How would you explain your job to someone who doesn’t know VFX?
Imagine this: Santa flying through the night sky, dragons breathing fire, or entire cities crumbling in epic battles. None of that is real—but you can see it on screen, thanks to VFX.
VFX is like the ninjas of filmmaking. They bring magic, fantasy, and sometimes even nightmares to life on screen. You might not notice them, but they’re everywhere—quietly making the impossible look effortless.
As for my role? I make sure those invisible ninjas have everything they need to do their thing. That means making sure we have the right people, the right tools, and that we’re staying on schedule. If Santa’s sleigh is going to soar, I’ll be the one feeding the reindeers, shining up Rudolph's nose, doing route plans and scheduling for Santa to make sure he's on schedule and no child left behind.
What does a day in the life look like?
It varies from project to project but in general the first thing I do in the morning is to see where we are at with our targets compare to yesterday/the week before and what our daily target is. I would also check in with the leads and supervisors to make sure we have enough artists and that things are on track for our target. Throughout the day I would provide support to leads, artists, and supervisors based on their requests and follow up with other departments and/or producers if we have anything missing from client/upstream. I would also check in with artists and leads to make sure they have everything they need to finish the show and ensure they are happy since I believe happy artists make good shows! At the end of the day I look at what we've accomplished to make sure we are hitting the targets we need to hit and what needs to be done next day to hit our goals.
What are some of your favorite projects? Why?
All my projects are like my babies—it’s tough to pick a favorite! But if I had to choose, I’d say the ones I’ve been involved with from day one tend to stand out the most.
When I’m there from the very beginning, I get a deeper understanding of the show’s needs and vision. That early involvement allows me to plan ahead, build a workflow that fits the team, and set us up for success right from the start. There’s something really rewarding about seeing a project grow from the ground up and knowing you helped shape the foundation.
Each project brings its own challenges and wins, but the ones where I’ve had that full-circle experience? Those are extra special.
Countdown | Amazon Prime
What's something you wish people knew about what you do?
Here’s the thing: I work in film and TV, but no, you won’t see me on screen. I’m one of the invisible hands behind the curtain. We create the dragons, the space battles, make baby bumps where there isn't one, and disappear baby bumps when there is one.
People often assume working in film means rubbing elbows with celebrities or showing up in the post parties and film festivals. In reality, CG artists are the quiet ninjas. We build entire worlds, fix things no one’s supposed to notice, and make the unbelievable feel real. And yet, our work is often treated like movie seasoning— you know it's there, you can taste it, it adds flavor to the dish, but you usually won't know it's there if you just look at it.
Sometimes even directors treat CG like a last-minute fix or a necessary evil but the truth is, when used thoughtfully, CG can elevate a story in ways that practical effects alone can’t. It’s not just about spectacle—it’s about storytelling, mood, and immersion.
So no, I don't work with Keanu Reeves. But I work with a crew who could make Keanu fly a spaceship through a wormhole while dodging laser kittens. And honestly? That’s pretty cool too.
What is something that excites you about your career?
There’s something truly magical about watching a project evolve from its earliest stages, from the talent in mocap suits and green screens, to fully rendered and polished worlds filled with magical kingdoms, epic battles, and larger-than-life heroes.
That transformation never gets old.
Even after all these years, I still get a huge sense of pride seeing what we can accomplish together as a team. It’s not just about the final product (though that’s always amazing); it’s about the collaboration, the creativity, and the problem-solving that happens along the way. Every project is a reminder of what’s possible when passionate and talented people come together to bring imagination to life.
Are you learning anything new?
I am learning Win Chun and Spanish!
What do you like to do outside of work?
Gardening, cook, travel, Yoga, sleep, and read
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Danger is real, fear is imaginary.
SPOTLIGHT
Lienna Su
Compositing Coordinator
SPOTLIGHT
Lienna Su
Compositing Coordinator
How would you explain your job to someone who doesn’t know VFX?
Imagine this: Santa flying through the night sky, dragons breathing fire, or entire cities crumbling in epic battles. None of that is real—but you can see it on screen, thanks to VFX.
VFX is like the ninjas of filmmaking. They bring magic, fantasy, and sometimes even nightmares to life on screen. You might not notice them, but they’re everywhere—quietly making the impossible look effortless.
As for my role? I make sure those invisible ninjas have everything they need to do their thing. That means making sure we have the right people, the right tools, and that we’re staying on schedule. If Santa’s sleigh is going to soar, I’ll be the one feeding the reindeers, shining up Rudolph's nose, doing route plans and scheduling for Santa to make sure he's on schedule and no child left behind.
What does a day in the life look like?
It varies from project to project but in general the first thing I do in the morning is to see where we are at with our targets compare to yesterday/the week before and what our daily target is. I would also check in with the leads and supervisors to make sure we have enough artists and that things are on track for our target. Throughout the day I would provide support to leads, artists, and supervisors based on their requests and follow up with other departments and/or producers if we have anything missing from client/upstream. I would also check in with artists and leads to make sure they have everything they need to finish the show and ensure they are happy since I believe happy artists make good shows! At the end of the day I look at what we've accomplished to make sure we are hitting the targets we need to hit and what needs to be done next day to hit our goals.
What are some of your favorite projects? Why?
All my projects are like my babies—it’s tough to pick a favorite! But if I had to choose, I’d say the ones I’ve been involved with from day one tend to stand out the most.
When I’m there from the very beginning, I get a deeper understanding of the show’s needs and vision. That early involvement allows me to plan ahead, build a workflow that fits the team, and set us up for success right from the start. There’s something really rewarding about seeing a project grow from the ground up and knowing you helped shape the foundation.
Each project brings its own challenges and wins, but the ones where I’ve had that full-circle experience? Those are extra special.
Countdown | Amazon Prime
What's something you wish people knew about what you do?
Here’s the thing: I work in film and TV, but no, you won’t see me on screen. I’m one of the invisible hands behind the curtain. We create the dragons, the space battles, make baby bumps where there isn't one, and disappear baby bumps when there is one.
People often assume working in film means rubbing elbows with celebrities or showing up in the post parties and film festivals. In reality, CG artists are the quiet ninjas. We build entire worlds, fix things no one’s supposed to notice, and make the unbelievable feel real. And yet, our work is often treated like movie seasoning— you know it's there, you can taste it, it adds flavor to the dish, but you usually won't know it's there if you just look at it.
Sometimes even directors treat CG like a last-minute fix or a necessary evil but the truth is, when used thoughtfully, CG can elevate a story in ways that practical effects alone can’t. It’s not just about spectacle—it’s about storytelling, mood, and immersion.
So no, I don't work with Keanu Reeves. But I work with a crew who could make Keanu fly a spaceship through a wormhole while dodging laser kittens. And honestly? That’s pretty cool too.
What is something that excites you about your career?
There’s something truly magical about watching a project evolve from its earliest stages, from the talent in mocap suits and green screens, to fully rendered and polished worlds filled with magical kingdoms, epic battles, and larger-than-life heroes.
That transformation never gets old.
Even after all these years, I still get a huge sense of pride seeing what we can accomplish together as a team. It’s not just about the final product (though that’s always amazing); it’s about the collaboration, the creativity, and the problem-solving that happens along the way. Every project is a reminder of what’s possible when passionate and talented people come together to bring imagination to life.
Are you learning anything new?
I am learning Win Chun and Spanish!
What do you like to do outside of work?
Gardening, cook, travel, Yoga, sleep, and read
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Danger is real, fear is imaginary.