Featured Artist: Virginia Cantaro, Rome, Italy
Virginia Cantaro 2024
Virginia Cantaro , FX Artist / Freelancer
Virginia Cantaro is a seasoned freelance FX Artist and Motion Designer with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry, including 7 years specializing in VFX with Houdini. She has collaborated with top international studios like Mr. X, Outpost, and Pixomondo on projects such as the Academy Award-winning “Del Toro’s Pinocchio”, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and tv shows such as “Star Wars: Visions 2".
A nominee for "Best FX for TV/Media" at the 51st Annual Annie Awards for her work on Star Wars: Visions 2 (episode "Sith"),
Virginia also shares her expertise as a teacher of Dynamic Effects with Houdini at Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia.
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What sparked your passion for visual effects?
Since childhood, I have always been amazed by movies. At home we had hundreds of VHS that I was never tired of rewatching.
The movie “Inception” particularly ignited my curiosity about visual effects. I was completely amazed by those buildings folding in on themselves, and in that moment, I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do.
How did you start your journey?
I started my journey in the field of visual effects and motion design with a Bachelor’s degree in Video Design from the European Institute of Design in Rome. During my studies, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the entire workflow, from pre-production to post-production including motion design.
After graduating, I worked as a Motion Designer for movie advertising campaigns on social media. While this experience was rewarding, I was eager to expand my knowledge and skills further.
This led me to the Gnomon School of VFX in Los Angeles, where I specialized in Dynamics Effects with Houdini. My experience there was amazing. Although I didn’t enroll in the full program, I took individual courses and pushed myself to learn as much as possible in a short time. The support I received from mentors and fellow students was invaluable, making it a truly enriching experience.
What key experiences have shaped your career as an FX Artist?
My journey as an FX Artist started shortly after returning to Italy from LA. I started by working with Italian visual effects studios such as Chromatica VFX and Wonderlab VFX.
A pivotal moment in my career came when I joined Mr. X (Technicolor) in Toronto. This incredible experience not only allowed me to work on the Academy Award-winning Del Toro’s Pinocchio but also opened numerous doors for future opportunities.
In the last few years, I have been lucky enough to collaborate with renowned studios, like Outpost, El Guirì, MARZ, Pixomondo, working for several projects such as the HPA-Winner House of the Dragon 2, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the Resident Evil TV series.
Recently, I’ve embraced the opportunity to share my knowledge by teaching Houdini at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome.
Have you had any exciting projects in your career, and what made them so special?
One of the most thrilling projects I have been involved in was Star Wars: Visions 2 (episode “Sith”), with the Spanish studio El Guirì, in collaboration with Lucasfilm.
Not only did I participate in such a great franchise, but also I loved the style the director Rodrigo Blaas gave to it. Working with him and his talented team was a truly rewarding experience!
This project gave me the opportunity to express my artistic and creative skills in ways I hadn’t before. I was incredibly proud when Star Wars: Visions 2 earned an Annie Award nomination for Best FX in TV/Media.
Attending the ceremony in Los Angeles was a moment I’ll never forget!
What tools do you prefer to use in your work?
I work with different tools and always try to learn new ones, but Houdini is definitely my favourite. Once you dive into the world of proceduralism, it’s hard to go back to other software that doesn’t offer the same level of flexibility
Recently, I collaborated with Superduper as a 3D procedural modeler and I enjoyed using Houdini for tasks beyond FX.
Moreover, as a Motion Designer, I’ve been exploring other areas, such as procedural texturing in COP (Copernicus), as well as lookdev and rendering in Solaris with Karma.
Has GridMarkets improved your workflow?
I've used GridMarkets for a personal project , and it has been an essential resource for rendering.
GridMarkets has drastically saved my time, with an easy-to-use interface and straightforward with little simple steps. I look forward to utilizing GridMarkets for running heavy simulations for my freelance projects as well.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
In every studio I've worked at, even remotely, I've been fortunate to build strong relationships with other team members. I’ve met many kind and generous people who were always willing to offer support.
Learning from others is crucial. So, if I can give advice, it would be to never hesitate to ask for help when you need it. You will find out that people in this industry are eager to share their knowledge, and through this exchange, you’ll continue to grow.