Starting May the 4th viewers have been treated to a closer look at the groundbreaking technology at work behind the scenes of The Mandalorian and more when Disney+ pulls back the curtain on the live-action Star Wars series with Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian. The eight-episode docuseries, hosted by creator and executive producer Jon Favreau, promises insightful commentary from actors including Pedro Pascal and Gina Carano, anecdotes from the directors who helmed episodes in the first season, ILM’s visual effects team, and an exploration into what it means to be a part of telling stories in the Star Wars galaxy and honoring George Lucas’s legacy.
What is your name, what do you do and how long have you been working at ILM Sydney?
My name is Rebecca Kuo, and I used to work in ILM Singapore as a Pipeline Technical Director for three years. I recently transferred to ILM’s Sydney studio.
What is your biggest passion outside of work?
I love traveling, exploring new things and enjoying good food. I always try to arrange at least two trips in a year just to see different parts of the world. I am also a theme-park person. I’ve been to Universal Studios Singapore 4-5 times in six months and hope that one day I can visit all Disneylands and Universal Studios around the world.
What kickstarted your career in VFX?
I used to play different kinds of games since I was a kid, from Gameboy, NES, to online games on Windows XP. Around high school time, I was attracted by the interior design, and I almost chose to study it as a professional. However, my father guided me into computer science as that was part of his daily life. Eventually, I graduated from a tech background, but deep in my mind still have the idea to do something related to art. So, I kept looking for what I wanted to focus on, then computer graphics made me very interested. After graduating from university, I worked in a mobile game studio as a programmer. During that time, I’ve watched many Marvel movies, I observed all the pretty and realistic images but I knew it’s fake, that made me want to switch from the game industry to visual effects. Because I wanted to find out how visual effects movies were made.
What do you love about working in the industry?
I really enjoy the production work from green screen plates to the final movie. Each project has different requirements, working in a position like Pipeline Technical Director, I have to understand each step in our workflow. When I’m watching movies together with friends or family, I can explain to them how something has been made. I think it is super cool.
If you could give one piece of advice to a young woman wanting to join or starting out in VFX, what would it be?
Everyone starts from something that you are not confident about, but never be afraid or doubt yourself without even giving a try.
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the visual effects division of Lucasfilm Ltd., announced today that the company would be expanding its global footprint to Australia. The studio is opening a new studio in Sydney to better serve its clients and complement its current operations in San Francisco, where the company is headquartered, Singapore, Vancouver, and London.
“Sydney is an ideal location for our fifth studio,” noted Rob Bredow, Executive Creative Director and Head of ILM, adding, “there is abundant artistic and technical talent in the region which are both keys to ILM’s culture of innovation. It’s particularly exciting that the first film our new studio will contribute to will be Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”
Gretchen Libby, ILM VP of Production said, “We are always looking for ways to enhance our offering to clients and the Australian Federal PDV Offset coupled with the new NSW PDV rebate is sure to attract significant interest from filmmakers around the world. Our studio in Sydney will allow us to offer that opportunity while providing the quality effects work that is synonymous with Industrial Light & Magic.”
“It’s an amazing opportunity for local Australian talent to join established ILM staff from around the globe and collaborate on high-end animation and visual effects,” noted Luke Hetherington who will expand his responsibilities to serve as the studio’s Executive in Charge. “At ILM they can do so while working on the kind of projects that inspired so many of us to start out in this industry, like Star Wars, Avengers, Jurassic Park, and many more.”
ILM’s Sydney studio joins the company’s global studios in offering award-winning visual effects and animation and the artistry and creative problem solving that the company has become known for. The studio will work on projects including feature films, television, immersive entertainment and themed attractions.
To apply for open roles at our Australia studio, click here.
