Join us on Thursday, November 5^th, 2015 if you’re interested in learning what it takes to land a job as an artist in the entertainment industry. Four Gnomon Alumni from Blizzard, Walt Disney Animation Studios,ILM, and Treyarch will return to campus for one night to share their inspiring stories and offer practical advice for those looking to break into the industry and climb the career ladder. Learn about the different types of jobs available, the various challenges that await new graduates, and how your skills can cross industries to arm you with greater opportunities. The team will discuss the reality of working in visual effects and offer insight into how studios differ to one another. On top of this, the panel will discuss both the challenges and rewards for international students making the journey to the US to study and work. Don’t miss this opportunity to gather valuable advice on how to break into your future career. The event is free and open to the public. Entry is by RSVP only and seating is first come first served. If you can't make it to Hollywood, be sure to follow Gnomon on Livestream to watch the full event for free from anywhere in the world.

Schedule

7:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Brandon Bennett — An Overview of Jobs and How to Get Them 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Sonja Christoph — Changing Paths and Surviving Bumps in the Road 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Servando Lupini — An International Student Breaking into Blizzard 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm: James Schauf — From Air Force to Professional Modeler 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm: Audience Questions

Guest Speakers

Brandon BennettAssociate Artist, Treyarch

 

Brandon Bennett is a passionate artist that is inspired by many creative disciplines. As such, this has allowed him into a variety of roles within the entertainment industry, each one giving him new opportunities to build worlds. Brandon has worked for Digital Domain on projects including Halo: The Master Chief Collection. He is currently working at Treyarch on Call of Duty: Black Ops III. Prior to working in the industry, Brandon was a full-time program student at Gnomon. See more of his work at brandonbennett3d.com.

 

Sonja ChristophGeneralist, ILM

 

Sonja Christoph is an environment artist, matte painter, and concept artist, who is currently working as a Generalist at ILM. Over the last three years she has been able to create environments for film, TV, commercials, the theater, and theme park rides. Prior to pursuing a career in visual effects, Sonja worked as an Assistant Director in Hollywood. Her impressive resume includes projects such as Tomorrowland, ER, CSI: NY, 21, Dodgeball and 2Fast 2Furious. Sonja is a Gnomon alumna. See more of her work at sonjachristoph.com.

 

Servando LupiniAssociate 3D Artist, Blizzard

 

Servando Lupini was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, where he studied Illustration and worked for a short while in advertising. Later, Servando decided to relocate to the US, and eventually found himself in Los Angeles where he studied at Gnomon to hone his modeling and texturing skills. While at Gnomon, he entered aBlizzard Student Art Contest – and his Environment entry won him first place! The prestigious prize gave him an opportunity to work at Blizzard, where he still works today! Watch his demo reel.

 

James SchaufEnvironment Modeler, Walt Disney Animation Studios

 

After nine years in the Air Force, James Schauf made the decision to pursue his dream of being a professional artist. Passionate about modeling, from high-poly to low, and organic to hard surface (he even enjoys UVs and retopologizing), he’s been working as a professional modeler in the entertainment industry for more than five years. Throughout his career, he’s worked as a modeler for clients and projects including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Big Hero 6, Marvel, Legacy Effects, Iron Man 2, Psyop, Microsoft, Aaron Sims Company, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, and more. See his IMDb profile.