Autodesk Flame Award Announced At IBC2014

Autodesk returned to this year's IBC to announce the winner of the 2014 Autodesk Flame Award, which "recognises the achievements of amazingly talented and highly skilled Flame artists" from an international lineup.

Announced on Saturday evening at the show, this year's Flame Award went to James Sénade, VFX Supervisor at Paris-based studio Saint George. Launched by James Sénade and Bastien Harispe in 2013, Saint George utilises the 2D and 3D talent of its team to develop individual and unique projects for a range of clients and directors. Broadcast Film & Video was given the European exclusive on the story and caught up with M. Sénade to get his views on both the award and on the Flame toolset itself...

BFV: First of all, congratulations on the award. How much of a surprise was this to you?

JS: I am delighted and pleasantly surprised to receive this award. It’s truly an honour to be selected as the Flame Award winner amongst all the amazing Flame artists in Europe and around the world. That said, I have to emphasise that all of the projects I work on are the result of a collective effort, the work of a team.

BFV: Can you describe briefly your background – how you came to work in the VFX industry?

JS: I got my start in the industry as a video assistant at Duboi, a post production studio co-founded by Jean-Christophe 'Pitof' Comar, a special effects pioneer in France. At the time, they were doing the post production finishing on the film 'La cité des enfants perdus' (The City of Lost Children), which was directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
While at the company, I learned an enormous amount about Flame from Sébastien Caudron, Christophe Richard and most of all, Francois Gilguy. Back then, there was very little formal training available on Flame and its creative possibilities, so I spent many hours, day and night, looking over the shoulder of other Flame artists to learn how to use the toolset.
Two years later, I became a junior freelance Flame artist. It was then that Louis Arcelin, the owner of the advertising production group Première Heure, gave me the opportunity to work on high-end projects, allowing me to further develop and refine my skills to become a senior Flame artist, and subsequently, a VFX Supervisor.

BFV: How would you describe your production process? How do you get from concept to finished product and where does Flame fit in?

JS: I don’t have a set process, because each project brings its own processes, which unfold according to the type of work – whether commercial, music video, feature film or video art. I really enjoy collaborating and working closely with a director, from storyboarding to finishing for each project. Flame plays a role throughout this process, and the work of a Flame artist is to adapt his or her tools to the project and its intention.

BFV: What have been your favourite projects to work on with Flame?

Each project poses new challenges. Recently, I had the opportunity to work on some atypical projects that sit somewhere between video art and experimental film, which all allowed me to use imagery to communicate the creative vision and aesthetic ambition of different artists and directors. These projects included:

• 'The Ever Changing Face of Beauty', conceived and directed by Sølve Sunsbø, features a 'cadavre exquis', which was projected onto two 18-meter high screens at the Armory during the New York Fashion Week.

• 'Km3D', directed by Baillie Walsh and starring Kate Moss, is an immersive 3D video art installation uniting fashion, art and film.

• 'Metro Manila' is a feature film directed by Sean Ellis that took home the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013, among other honours.


BFV: The 'Flame Artist' is a concept that works well in terms of Autodesk's promotion of its clients and users. What does the software give you in terms of your work?

JS: 'Flame Artist' doesn’t define one particular task; rather it defines a role in the VFX industry, a role that has evolved over the years. To me, a 'Flame Artist' is a technician, a project manager, a marketer, an operator and a VFX supervisor who must also have the ability to blend his or her technical savvy with artistry.
Flame is an intuitive and multi-disciplinary tool. It allows you to manage complex projects that include many steps and a variety of people working together. But not just that; it also allows you to work on atypical, highly creative projects.

Images: courtesy of Saint George

saint-george.tv
www.autodesk.com

(IT/MH)