CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

I came to Sparx* by coincidence in 2005, as I began to be interested in designing and technology and one of my friends introduced me about the studio. My portfolio at Sparx* includes exciting projects like the first 3 seasons of the Disney Infinity game, a very fun and educational German TV Series called Gazoon, and Star Wars Rebels by Lucasfilm. One of the best milestones achieved by my team that I can recall is the release of Igor in 2008. It was the first feature animated movie done by a Vietnamese studio, and our team worked on 80% of the animation in it. We are proud to be one of the best animation teams in Vietnam and have never been more satisfied with our achieved quality. I have been with Sparx* since I was 19 so my team is nothing less than a second family. As a Senior Team Lead, I always remind my junior members about the importance of being humble and maintaining a learning spirit in such a fast-paced industry. Nothing is perfect, and anything can be improved to become even better than it is.

You can call me 'Lazy Cat'; I really enjoy watching my kitties bask in the sun. I became a Sparxer in 2016 with a French degree in Animation. I started as a Junior Layout Artist, but I have since expanded my skill sets to Matchmove and Level Dressing, and am now leading a project team in our Layout Team. What I love most about Sparx* and my team is that everyone here is very supportive and united. There is no unhealthy competition between us and we even support each other on personal matters. On the other hand, we are constantly driven by the passion and efforts from the studio leaders to improve the quality of our works, both artistically and technically. My best memory with Sparx* was when I received the award for studio members of the year - the Virtuosi Award. That was when I realized that it is not just about trying to be better than others, but it is about focusing on your true self and to keep striving for personal improvement. At the same time, you must also be willing to give and share your knowledge.

My career path has experienced three huge shifts since I joined Sparx* in July 2012 and I would never trade them for anything else. I started out as a CG trainee working on assets and characters for several video games and animated TV series, from which I learned a lot about the foundations and basic techniques of animation. After a year, I transferred to the Film Department and was given the chance to work for Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2014, which was also my first Hollywood-standard project. However, it was not until I decided to expand my expertise to Lighting and Effects and worked in the award-winning series Star Wars Rebels that I realised where my true strengths and passions are at. I am exceedingly grateful for my team and my team leader. Not too long ago, we were able to unlock several new engines and pipelines which will bring in even more promising opportunities for everyone in the days to come. At Sparx*, one of our favourite phrases is, “And so the adventure begins”. I am always ready for whatever is on the horizon.

I have a background in Diplomacy but soon decided to follow my personal interest by pursuing another degree in Animation and Digital Video Production in New Zealand before joining Sparx* in 2014. What I am most proud of from my journey at Sparx* is that we have successfully grown the VFX team at the studio from only 10 to almost 50 artists, all with a very wide range of specific skillsets for all kinds of film and game VFX. They are true team players. The more we learn about the full spectrum of making a game – design, art, audio, coding, engineering, tools, pipelines and more – the more familiar we become with the entire development process. Thinking about how we went through all the challenges in major projects like the Star Wars Rebels TV series, and the joy when the team unlocks new tools, engines and techniques always puts a smile on my face.

The best thing about starting your career at Sparx* is that you will receive amazing training programs from animators who have been around for decades. As a fresh graduate, to be able to contribute to major projects and then see your work and your name rolling on the Disney Channel meant so much to me and my fellow junior animators. We worked incredibly hard and also faced many challenges in our push to improve the animation quality episode by episode, season by season. Sparx* has cultivated a cool culture where nobody feels like they are left behind or abandoned by the rest. I have always felt comfortable enough to approach my seniors with questions or ask for support and pointers from my teammates. The experiences I gained from the Star Wars Rebels project have played an integral part in transforming me into who I am today as an animator; I am truly glad that I chose this place.

Ever thought about seeing your own work when playing your favorite games and then watching your name appear in the credit roll? That is precisely the most amazing part of being a CG artist. What I like most about my 3 years at Sparx* are the great opportunities to work in awesome game franchises like Call of Duty, Fallout or Battlefield. Whether it be a VR, console or mobile title, our team has been there and done that. The work does not get any easier, though - the industry is constantly changing, with games becoming bigger, better and more complex all the time. Based on my own experiences, I would say that a mere passion and love for games is not enough. One will also need to be constantly up-to-date with the latest engines, trends, techniques, styles, just to name a few things. With that said, Sparx* has been a good place to grow as an artist, as the people are young and passionate. The demand for quality from the biggest clients leave you no other choice but to deliver the best work possible, which is ho

I joined Sparx* in 2014 after graduating from FPT Arena Multimedia. Sparx* has been my first and only company since then. I was actually one of the weakest of my batch at the beginning. It was so challenging for me that I had questioned my ability to even pass the qualification for my entrance training program at the studio. Looking back at the whole journey now, I can definitely see significant growth in me within the last five years. Once a very insecure junior, I am now always ready and excited to deal with complicated assets and projects of any nature. That proud feeling when seeing your name in the credits of those world-famous Star Wars and Marvel Studios movies is simply incomparable. The only thing I would like to say to the junior artists is this: whenever you feel like giving up or that you have tried your best, remember that if the will is strong enough then there is always a way.

After graduating from the Graphic Design & Multimedia Faculty at Hoa Sen University in 2012, I joined Sparx* and have been developing my career here since then. Seven years is still a humble number compared to many people in this studio though. Although I currently lead a project team in the Film Department, I actually began as a game artist. I still remember how much I struggled to deal with projects that require much creativity. When I shared with my Art Director about this, he unexpectedly decided to give me even more tasks that required even more research and creative freedom. Thanks to him, I am now the go-to person for assets depicting spaceships and giant mechanical robots in movies like Avengers, Transformers, Thor: Ragnarok, the new Star Wars trilogy, as well as recent blockbusters like Aquaman and Captain Marvel. My selection as studio member of the year and receiving the two Virtuosi Awards in 2014 and 2016 are solid proof that one should never have doubts on their own capabilities.