Insight with Rohan Jain an Effects Artist at Lucasfilm Animation Singapore

If someone new to the industry were to ask you how to build and sustain a career, what would you say to them?
Go for it — this is a great career — aim high, believe in yourself, set goals and work hard to achieve them. 

What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started your career?
Try not to take criticism personally, use it constructively to do a better job – this will make you a winner long term. If you can keep cool, listen and learn, you will grow as a person and an artist. But beware of office politics as this is not constructive.

From where do your best ideas originate?
Movies, movies, movies – to date I watch at least one movie per day! I am lucky as my career and my hobby are linked. I am passionate about movies, and visualizing how they are made. This helps me in my work and with new ideas in this industry.

What’s your approach to balancing work and life?
Finish your work on time and everything else will fall perfectly in place. There will be times when you may have to put in extra work especially during deadlines but I enjoy this kick occasionally – it is a sense of achievement when the shot is complete.

What would you be doing if you weren’t an SFX artist?
Traveling 

Which studio (or SFX artist) do you most admire?
Industrial Light and Magic, I am lucky as they are just down the corridor in our studio. We get to see what they have worked on; it is really cool – Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, Transformers…..

Design or technology? Which is more important? Why?
Both design and technology is equally important. The best artists have been trained in design so they know how an object / character should look before they use the software tools to create it. Technology advances has enabled artists to achieve a desired look whilst reducing the time it takes to do this. Time is very important in the industry. 

Which is your all time favorite movie in term of SFX? Why?
Well that will be Jurassic park, that’s the movie after watching which I told my parents, this is what I want to do, I think I was 15 or 16 then, and I joined my first job in Crest animation when I was 19. 

Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession?
Dream big – and work hard to get there. Keep your skills up to date with the latest software. Listen to feedback and learn as much as you can from other talented artists.

Some of Rohan works