[FRAMED]: Ravi Nepalia, Lighting TD, MTL
[FRAMED] exists to shine light on Framestore’s most fascinating cast of characters: its people. Presented with a probing list of questions and a demandingly short deadline, this feature puts the hopes, dreams, and desktops of our MVPs on the digital wall, for all to see. Welcome to [FRAMED].
What are you guilty of?
Watching too many epic fail videos on Youtube.
What was your last brush with danger?
Trying to learn how to ice skate.
Your last brush with greatness?
Camping at Forillon National park in Gaspesie, QC. The following day a red fox came to say hi.
Your worst character fault?
Confused and doubting my decisions. Always homesick.
Your most shining quality?
Friendly and nice to everyone.
If you had taken a different path, what would you be doing now?
Wildlife photography.
You’re on the run from the law, where are you headed?
To the Himalayas.
Who’s your partner-in-crime?
My partner for life: my wife Shuchi.
What’s your favorite movie/TV show and why?
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. This movie is quite underrated. I love everything about it; the story, photography, choice of music and locations. It’s awesome.
Your greatest achievement?
Performing in a play at the National School of Drama in India. Some amazing actors from the Indian Film Industry came from there.
Most valuable skill?
Hardwork.
Go on, say something bragging:
It’s been a long time, but I’m still proud of it. I partied like crazy a day before New Years Eve and ended up jumping from 15,000 ft the next morning in Queenstown, New Zealand. It was my first skydiving experience.
Name your vice/pet peeve?
People talking during films in theatres, but I’m kind of missing it now to be honest.
The DREAM project would entail:
Movie based on the Shiva trilogy books by the author Amish Tripathi.
Your career highlight to date:
It’s difficult to choose one but I would say The Amazing Spiderman ride film for Universal Studios, Orlando and also the bear fight sequence from His Dark Materials, which was pretty awesome.
This week I learnt that:
No two tigers have the same stripes.
What’s your current view?
The Mont Royal park, the sky and my desk.
Give us a desk tour :
Keyboard, mouse, two monitors, laptop on the side, portable fan, Pin board in front with some photos and inspiring artworks, Pop toy from Ghost in the Shell (my first VFX show) and Disney Infinity Darth Vader collectible.
What do you need to work, on the daily?
Phone with an alarm on.
Framestore is, to you, in three words:
Best work environment.
Best thing about your work environment?
The ability to check renders anytime.
Framestore is great at:
Taking care of their artists.
Favourite artform?
Photography.
Favourite image?
One of Steve McCurry’s iconic images from my home province, Rajasthan.
Fictional character you’d like to hang with?
Yoda. 900 years old, I am sure he has lots of stories.
Happiness looks like:
Waking up and realizing it’s a holiday.
If not here, then where?
Varkala, Kerala, India.
What do you think of too often?
Buying acres of land and developing a private sanctuary in India.
And not enough?
Exercising.
Couldn’t live without:
My camera.
If you ruled the world:
Increase greenery by a lot.
Ravi Nepalia, you’ve been [FRAMED].
