[FRAMED] Lead CFX TD, Mika Strijdonk, Melbourne

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

The entire Harry Potter cinematic world is what fundamentally sparked my desire to work in this industry. It’s the ultimate example of a magical world brought to vivid, tangible life on screen, and seeing the level of intricate detail, scale, and imagination involved in creating that universe is truly inspiring.

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

I’d have to say Winnie the Pooh. Not only do I share his sweet tooth for honey and other treats, but I really connect with his wonderfully dry sense of humor and quiet, simple wisdom. Since Christopher Robin was one of my favorite projects to have worked on, Pooh definitely holds a special place in my heart.

What fictional world or place would you like to visit?

I would have to say Velaris, the City of Starlight.

It seems like a truly breathtaking place. The kind of world that would be utterly inspiring and beautiful to experience in person.

Your career highlight to date:

My career highlight to date would absolutely be How to Train Your Dragon. That project was truly special because of the sheer scope of the dragon work and the incredibly high level of detail we were able to achieve as a team. It pushed our creature FX capabilities and resulted in something visually stunning. Alongside that, it has also been incredibly rewarding to work on other creature-heavy shows like Ted Season 2, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Dumbo, Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Paddington 2, and Christopher Robin.

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

I’ve always been naturally quite creative, and I knew from a young age that I wanted a career where I could constantly be building and designing. However, it was actually my sister who truly opened my eyes to the opportunity of working in VFX.

We went to a university introduction day together when we were still in high school, and she showed me how this industry merges technical skill with pure creativity. We both ended up studying there and have been working side-by-side in VFX ever since finishing our degrees. She’s definitely my biggest inspiration!

The DREAM project would entail:

My dream project would absolutely revolve around creatures that push the boundaries of realism. Specifically, it would involve working with creatures that require extensive layering of complexity. Not just skin and fur, but also highly detailed interacting systems for muscles, fat, fascia, and clothing, all working together convincingly. And, of course, the ultimate dream would be to have endless dev time to fully explore and perfect the setup of those beautiful, complex characters!

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

I’m the one who digitally gives the creatures their hair, muscles, and clothing. My success is measured by how quickly you forget they’re actually just a bunch of fancy pixels.

Describe your career journey into the exciting world of VFX.

My journey into the exciting world of VFX wasn’t so much a journey as it was a sprint across the Atlantic!

I was living in Vancouver when I got the job offer from Framestore’s London studio on a Thursday. I had exactly one day (Friday) to organize moving countries, which meant canceling my rent, bank accounts, phone bills, and gym membership. I packed everything up, flew to London on Saturday, arrived on Sunday, and knocked on my sister’s door (who luckily was already living there!). I was ready to start my new job on Monday morning.

And just to round out that incredibly chaotic weekend, I was so exhausted somewhere along the way that I actually fell asleep in a bowl of spaghetti. That pretty much sums up my entry into the industry!

What does a day in the life of a Lead Creature FX Technical Director look like?

As a Lead Creature FX Technical Director, my day is a mix of creative problem-solving and technical leadership. I usually start by catching up on cross-site communications and emails, which often leads into internal department dailies where I review artists’ work and provide feedback to ensure we’re bringing the VFX Supervisor’s vision to life. The rest of the day is split between active support — troubleshooting technical issues, collaborating with other departments on creative and technical approaches, and presenting our work in VFX dailies. At the start of a show, I’m heavily involved in setup and R&D, but as we move into production, I focus on helping with the shot workload, making sure we deliver our targets on time, and sharing new tips and tricks with the team each week.

Framestore is, to you, in three words:

Creatures, Creativity, and Collaboration.

Best thing about your work environment?

That’s easy: the coffee machine. As a fully remote worker, having my perfect, custom coffee setup steps away is the number one perk! That said, I do still really enjoy coming into the office every so often for the collaborative buzz and to catch up with the team.

Framestore is great at:

Giving its talent the freedom and resources to explore new ideas, ensuring we all have the opportunity to constantly grow both creatively and technically.

Favorite artform?

My favourite art form is definitely digital art. I love how flexible and immediate the medium is, allowing for incredible control over lighting and texture. I’m particularly drawn to the vibrant character work and expressive style of artists like Loish — you might recognize her work from the Procreate startup screen. The distinct, highly imaginative colour work of Angrymikko is also a constant source of inspiration.

Favorite image?

My favorite image would have to be “Pull” by Loish.

I’m drawn to it for several reasons, but primarily because of the incredible line work and the profound sense of mystery and depth the artist created. The best art, for me, is the kind that instantly makes you feel something, and this piece captures a breathtaking sense of movement and immersion that is truly inspiring.

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

My favourite movies are definitely Moana and Brave. My admiration for them comes from the deep technical challenges they overcame, as both were pioneers of curly-hair simulations. I had the opportunity to attend a talk by the Brave CFX team back in 2012 on how they set up the curly-hair constraints and multiple layers of cloth simulation. That presentation was actually what inspired me to pursue my career in CFX!

What is the last piece of art that inspired you?

The last piece of art that truly inspired me was the soundtrack for How to Train Your Dragon.

John Powell’s score is just breathtakingly beautiful. I absolutely love the collaboration between the soaring violins and the distinctive bagpipes. I actually listened to it on repeat while I was working on the movie. And even now, whenever I need to get inspired or focused for a complex setup, that soundtrack is what I turn to.

How do you unlock your creativity?

For me, unlocking creativity often means counter-intuitively slowing down and making time to do absolutely nothing.

In our industry, it’s easy to feel rushed, but I find that the best inspiration and solutions come to me when my mind is allowed to wander freely without pressure. It’s often in those moments of quiet reflection that I get the spark I need to figure out a technical problem or feel inspired to start on my next big personal project.

From where do you seek inspiration?

I think the best source of inspiration is everywhere around me.

It certainly comes from surrounding myself with like-minded, creative people, but I find just as much inspiration in the world. Whether it’s the patterns I see in nature or the movement of objects in daily life. For instance, I often find that fashion and flowing fabrics heavily inspire me to create a new garment, whether that’s digitally in Marvelous Designer or physically on my sewing machine in real life. That constant observation confirms I’m definitely in the right department!

Who in the industry do you admire most and why?

That’s a great question. Honestly, the people I admire most aren’t just one or two individuals, but rather the many incredible mentors and leaders who have offered me guidance over the course of my career.

I’ve had the chance to work with so many talented people. Whether they were Creature Supervisors, Heads of Departments, CG Supervisors, or VFX Supervisors. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without their willingness to share their knowledge, push my boundaries, and offer that critical guidance along the way.

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

“Always ask why.”

It sounds straightforward, but it’s incredibly powerful. Instead of just following instructions or accepting a technical process, stopping to ask why we are doing something that way, or why a particular artistic choice was made, forces a deeper understanding. It has helped me tremendously in advancing as a TD and in my career.

What tech/innovation could you not live without?

For me, the essential innovation that I could not live without is simply my computer.

It might sound obvious, but it’s the core technology that underpins everything I do. It’s not just a work tool, it’s the hub that allows me to create, communicate, find inspiration, and stay in contact with family across the globe. Given my role as a remote artist, the sheer power and capability of the modern workstation is something I rely on every single hour. I truly could not live without it!

What tech/innovation deserves the hype?

The tech/innovation that definitely deserves the hype right now is AI, specifically as a learning and explanatory tool.

In a fast-moving field like VFX, continuous learning is essential. AI is incredibly powerful for explaining complex technical topics, breaking down challenging code snippets, or clarifying documentation in a simple, easy-to-understand way. It makes the entire process of research and rapid skill acquisition so much faster, which is invaluable for a TD.

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

That would definitely have to be a seamless, safe teleportation machine.

I feel incredibly lucky and grateful that my career allows me to see so much of the world and work with people in different countries, but it would make seeing family infinitely easier if we could just instantly jump across the globe! Of course, I imagine the only drawback would be that the jet lag would still be significant!

Mika Strijdonk, you’ve been [FRAMED].