Episode 33 - Day in the Life - Lighting Artist

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MEET OUR GUEST: MASON KHOO

MASON’S BIO

Mason Khoo is currently a Lighting Artist at Disney Animation, having contributed to films such as Frozen 2, Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto, and more. He previously worked as a pre-vis animator on films like Mulan (2020), Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Solo: A Star Wars Story. In his free time, you'll usually find him building stuff in the garage, watching movies, or thinking about how perfectly adorable his cat is.

Follow Mason on Instagram @masonkhoo

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MEET OUR GUEST: JUSTINE CODRON MOULAYESS

JUSTINE’S BIO

Justine is a lighting supervisor at Disney animation studios.

Originally from France, she studied at ESAAT and Supinfocom before participating in a school exchange program with Vancouver Film School (VFS)

The studios she worked at as a lighting artist and supervisor include framestore, Illumination McGuff, Animal Logic, Pixar, Blue Sky and Disney Animation. 

On weekends , you’ll probably find her out on a trail with her dog, wandering through a new neighborhood, or off exploring a new city—as travel is one of her favorite things to do and a source of inspiration in her work .

Follow Justine on Instagram @justine.codron.moulayess

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EPISODE OUTLINE

02:53 Justine Introduction

• 07:06 Justine’s Short Films

07:25 Mason Introduction

19:38 What is a Lighting Artist?

22:05 What does your average day look like? Does it vary depending on the project or position?

25:00 How common is it to do both lighting and composoting?

26:12 What is compositing?

28:47 What is the typical quota?

29:56 Do lighting artists share sequences?

31:57 Does often does lighting communicate and collaborate with other departments?

36:00 How does the renderfarm impact your work?

38:24: Is there a correlation between crunch and how much compositing you do?

39:43 Are drawovers a part of your process at all?

41:21 What are examples of common lighting notes?

43:37 What software(s) are you using on a daily basis?

44:14 What makes a sequence or shot hard to light?

49:27 Who or what types of people might enjoy lighting?

54:37 Do lighting artists vary in terms of strength and weaknesses?

57:34 Any tips on breaking into lighting? Can you describe the typical demo reel/portfolio?

61:23 What are the best skill sets to have as a lighting artist?

64:13 Do you ever take applicants who are artistic but not technical in the trainee program?

65:38 Are there any particular resources you would recommend?

• CG Cinematography Book

• Shotdeck

71:52 Any tips on how you can practice lighting for students?

• Framed Ink

• Color and Light

• Composition of Outdoor Painting

74:08 Are there any big no nos or red flags when watching a demo reel?

79:10 How much animation should someone know in lighting?

82:16 How much training on the job is there in lighting? Do studios have proprietary software?

88:03 What is your least favorite part of your job? Any department pet peeves?

99:38 What are your favorite parts about your job?

102:34 Miscellaneous Questions from Listeners

1:03:04 In animation we often do very weird cheats, how tricky can this become for lighting later on?

1:05:02 Is there a limit for how many lights you should use?

1:08:15 What are some elements or techniques that make a lighting reel stand out?

1:13:13 How would you go about lighting a scene whose key light is an aurora borealis?

1:18:24 Any tricks for lighting with npr lighting style?

1:22:43 How to tackle the compositing side of being a lighting artist?

1:28:09 Tip Jar

1:31:08 Outro and Social Media Plugs