Vancouver Film School

Bringing stories to life

Pushing the Boundaries of Imagination

Dave Warfield, Head of the Gaming Department at VFS, has seen an explosion of creativity and talent in his department as Vancouver has become a focal point for recruiting and production for all of the leading gaming companies and studios.

“Technology is the pen and pencil for them right now. When we talk about digital design, what we’re really referring to is, very traditional design principles applied to new media problems, like broadcast commercials or music videos or interactive applications. And that means that the tool set, instead of being the traditional tools, is very much technology focused,” said Sebastien de Castell, Head of Digital Design Program at VFS.

Even as they learn the basics, the students at VFS quickly push the boundaries of their imaginations and the technology they use. This means that the tools have to be as quick, flexible and adaptable as the students who use them, irrespective of medium or channel.

Jeff McMullin, a VFS student, commented “I’d say some people really want to push themselves—and they do. [With technology] it’s a lot easier to push the limits and really get it quickly.”

The creative process depends on the smooth flow of ideas. Today, the ability to capture and express those ideas through digital animation and visual effects has come to the forefront of creative expression. The fewer the delays and technical limitations—coupled with lightning-speed rendering capacity—the stronger the creative output. HP products and solutions help the students’ ideas take shape seamlessly, providing advanced technology that is easy to work with and powerful. What’s more, the easier it is to create successful projects, the faster the students can build on their work, pushing themselves—and their art—even further. Using HP workstations, notebooks and tablet PCs, along with software programs ranging from ZBrush to Maya to After Effects, Vancouver Film School’s students can experience and work with the best set of tools in the industry.

Power of collaboration

VFS students also understand the power of collaboration. They turn to each other and to their teachers for inspiration and guidance. This same spirit of teamwork lies at the core of the relationship between VFS and HP. VFS has the confidence that they are working with a global technology leader who will provide them with the ideas and solutions that help the institution and its students achieve their goals.

The right technology can actually stimulate more creative thinking. The better the technology can perform, the more VFS students can accomplish with the tools. The students never stop asking, “What else can I do with this?” Neither does HP. Our goal is to help students move more fluidly from idea to execution. Sophisticated technology leads to a simpler user experience, which in turn leads to a more sophisticated result.

Sebastien de Castell said, “For digital design students at Vancouver Film School, part of the model that we work with is 24/7 access to the technology. That means that anytime, day or night, when a student has a great idea, they’re in a position to come in to work on one of the workstations here and start to bring that idea to life… And one of the things that we’ve tended to like about the HP Intel Workstations in particular is that they’re very solid. They’re very reliable. They work well. They don’t get in the way of a student’s creativity. So they almost become a tool, part of the flow, if you will. And that’s a very critical role for us.”

Animation for the digital films created at VFS begins with a sketch and clay models crafted by hand.

VFS, with the help of HP technology, has created a professional studio environment that prepares students to perform at the top of their field. The same class of HP workstations and monitors in the VFS studio are used across the industry, which provides an opportunity and benefit for students to go directly from the classroom to a full time job without additional training. VFS students enter the professional world with the practical skills and technological expertise of their trade.

Larry Bafia has also said: “Basically, what we have to do in an immersion program is reflect what’s going on in the industry. So whether it’s technique, hardware, software, we have to be there. And so to be able to walk through one of our labs, it really has to look like you’re walking through a local studio or a feature film studio for that matter.”

Through training, inspiration and encouragement, the Vancouver Film School and HP are speeding these students on the fast track to accomplishing their creative and career goals. Perhaps a VFS student herself says it best. Maria Vasquez, a VFS student commented, “Well, I’ve pretty much always wanted to do something where I could express my creativity. And you can actually talk to people through film. So I think it’s a really good creative way to point out problems, not only to entertain, but to help as well.”