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Morgan Pugh (Nihilist Pink) The Art of Visual effects student as Escape Studios (Pearsons college) - 1st Year Based in London

I started learning Visual Effects at age 9, doing basic compositing in After Effects CS5. Now, 11 years later, I'm studying at Escape Studios and taking my first steps into the industry as a 3D artist.

My VFX journey started after the films 2012, Avatar, and District 9 films came out (around 2009). I realized that these things could be done at home, so I purchased a small PC and started using Caligari trueSpace, Cinema 4D, and 3ds Max. It wasn't until 2016 that I found a course on visual effects in 3ds Max/TP/FumeFX, and I jumped at it (I was tired of the limited tutorials available at the time and no real courses). Then, Houdini Apprentice came to my attention – so I dived in.

I love everything about video games and have immersed myself in them since my early childhood. And I always knew that I want to join the industry that originally inspired me and contribute to the making of future video games that can inspires and entertain others.

I have always been a Harry Potter fan since it came out. I fell in love with magic and wanted to become a wizard too. Growing up I realized that the magic is done with a computer and not with a magic wand because real magic doesn't exist... or does it? :) So I became a pixel wizard.

I first decided I wanted to work in the Games Industry in 2012, having played video games for practically my whole life. It was around this time where I started coming up with ideas on features I would like in the games I play and eventually decided "why don't I be the one to try and make those features?" Which eventually brought me into studying games and working my way into the role of Material Artist at Escape Studios.

I was always persuing an art careerer from secondary school onwards, but it was only during my illustration course at university I realised that the games industry was where I really wanted to be. I worked on concept art for my final illustration project and then looked for a way into games through freelance 2D concept art, before moving on to learn 3D on the fantastic Game Art course at Escape studios, Pearson College, London.

I’ve always been fascinated by the magic of visual effects, having enjoyed shows featuring practical miniatures work from a young age including 1965 Thunderbirds and 67 Captain Scarlet series to the awesome ship flybys and (often reused) battle sequences of the 78 Battlestar Galactica. With 2008's Iron Man kindling an interested in CGI, during my university course I experimented with compositing and later learned 3D modeling through self-tuition before earning my Masters degree in 3D VFX.

I have always been into video games. I wanted to learn more about how they are made and to know about this industry in detail. The intricate care that go into creating environments, mixed with the technical and artistic aspects involved along with the subtle addition of environmental storytelling are what attracted me into the game industry.

It might sound a bit cliché, but I have always been mesmerized by good graphics in games or films. My background evidently suggests that I am a creative artist, but I have been exposed to the 3D CG world only about 3 years ago, during my BA Games Design degree at Brunel University. Now I am just curious to see how far I can take my 3D skills, evolving day by day and learning new software. I am currently undertaking the MA 3D Visual effects production, at Escape Studios London.

The first I though about getting into Game Art was around the age of 18. I was about to finish my high school studies as a traditional sculptor but was always drawn to video games. The video games industry was nearly non-existent in Hungary at the time, so I've moved to London and a few years later enrolled to the BA Art of Video Games course at Escape Studios.

After finishing a degree which I in the end didn't feel passion for, I realised I wanted to go for something creative. I wanted to combine my love for gaming and art and realised Game Art is a great way to do that.

I still have vivid memories of playing my very first videogame back in 1996. I was 4 years old when I was experiencing the title that would define every 3D from that point on. Super Mario 64 shaped my passion and interest in what videogames could be capable of, the scope of the worlds you could craft, how interactive these worlds would be but most of all I wanted to take a peek behind the curtains: breaking the game and reverse engineer the creative process behind my favorite creations.

I was fascinated and got interested in the vfx industry after watching some of the classic films such as start wars , Jurassic park and independence day. I watched the special features of the making of the movies and got interested in the different process of making the film specially the vfx and the 3d process of the film.

I first realised I wanted to work on games when I was in my teens. I would sit there in awe, always wondering how they did it. For me the prospect of creating vast and beautiful words is a dream job.

My passion for 3D modelling began in high schoo studying architecture. I loved the idea that I could create *almost* anything I wanted to. During this time, I began to take gaming more seriously, when I realised I could apply my passion for 3D modelling to video game art which would allow me limitless creativity. I am fascinated by creating art that is so realistic it is indistinguishable from reality.

My want to work in the video game industry came somewhat late, I always knew I wanted to work in something art related- but wasn't sure exactly. However I have always had a passion for video games, especially games with high levels of artistic influence- so when I saw a pamphlet for Escape Studio in my Sixth Form library I decided to go for it right then, and found I had even more passion for the medium than I thought.

I used to do a lot of filming and editing for my friends who used to be in a band. I was keen on Film and Art and Design as a degree, however, I could not pick both. While watching Disney films and Winx Club, I realised that these factors were a combination of two things that I love to do daily. Therefore, I decided to become an Animator.

When i was about 10 and i found out about animation

First started playing games on Nintendo 64 in the early 2000's

Since I was a child, I was raised on the Disney cartoons of the early to late 2000s like Gravity Falls, Kim Possible, Phineas and Ferb, as well as so many more. I was taught to appreciate all of the effort that went into those shows and movies and grew my interest in how it all worked as I got old enough to understand it. I realised I had a love for designing characters in my teens and decided from there the one thing I wanted from my career was to inspire any child in the same way I was.

I grew up watching animations on TV, mostly Disney which also influenced my accent. Since then, I've wanted to create moving figures on a screen and bring entertainment to those just like myself who loved to sit and watch the story of a fictional character!

When I finally found my footing and saw untapped potential in my work as I was struggling in each project because my vision when it came to understanding the workflow into making a high-grade project was mainly playing it safe and thinking withinside the box until my teacher gave me a wake-up call on how I want to see myself in a couple of years, which my response was to love a job worth working for that makes me want to be proud of, which is Art & Games. After that, the only way to go was up.

I realised I first wanted to work in this industry when I was at a taster day for my sixth form: London Design and Engineering UTC, where I got to first experience sculpting with sculptris. From there, I was dead set on having 3D modelling as my career path.