Interview with Donghyeok Kang

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

My interest in 3D graphics began when I watched Toy Story after graduating from elementary school. Later, after seeing Titanic, I realized that working in visual effects was the career I truly wanted to pursue.

I first learned about SF Film School when a friend and I came to Seoul looking for internship opportunities. Unfortunately, finding an internship wasn't easy. My friend had already researched SF Film School and planned to enroll there if things didn't work out. In the end, circumstances prevented him from attending, while I realized during my internship preparation that I lacked many technical skills. That's when I decided to enroll at SF Film School instead. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I could have made.

My original portfolio concept was inspired by the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, since I was studying at SF Film School while the Olympics were taking place. However, after returning to university, balancing my coursework with portfolio production became increasingly difficult, and the project gradually evolved into a sports-themed portfolio instead.

My goal was to showcase a wide range of skills, including animation, modeling, and simulation. The Olympics seemed like the perfect theme because I've always enjoyed sports. However, recreating real athletes proved much more difficult than I expected. Cloth simulation was particularly challenging because I needed slow-motion sequences, which required widely spaced keyframes and extremely long simulation times. Originally, I had planned to include five characters, but eventually reduced the number to three because of the workload.

I also learned an important lesson by stubbornly insisting on doing things my own way instead of listening to my instructors. Although it caused me a great deal of extra work, I also learned a tremendous amount from those mistakes. At one point, I even paused my portfolio production to focus on studying English. As graduation approached, I had to rush the final stages of my project, which remains one of my biggest regrets. If I had the chance, I would gladly spend another year refining it.

Since I lived outside Seoul, it wasn't always easy to visit the school whenever I encountered problems, so I often struggled to solve issues on my own. That's why I'd like to encourage future students to take full advantage of having experienced instructors nearby. Ask questions whenever you need help, and don't hesitate to seek advice. It's by far the fastest way to overcome technical challenges.

I am currently working at DTI Pictures as a member of the 3D team. The company specializes in feature film VFX and has contributed to productions such as Volcano High, The Good, the Bad, the Weird, and The Forbidden Kingdom, while continuing to work on many new projects. As someone just beginning my professional career, I naturally feel both excited and nervous, but I plan to keep challenging myself and continue working toward becoming a skilled VFX artist.

If I could give one piece of advice to future students, it would be to make full use of the SF Film Research Center. I spent countless hours there working alongside students from my own class as well as other classes. It provided an entirely different learning experience from regular coursework. Mentors were always available to help whenever we encountered problems, and the collaborative environment allowed everyone to continue improving together.

I strongly encourage future students to take advantage of that opportunity and use the SF Film Research Center to complete the strongest portfolio possible.

Finally, I'd like to sincerely thank the studio manager, instructors, and staff at SF Film School for sharing their knowledge and providing the foundation that allowed me to begin my career in VFX. I will always be grateful for everything they taught me.