|
Hello,
I receive emails from good friends asking about my ILM STORY,
I thoughts its good to have it on my blog!maybe some just don't feel like writing email and asking.i still used to read this email, its still inspiring for me.
Hope to be the same for you.
The ILM story goes back to June 2006.
At that moment i was a fresh graduate who used to get excited about every molecule in cg industry.i was working as a freelancer in Iran.
The first days of cg porfolio i asked my cousin who lives in US to register me for cg society membership(we dont have credit cards in Iran .)he did & i uploaded my rendering samples.
In that time ILM lead digital artist Jonathan Harb(that time) & senior HR Lala gavgavian were looking for talented people from all around the world.for their Singapore office.
Jonathan is famous for finding talents from all around the world,in some interviews He said he spent alot of time looking for cgartists in brazillizan forums & cgtalk & etc....
see this:
http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=4251
so i was one of too many people they contacted.
Basically i was moving from Iran to Dubai .it was very exciting & at the same time worrying time.you have no idea of your future in another country that you dont know anyone there,especially when you are Iranian....although Dubai is close to Iran but still is VERY different.....i Was so stressed then i received something which shocked me.....an email from lala gavgavian with a subject as HELLO FROM LUCAS FILM ANIMATION.
I thought its a stupid fan boy of lucas who called his name lucas film animation.....so i opened it......
Hi Maryam,
I'm a Computer Graphics Recruiter with Lucasfilm Animation in California, US.
We came across your work on CG Societiy and were very impressed with your renderings. They were quite nice.
I was writing to see whether you would be interested in exploring opportunities in our Singapore studio? We are in midst of building a Digital Artist group to work on projects ranging from vfx for live action films for Industrial Light & Magic, handheld games for Lucasarts, and animation for TV and Features.
Should you be interested in exploring this opportunity, please let me know what day, time, and phone number would work best for you, so we can connect to chat further.
All the best,
Lala Gavgavian
Senior Recruiter
Lucasfilm Animation
www.lucasfilm.com
Well.i checked the website & called some friends....to make sure i am not dreaming!!!that email made me happy like i have received Autodesk master award......even more!!!
I had no experience working with any company in any group i used to work through internet with some European countries & some super low! paid companies in Iran as a freelancer.
so i was very hopeless that anything happen.
This was my response:
Dear Lala,
I am so excited to see your kind email.having the oppurtunity to work in the film industry in such LucasAnimation company is like a dream.to be honest i am surprised to see your email.any how i havent work on any film ,i havent work on any game in the industry.all i know from cg is self taught.through the internet,books & it is mostly trial & error.but i am a very hardworker & i am very passionate about my job.i am moving to Dubai .I will be there on Friday.i need to know more about the situation & about the job.
I will give you my telephone number as soon as i get to Dubai ,we can talk on Saturday.i am very greatfull to see you were interested in my renders.i will comeback to you soon.
Best Regards
Then answer:
Hello Maryam,
Thank you for your response. It will be good to speak with you. Because of the time difference, can we target your Monday at 9:00 pm?
The position is a entry level role, so you don't need experience, just talent J. We will talk more about your skillset and what we are looking for in the position. Jonathan Harb, one of the ILM Supervisors will also be on the phone call to tell you a little bit more about what the position will entail.
I look forward to getting your contact number, and hearing whether Monday, 9:00 pm (Dubai time) will work for you.
Best regards,
Lala
They called me,
At that time had a fever ( because i was so excited & stressed).
I was very good at writing in English but speaking with an American native on the phone is totally different.I didn't used to it.I didn't know if i can talk to them or what is going to happen,
I was hoping them say Noooo we cant call you ....or we hate you......but i couldn't tell them i can't speak in your language on the phone!
please dont think its easy because its not.
well... i would like to add that i have been here for more than two years working in a Canadian architectural company! since then & now i am fluent in English!if they call me again!
when they called, things were not that bad.i could speak & they were speaking clear.especially lala,she put me through the line to talk to Johnathan,
He asked me what is the level of my tarditional skills & i said its more than four years i haven't touch the paper,because i was working hard with my pc!
He asked about my softwares -I had vue-3dsmax-photoshop-autocad- in my cgportfolio- he said we use vue in ILM & its good you have worked with it.& i said i am not very familiar with vue.because its GI is very slow & i just had some render tests with it!
I told him all my renderings are straight from computer i don't touch anything in photoshop for renderings.then he referred me to one of my renderings which there was a character in it & i said yes i used photoshop to add those people they are 2d people.
Also he asked about my modeling skills & i said in most of my scenes i use prepared models!modeling is very difficult & you cant find many sources on the internet to learn modeling......
So why do you think i failed?!!!
I am a different person now.working outside of my closed country & being independent made me experienced & i am a little better person than whom i explained to Johnathan!!
You know,i wont give up, I will go to ILM someday .This two person inspired me so much like they took me to sky.....
Thanks for your listening.
Maryam
|
