears as a VFX company. We should consider making a bear as our new mascot.

Favourite artform?

Film. I always enjoy a good movie.

Favourite image?

The image of UVs unfolding when you press the F key in Headus UVLayout. It’s the most relaxing thing that you’ll ever see.

What’s your favourite movie/ series/ advert/ immersive experience and why?

It’s hard to pick one, but one of my favourite movies is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I’ve always been a big fan of David Fincher’s works (well…except Alien 3 maybe?). His movies have a very distinctive tone. And Benjamin Button stood out to me as you have different feelings towards the movie depending on which stage in life you’re at. I like movies that can trigger the audience’s emotions. Not to mention that the VFX in the movie was quite impressive at the time it came out.

What is the last piece of art that inspired you?

The Way of Water. I think it pushes the boundaries of VFX. Inspired me to go further than we normally would.

How do you unlock your creativity?

In the middle of the night when no one is around, put on the headphones and play some random k-pop music. It works particularly well for me when I don’t understand the language so I’m not distracted by what he/she/they are singing.

From where do you seek inspiration?

Cinema. When in doubt, go watch a movie!

Who in the industry do you admire most and why?

I could name a few but if you’re asking about the one(s) that I admire most then it’s got to be the filmmakers who understand and appreciate visual effects. They just make everyone’s lives a lot easier.

Share the best piece of advice you’ve ever received:

I once messaged my mentor for guidance on my career. He simply replied, ‘loveC@ts123’. And that is the moment I realized that he accidentally sent me his login password. (joking)

‘If you never try, you’ll never know.’ Best advice ever.

What tech/innovation could you not live without?

Internet. Imagine you have to look for all the information yourself in the library?!

What tech/innovation deserves the hype?

AI. As scary as it is, it does make our jobs a lot easier if used correctly. The things it could do. The possibilities are endless.

What tech do you need that hasn’t been invented yet?

I’m still waiting for the hologram tech from Iron Man to happen. Would be fun to build assets like that. VR is close but not the same.

Ray Leung, you’ve been [FRAMED].