[Watch the video interview on YouTube here]
Film Courage: Why do most people give up in the film and television industry?
Craig Caton-Largent, Visual effects artist and current Chair of 3D Animation & VFX at New York Film Academy (NYFA) Los Angeles: I think they become disillusioned. I think some people like what I’m seeing right now in the effects world, I see people who came into this like five, six years ago and they enjoyed very steady employment for five to six years.
Now they’re unemployed because the industry is kind of in flux right now, definitely.
Because there were a lot of things that have happened the last year, the strikes and everything and COVID.
Before that, I feel that some of them feel like it’s not going to rebound back. They get tired of having to hustle for a job.
It’s like you work for a couple months and now you have to go get another job. I think that burns people out after a while.
I think some people want a job and they just want that job to be permanent for the rest of their life and that’s definitely not in the movie business.
We’re all kind of what they call migrant film workers and because we just go from one film to the other, right? I think it was easier for us in the 80s that we knew that we would do projects and they would only last for a couple of months or maybe they’d last for a couple months longer because effects movies had longer timelines back in those days because we were still figuring things out. They gave us more time.
Like Poltergeist 2, we worked on that for a little over a year. Nowadays you’d probably get three or four months to work on a movie like that. I think people get in here and they get a job and then their job is ending and then they don’t know what to do and they find a hard time getting another job and they get tired of it. They get tired of constantly having to look for work and stuff from time to time. I think that might be part of it. I don’t know.
Film Courage: And then there’s some people who like a new environment every few months and feel stifled if they stay in the same place…(Watch the video interview on YouTube here).
About Craig:
With over 40 years in the film industry, Craig Caton-Largent is a legendary visual effects artist and the current Chair of 3D Animation & VFX at New York Film Academy (NYFA) Los Angeles. He has worked on over 100 films, creating some of Hollywood’s most iconic creatures, including the Slimer ghost in Ghostbusters (1984), the penguins in Batman Returns (1992), and the raptors in Jurassic Park (1993). Craig has collaborated with top directors like Tim Burton, Steven Spielberg, and James Cameron, earning six Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects. A pioneer in digital effects, Craig co-founded Digital Domain and developed groundbreaking VFX software like Animservo, used by top studios and theme parks. As the Chair of the Visual Effects and Animation Department at NYFA, Craig is dedicated to helping his students develop animation and storytelling skills that will lead to success in the industry. Craig is also a sought-after speaker on motion capture technology at film festivals and universities worldwide.
CONNECT WITH CRAIG CATON-LARGENT
About New York Film Academy:
Founded in 1992 by Jerry Sherlock, the New York Film Academy (NYFA) provides an accessible, hands-on education in filmmaking, media, and the performing arts. With a mission to make the film industry more accessible to all, NYFA empowers students from diverse backgrounds to tell powerful stories through a project-based, immersive curriculum. Students work closely with industry professionals, gaining invaluable mentorship and real-world experience while building creative, technical, and collaborative skills. NYFA’s global community includes students from over 160 countries, fostering a network of passionate storytellers. From day one, students dive into creating projects that refine their craft and prepare them for successful careers. With a focus on practical experience and individualized support, NYFA equips students with the tools and confidence to excel in the competitive world of filmmaking and the arts.
CONNECT WITH NYFA
Nyfa.edu/location/nyfa-los-angeles
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