Since graduating from the Animation School at the New York Film Academy Los Angeles, Alexandra LoRusso has worked on the visual FX for major Hollywood movies like “Suicide Squad,” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” She currently works for the VFX company MPC Montreal, where she is now working on two other films.
While the animation alumna has admitted she’s extremely busy with her work, she took the time out to answer a few questions about her career in FX.
Which film would you say is the reason you chose this profession?
It’s hard to pick just one. I will always remember the first movie I saw and it was also my first Disney movie. “Dumbo” inspired me to want to work in the world of Animation/VFX, and in films in general.
Which area of 3D animation and VFX has been your focus since graduating?
Since completing the 1 Year Animation program, my focus has been in Effects Animation.
Which films or projects most proud of, and why?
Out of all the films I’ve worked on so far, I think I would have to say that I’m most proud of the work I did on “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
If you take a look at this still from “Suicide Squad,” I was tasked to do all the tracer hits, so all the sparks/debris/smoke.
For the still from the final trailer of “Fantastic Beasts,” I was tasked to break the crate when it hit the Occamy, and added in splinters.
When you’re working on the FX for a film, who are you typically collaborating with?
I collaborate the most with my lead/leads and other FX artists on the film. We do also have daily review sessions with our FX Supervisors who give us feedback on the shot/shots we are working on.
Would you say your experience at NYFA’s Animation School was useful in terms of the work you’re currently doing?
The tools I learned while at NYFA were a great introduction to what I’m currently doing.
Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
Since finishing up on “Fantastic Beasts,” I’ve gone on to work on two other films, which I can’t really say anything about at the moment.