[FRAMED] Senior Layout Artist, Vanessa Fernandez Calle, Melbourne
If you could travel back in time, which film, TV series, advert, or immersive project would you love to have worked on?
I can answer that easily: it will be The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Sadly, the first movie was released when I was 11 years old, but it opened a world that I wanted to be part of.
Which Framestore character do you feel you’re most like?
I have to say, Toothless. I know it is a recent one, but he is shy and intimidating at first, but when you get to know him, he is the sweetest, so essentially, that is me.
What fictional world or place would you like to visit?
I would love to visit the magical land of Fantastica from The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende — one of the first fantasy books I read when I was just 8 years old. It is a place where everything that you imagine can be true.
Your career highlight to date:
It’s not even in cinemas yet, but the trailers alone have my mum telling all her friends that I worked on How to Train Your Dragon! She couldn’t be prouder — she even wants me to sign a poster that she can hang in the living room! Being part of this project has truly been a dream come true. I’ve always loved the animated films, and working on this one taught me so much.
Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in VFX?
When I was about five, I saw my first Star Wars movie, and I became completely obsessed with Darth Vader. I’d been quite sick for a few years and his breathing sounded just like mine, so I watched the films on repeat. That early fascination made me want to become an artist — to design, to create, to somehow be part of the worlds I saw on screen.
Years later, while studying illustration, one of our classes introduced us to 3ds Max as a tool to quickly block out scenes using basic shapes and lighting before sketching. I remember making a glass of wine by just clicking around — and that moment sparked something. I went home, did my research, and realized this was what I wanted to dive into. That’s when I chose to shift my studies and pursue the path that led me here.
The DREAM project would entail:
It will be like an Avengers assembly of all the best artists I’ve ever found during my career, and be part of the recording set crew. Oh wait, and no OT haha!
How do you explain what you do to someone who doesn’t work in VFX?
I often say it’s like I have a camera inside my computer. I do everything a real-world camera would do — and sometimes things that are completely impossible in the real world. I also like to say I do a lot of invisible magic behind the scenes, making sure everything is where it needs to be and works the way it should.
Describe your career journey into the exciting world of VFX.
So here’s my long story short — I’ve always loved movies, art, and photography. That passion led me to study illustration, where I got to explore a bit of everything — even dabbling in 3ds Max, as I mentioned earlier. After finishing my studies, I discovered several private schools in Madrid offering courses in 3D art and cinematography. I saved up and enrolled at arteNeo to pursue what truly excited me.
Once I graduated, I wore many hats — designing posters and graphics for pub events, and creating renders for a small architectural studio in Valladolid. Then came a turning point: I was invited for an interview at Ilion Animation Studios (now Skydance) in Madrid. They gave me my first real break in the industry and the chance to grow.
Later, I moved to London and worked on The Lion King, Maleficent, and Ron’s Gone Wrong. Eventually, I received an offer to move to the other side of the world and join Iloura/Method (now Framestore). I’ve been here for five years now, working on a wide range of projects and learning more with every single one.
What does a day in the life of a Senior Layout Artist look like?
That’s the magic of working in the Layout department — every day brings something new. You can start your morning solving a complex CG camera move or stitching a cool shot, and by the next task, you’re placing chewing toys in a cave!
I’m also stepping into more responsibilities within my role, constantly learning, and always asking questions — I want to understand as much as I can about every part of the process.
Framestore is, to you, in three words:
Huge, friendly, & innovative.
Best thing about your work environment?
The people I have the pleasure of working with — especially my team. We may be small, but we’re like a family, and that support and camaraderie make all the difference.
Framestore is great at:
Creating amazing creatures!
Favorite artform?
Paintings — I can stare at them for hours, getting lost in the details and the storytelling of each element.
Favorite image?
Right now, it has to be The Bear by James Jean. I have one of the original prints hanging on my living room wall, it has some 3D effects in the printing and also holographic lines that change color depending on the light.
What’s your favourite movie/ series/ advert/ immersive experience and why?
Movie — The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Why? Because it’s perfect haha!
Series — Arcane. The design, the camera work, the storytelling, the music — everything about it is incredible. It’s a true masterpiece of animation and visual storytelling.
What is the last piece of art that inspired you?
I have to repeat myself here — Arcane really inspired me. It even pushed me to try creating some illustrations in a similar art style.
If you’re curious about how Season 1 was made, there’s an incredible free documentary on YouTube called Bridging the Rift. It’s a five-part series that takes you behind the scenes of the production.
How do you unlock your creativity?
A bit of music, and creating a mood board, I try to find images of what I want to create, and if I don’t have anything in mind, I get lost in my inspiration folder to see what speaks to me.
From where do you seek inspiration?
Movies — paintings — photographs — books, I think I look into every artform possible.
Who in the industry do you admire most and why?
Alan Lee and John Howe — the concept artists who brought Tolkien’s universe to life in such a stunning way for The Lord of the Rings films. I’ve always admired their work and often find myself wishing I could draw like them.
And keeping with the theme, I was also deeply inspired by Andrew Lesnie’s cinematography in those same films.
Share the best piece of advice you’ve ever received:
‘Treat the people the same way you want them to treat you.’
What tech/innovation could you not live without?
My phone! Living so far away from my family, it has become an extension of my arm to be in touch with them.
What tech/innovation deserves the hype?
Biotechnology and personalized medicine — so that in the future we will be able to save lots of people from the worst possible diseases.
What tech do you need that hasn’t been invented yet?
Warp speed, like in Star Trek — so I could visit my family or be anywhere in the world in the blink of an eye. It would make distance feel like nothing at all.
Vanessa Fernandez, you’ve been [FRAMED].
