Bucks Animation & VFX graduate Craimer Jones is a lead CGI artist at Burrows, a UK based production visualisation company which describes itself as "bringing products to life via high quality visualisation, personalisation, configuration, engaging storytelling and immersive experiences".
We asked Crainer to talk about his job, how he got it, and what advice he would give to students and recent graduates hoping to break into the digital industries.
1. What are you doing at Burrows?
I have been working at Burrows for nearly two years as a CGI artist, working on projects for major blue chip clients such as Ford, Aston Martin and Triumph.
Most of my work involves creating photo realistic images of cars, and preparing them for publicity in many forms of media outlets such as TV advertisements and brochures.
I generally start by processing raw data from the client (usually a CAD file), which I then clean up. The work progresses through our pipeline until it reaches our clients - and they judge my work with a fine toothcomb. Eveything has to be modelled extremely carefully - including details such as interior seating, exterior tyres, making sure that the UVs are mapped correctly, the geometry does not have any breaks or tears, and creating materials for various assets such as seats and the correct car paints.
I am one of the lead CGI artists currently at Burrows. I have to make sure what I'm doing is "product correct" - the 3d file must be 100% accurate and ready for the clients.
So if Ford want a certain bumper or trim finish then I make that happen in my 3d file. I texture it, then render and light the scene using 3ds Max.
The Main software packages we use are 3ds Max, Maya, Rhino 3d and 3d Unfold.
When I left Bucks New University I knew that I wanted to be involved in 3D, but didn't know exactly how I would fit in. So I decided to update my portfolio to demonstrate my skills in my own time. I made a list of my goals and aimed to tick these off in order to achieve the job I wanted - whether it be in film, games or 3D in general.
I chose to build my portfolio with various examples of 3D work, demonstrating good topology and workflow with a variety of examples. These included hard surface modelling and soft surface modelling, as most companies want to know you that can do both. At the time I did not realise that this would lead to the start of my career at Burrows - a top cgi studio.
What advice would you offer to students hoping to break into the creative industries?
The best advice I can give is not to apply for jobs until you feel you are ready, and you have confidence in your portfolio or demo reel. You must be prepared to update your portfolio so that it is tailored for the job you are applying for.
I worked hard at university and harder still in the months after leaving Bucks, as I was determined to break in to the industry. Once your foot is in the door - that's the main thing. Make sure that you prepare for the interviews; research the company you are applying for so you are well informed about what they do.
At Burrows, I had an interview by telephone and then another two interviews in person. Starting in the industry is a steep learning curve - but so worth it in the end.
You can see Craimer's online portfolio here.