Casey Curtiss

Editorial and Visual Effects

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Casey Curtiss

Editorial and Visual Effects

I'm Casey Curtiss, I work as a freelance VFX Editor in Los Angeles, California.

I’ve worked in film since 2010. I’ve lived in LA since 2016, the same year I joined the editor’s union.

I've worked in VFX since 2007, with programs such as After Effects and Nuke. I started in 3D Modeling and Animation in Maya and Lightwave. Nowadays I mostly composite and stabilize.

Scroll down for Some samples of my projects

IMDb

Work Experience / résumé

The Killer

On The Killer I worked as a VFX Editor.
I worked as an Assistant Editor in the beginning, with dailies and setting up our labs. Once we had VFX to turnover, I made the Filemaker database you see in the image, and was responsible for the turnovers and deliveries of VFX. I also did over a hundred online shots. Once we had VFX to turnover, I switched over to VFX Editor, and I was responsible for the turnovers and deliveries of VFX.

Some BTS material here from some of our VFX Vendors on their work.

And a podcast interview

BTS with some LED car stage work. Credit to Miles Crist

Mank

On Mank I worked as a VFX Editor.
I worked as an Assistant Editor in the beginning, with dailies and setting up our labs. Once we had VFX to turnover, I switched over to VFX Editor, and I was responsible for the turnovers and deliveries of VFX.

Some BTS material here from some of our VFX Vendors on their work.

Slate compilation I cut together for marketing

Mindhunter

On Mindhunter season 1 I was a Post PA, then promoted to Apprentice Editor mid-season.
Mostly responsible for conforming: managing media between Editorial and our in-house DI. Also worked on offline stabilizations and VFX.

On Mindhunter season 2 I was an Assistant Editor during production, then responsible for conforming: managing media between Editorial and our in-house DI and delivering.

Mindhunter

Video from https://whatswrongwithcomplicated.com/

The Art of Self Defense

I was an Assistant Editor on The Art of Self Defense, mostly for turnovers to conform, music, sound, and VFX. I also did half of the online VFX.

UCAM 2013

Editor and VFX Compositor on UNM Institutional Commercial 2013. The 30 second version airs on ESPN during UNM Basketball games.
It was intended to air for one year, but the client was so impressed with the product that it has aired 3 years so far.

We really filmed with a wolf! I was on board since pre-production to help with VFX input. I was on set as a grip as we shot at a wolf sanctuary.

The Redeemers

Editor and VFX Supervisor on an 18 min short film "The Redeemers". Above is the trailer which I edited as well. The trailer is heavy with smoke transitions. VFX for the film included smoke transitions, wire removal, gun flashes, and sky replacements. I was also the 1st AD on this film, working with 60+ crew, a cast of 16, and 7 days of shooting.

CGI

Since 2007 I've worked in visual effects and computer generated imagery. I began with 3D modeling and animation with programs like Autodesk Maya and Newtek Lightwave. As I moved more into film and VFX, I focused less on modeling and more on compositing and matchmoving. I worked on films and TV that required projection mapping and green screen keying, camera tracking and rotoscoping.

The reason I didn't pursue a career in CGI or VFX is because I could never specialize, I was interested in all the pieces. I'm a generalist, and this is advantageous from the editing side because I can look at a shot and know how to fully use VFX on a shot. I have plenty of understanding of the process of VFX when I speak with another visual effects artist.

Since focusing on editorial, I've mostly done compositing. I'm very experienced at After Effects, but given the opportunity to use Foundry's Nuke, I prefer that.

What follow are a few stills of my CGI (computer generated imagery) work.

Killer Robot

Robot modeled in Maya. I would eventually go on to color it (texture it), rig it, and animate it. It was difficult to make it walk properly, it's legs had to bend at the two knees, and the feet contracted when lifted.

Prototype

Part of a 48 hour film festival, I was the VFX Supervisor on the project. I did this shot, which is a case lit practically with blue LEDs inside the case. The bottom and the orb are fake CG elements I made while they were shooting. They open the case, the orb spins, and it's effectively their McGuffin (or golden briefcase from Pulp Fiction).

DC

Nurb and Poly version of a CG robot named DC. Concept model for a short film. Modeled in Maya.

Chucky

Here is Chucky from the movie Child's Play. I modeled, texture, rigged, and animated him in Maya in 48 hours. His hair took longer, and was never quite perfected. Originally intended as a video game character, I replaced his hair with a hat-like wig that was easier for the computer to draw at 60 fps.

Chucky

Here is Chucky from the movie Child's Play. I modeled, texture, rigged, and animated him in Maya in 48 hours. His hair took longer, and was never quite perfected. Originally intended as a video game character, I replaced his hair with a hat-like wig that was easier for the computer to draw at 60 fps.

Chucky

Here is Chucky from the movie Child's Play. I modeled, texture, rigged, and animated him in Maya in 48 hours. His hair took longer, and was never quite perfected. Originally intended as a video game character, I replaced his hair with a hat-like wig that was easier for the computer to draw at 60 fps.

Hot Air balloon

CG modeled hot air balloon. At one point I animated the envelope with bones. Modeled in Maya, it's gray because I hadn't textured it yet.

Hot Air Balloon

CG modeled hot air balloon. At one point I animated the envelope with bones. Modeled in Maya, this is the wireframe view from the side, to show where all the polygons connect to eachother.

Roadrunner WIP

Playing around with fur to try and create feathers for this roadrunner.

Steam Train

I modeled and rigged and animated this steam locomotive in Maya. The background is just still images to fill up the background.

Mad face

Practicing animation by posing a face in an expression. I didn't model or texture or rig, I just animated.

2 pose

Practicing animation by posing two characters in contrasting expressions. I didn't model or texture or rig, I just animated.

pose

Practicing animation by posing a character. I didn't model or texture or rig, I just animated.

pose

Practicing animation by posing a character. I didn't model or texture or rig, I just animated.

Final Project from Animation course. Most complicated animation I've done yet. I animated the body and lipsync. Background was composited in.

Demo reel from 2011 showcasing intro animation techniques. A firm understanding of concepts like bouncing ball or walk cycle will allow you to master further concepts.

Newshour

I was the Editor on "Fire and Floods" which aired nationally on the PBS Newshour on Nov 26, 2014. We had about a week to edit the video, produced by Kathleen McCleery, a veteran Newshour producer.

Most Enlightened Man

Promo for NMPBS, a parody of the most interesting man in the world is "the most enlightened guy in New Mexico". Conceived and cut by Promo producer Michael Privett, I transferred it to DaVinci Resolve and graded it. With a tight deadline and few directions, we went through a few versions. On the left is the first pass, on the right is the last pass, all edited in Avid and graded in Resolve, then back to Avid for the final graphics and score.

Mission Graduate

I color graded this spot for our Mission Graduate campaign. First color pass on the left, final on the right. Premiered at every Albuquerque Public School graduation ceremony in 2014. Also aired on NMPBS for a year.