Alumni Interviews
Bil Leeman
Visual Effects Animator, Electronic Arts L.A.
Bil Leeman grew up in Brussels, Belgium, in a family of artists that included his grandparents, father, stepfather and mother. His love for the arts began when he was a toddler and grew with him to today, going from pencil doodles to a film career, and now to video games, working in Los Angeles at Electronic Arts.
- What was your background prior to Gnomon?
I worked in Belgium as an interior designer and graphic designer for the European Foundation for the Architecture. I loved the design and art of it, but hated the professional world of it. I also worked for a private architecture office, designing office, stores, clubs, and a restaurant. I realized the limitations on my creativity were too great, and the licensing, permits and other paperwork were too much a part of the job. I didn’t like doing that at all.
- What made you decide to pursue your education?
I always loved computers and animation but there were no schools in Europe that taught those classes at the time. I first looked for a school in Japan; it’s there that I met Alex Alvarez in a Maya newsgroup. He helped me to make the step forward and come to LA.
- What curriculum did you focus on?
I was at Gnomon for about five terms. I took a lot of different classes, trying to learn as much as I could. I needed to know it all to do what I wanted to do.
- Have your opportunities expanded since attending Gnomon?
Yes, and CG opportunities are growing everyday.
- Where are you working now?
I am currently working at EALA (Electronic Arts Los Angeles) as a VFX animator on “Medal of Honor Airborne”, which is the next generation title for the “Medal of Honor” franchise. I got a call from EA because they liked my work and wanted me to bring film quality into the next generation of games. I was working as Lead, but decided to step down to have a more hands on job and not have to deal with the managerial paperwork.
- Was this your chosen direction?
Yes, it was. I was working for film and wanted to try something else, I’m always starving for new experiences. I knew that film and video games had different requirements. Video games are a real time medium but with limited technologically, and that was what attracted me. Often you will hear artists say that limitations push creativity, and that was exactly what I was looking for.
- What is it you enjoy about this field the most?
The responsiveness. You can see the result of your work in minutes and see the impact of it right away. It’s very rewarding!
- How was the transition going from architectural work to VFX animator?
The transition between architecture and visual effects was smooth and easy. As much as they are different, they are both based on shape, color, space and time. Art is art, so you can apply the same methodology to any medium. I enjoyed learning new pipelines and tools, and the people were very dynamic, friendly, and talented. Changing environments, learning new tools, meeting new people is very enriching to me. It helps me to grow intellectually, and that was my greatest reward.
- Were you a gamer when you joined EA?
I’ve always loved video games, since the first Atari consoles in the late 70’s early 80’s. They were hard to find in Europe but whenever I had the chance to put my hands on a game, I was attached to it for hours.
- What sort of work did you do in film?
When I was working for films, I had the chance to touch on various fields, ranging from VFX, compositing, lighting, character animation, modeling and layout. I worked for various sized companies, from freelance work at home to 600 people on a production.
- Has your pay level increased?
Yes, and it does with experience. Increase is about 5% a year, more if you are talented. I got a 25% raise from my previous job.
- What other areas would you like to explore?
I would like to do more character animation and concept design. In film and games I have been working on realistic worlds, and I would be interested in trying a fantasy or sci-fi environment. I think I would like to go towards a more creative part of the job, focus on concept, design, and maybe art direction or look development.
- Would you consider returning for additional classes?
Yes, it’s always good to keep updated on new technology or techniques, learn new tricks, and other artist’s methodology.
- What advice would you give Gnomon students?
Work and study hard. Learn to share your ideas, don’t impose them, or allow them to vanish. And don’t loose your passions.
Interview by Renee Dunlop
