Alex Zabei Vorota - I Absorbed Knowledge From Everywhere I Could (Visual Artist)

If an artist is more skilled than you in a field, it means he spent much more time overcoming struggles and solving problems of all kinds.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

My name is Alex Zabei Vorota and I'm a CG generalist specialized in simulations and rendering. I went to art school in Paris, when I lived there, but abandoned my studies to go work in production for several VFX post-production companies that include Digital District, Mundocom and Multiply.

I was born in the Republic of Moldova, then moved alone to France where I lived and worked for 6 years and then to Qatar, where currently live in.


2. How and when did you realize your passion for visual arts?

I started doing 3d when I got my first computer at 13 years old and learned 3DsMax from a 1200 page book that was supposed to go into the paper recycling factory. 

I absorbed knowledge from everywhere I could, because there was no youtube back then and only text tutorials were popular at the time. Internet access in my country was scarce, but I tried to do my best even with the official help file that ships with Max.


3. What role does the artist have in society?

Digital artists nowadays are a valuable resource in some places, and depending on the specific occupation the artist does, the skills are well respected, as there's a constant need to learn and improve by including new tech into the artist workflow.


4. Describe your favourite visual effect from a movie. Why do you like it? 

One of my favourite visual effect from older movies is definitely the Matrix bullet-time and from the newer ones is the mimics from Edge of Tomorrow. Those are examples of complex rigs and new methods that pushed the industry further in terms of visual effects.

I'm a huge fan of complexity in effects because each element must be properly matched with the underlying motion...


5. What do you think is the best method to review visuals for corrections? And What is your favourite software to work with?

The best method to review visuals for corrections would be trying to match as closely as possible the reference and the director's idea. 

CGI is a world on its own, where you have full control, provided you have the needed skills to fully control it. The end goal of visual effects is to create impossible scenarios and express someone's view of an alternate reality, the sky is the limit.


6. What is the one piece of advice that you would give to aspiring visual artists?

I'd say that skills are measured by the time you spend learning and applying your knowledge in a specific software, especially your own struggle that leads you to solve complex problems on your own. 

If an artist is more skilled than you in a field, it means he spent much more time overcoming struggles and solving problems of all kinds.


- Alex Zabei Vorota (Visual Artist)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ghost3dee/


Interviewed By Akshaya Rathinavadivel