Interview with Youngjin Lee

Hello. My name is Youngjin Lee, and I completed the VFX Professional Program at SF Film School.

My interest in VFX began with the movies and television commercials that everyone grows up watching. Out of all the films I saw, the Star Wars series made the greatest impression on me. I still remember watching the original Star Wars (Episode IV) for the first time and being completely captivated. It was my first experience with what truly felt like a science fiction movie—filled with spectacular visual effects, explosions, space battles, and fascinating alien characters. As a child, I watched it over and over again. Sometimes I think that if Star Wars had never been made—or if I had never seen it—I might have chosen a completely different career.

As I grew older, I learned that the incredible visuals I admired were created through the field of VFX. That discovery inspired me to search for professional schools where I could study computer graphics and visual effects. There were so many training academies that choosing the right one was surprisingly difficult. I spent a long time researching before I finally discovered SF Film School.

Before enrolling there, I had actually attended several other academies, but the results were disappointing and left me feeling discouraged. Because of those experiences, I became much more careful when choosing my final school. Fortunately, that decision led me to SF Film School.

After enrolling, I began studying concept design and 3D production. At first, I was simply excited to finally receive professional VFX training, so I never even noticed how hard I was working. One of the most enjoyable parts of the course was designing and sculpting the monster that appeared in my portfolio. I truly loved the creative process.

However, once I moved into the 3D production stage, things became much more difficult than I had expected. No matter how many times I revised my work, I couldn't achieve the quality I had envisioned. At first, I insisted on solving every problem by myself, but eventually I realized that I needed guidance from my instructors. I stayed late at school almost every night, continued refining my project, and regularly received feedback during portfolio reviews. Little by little, my workflow improved, my project progressed more smoothly, and I was finally able to complete my portfolio. That experience taught me an important lesson: creating your first portfolio is extremely difficult without the support of experienced mentors.

I am currently working on the 3D team at Caesar Studio, a post-production company specializing in television commercials. Although commercial production can be very demanding, it's incredibly rewarding to know that the work I've created will eventually appear on television.

To future students at SF Film School, I would like to say this: if VFX is truly the field you've always wanted to pursue, then this is a place where you can turn that dream into reality. Listen carefully to your instructors and the staff, trust the process they have developed, and continue improving step by step. If you stay committed, you'll be able to complete your portfolio successfully.

You'll also spend a great deal of time studying and creating projects with your classmates, so make an effort to build strong friendships. The relationships you develop with your classmates, seniors, and juniors can become valuable connections throughout your professional career.

For me, SF Film School is more than just a place to learn software—it's a place where dreams begin to take shape. I hope everyone who joins the program will make the most of the opportunity and build a successful future in VFX.