Interview with Minyoung No

1.Please introduce yourself.

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

2.What inspired you to become interested in Computer Graphics?

I've always loved playing games, so I studied game design and even worked briefly at a game company. As I gained experience with 3D graphics, I found myself becoming more interested in highly detailed and realistic characters rather than low-polygon game models. Around that time, I happened to watch the making-of a film, and I was amazed to discover that many of the scenes I thought were real were actually created with CG. I remember thinking, "That was CG?" From that moment on, I knew I wanted to create visual effects like that myself.

3.Do you have any personal tips or know-how for learning CG?

I wouldn't say I have any special know-how, but I realized that if I didn't continue using what I learned in class, I would quickly forget it. To avoid that, I took detailed notes and organized everything carefully. Whenever I couldn't remember how to do something while working on my portfolio, I would go back through my notes. If I still couldn't solve the problem, I would ask my instructor for help. Keeping organized notes turned out to be incredibly useful throughout the entire learning process.

4.What are your future plans?

My first goal is to continue improving my skills after joining the company. Beyond that, I'd love to become successful within the next five years.

5.Do you have any memorable experiences during your training?

One thing I remember well is how often my external hard drive became infected with viruses. At first I would try to remove the virus and recover everything, but eventually I got so used to it that I simply formatted the drive without panicking. So my advice is simple—make sure you use a good antivirus program!

6.Please tell us about your personal project.

For my portfolio, I created Ryuk from the manga and film Death Note, which has always been one of my favorite series. While planning the storyboard, I tried to incorporate as many of the techniques I had learned in class as possible. Since I had already created the car and human character models during previous assignments, I was able to save a lot of production time. The biggest challenge turned out to be animation. It took me several months to refine the character's movements, making adjustment after adjustment. Through that process, I realized how little attention I had paid to observing the way people actually move in everyday life.

7.How many hours did you work on average each day?

It really depended on the stage of the project. In the beginning, I worked about three to four hours a day. During the final month, however, I often spent nearly the entire day working on my portfolio until everything was finished.

8.Please introduce your company and your current role.

I joined Fine Creatives, a production company that creates a wide variety of visual content, including commercials, game cinematics, animation, and exhibition videos. Although I hadn't officially started when I gave this interview, I expected to work primarily on 3D production and animation using After Effects.

9.What advice would you give to SF Film School students?

While working on your portfolio, there will probably be times when you become frustrated with your work or even regret the character or project you chose. I certainly felt that way myself. However, I believe the most important thing is to stay committed to your project and see it through to the end. Starting over halfway through not only wastes valuable time but also drains your energy. That's why it's important to carefully choose your character and plan your storyboard before you begin.

10.Why did you choose SF Film School, and what do you think is its greatest strength?
Without a doubt, the greatest strength of SF Film School is the people. The managers, instructors, staff, and classmates are always willing to support and encourage one another. Their advice, encouragement, and confidence gave me the motivation to keep moving forward whenever I struggled. I also really appreciated receiving weekly feedback from the instructors and managers, which helped me improve my portfolio and gave me clear direction throughout the entire production process.