CG Artist Interview: Marco Iozzi wins VES Award with Fight for Life. Pag.2
Marco Iozzi, Jellyfish Picture. Fight For Life. BBC Documentary. 3D CG Render of a baby.
Copyright © 2008 BBC, Jellyfish Pictures and Marco Iozzi.
What are the most important mentors and sources of inspiration in your life?
Again, Ray Harryhausen who started it all. Thinking about mentors is difficult because at that time only after 2 years of studying very hard I had the chance to have internet access: it was so much important to see what was there in the world about computer graphics. Young people now are so lucky, they don’t realize how much the Internet and all the forums, tutorials and online resources are such important learning and networking tools! I remember after I got internet access that I started subscribing to some mailing lists, and that was the beginning of something, even if I understood very little of what they were talking about (not so different now [smiles] )
Marco Iozzi, Jellyfish Picture. Fight For Life. BBC Documentary. 3D CG Render of a baby.
Copyright © 2008 BBC and Marco Iozzi.
You show some great photography in your portfolio: how does it relate to your work?
I started taking photography seriously only four years ago. If I could go back I would do it even before, I think it does have a great impact as all the other arts and crafts that orbit around the actual techniques of computer graphics, but without which our work would just mean knowledge of icons and buttons.
So many tools we now use in CG come in a way or the other from traditional techniques and processes. Knowing how it works in reality not only makes you better understand it but allows you to leverage the current 3D and 2D graphic tools. Subjects like composition, colors, and how light works are only a portion of what I love about photography and I hope that my experiments in that area are then translated when I’m in front of the screen.
Of course practical photography does also have a lot to do with timing. The challenge of perfect timing: we have so many beautiful photographs in front of our eyes everyday, but the skill comes when you actually can recognize them in front of you exactly when they happen and capture them from through a lens. You have to wait and see when all these elements are combined in an interesting, pleasant and meaningful frame composition, but I always thought that it’s difficult to explain how it works as a mental process, I really believe it becomes an instinct.
But it’s also so interesting how many times we think that a photograph will be great behind the lens and then when we develop it, it’s absolutely flat and of no interest and vice-versa sometimes we shoot something without hope and it turns out to be a powerful picture!
When these skills grow then you can also better and more effectively understand how to create a powerful layout in a CG scene, for example.
Unfortunately with the more and more powerful tools of current technology even people with no background studies can sit in front of a computer and create a pleasant image in a matter of relatively little time. Will that turn out to be something meaningful and strong? I really don’t think so.
