Interview with Michael Cliett, VFX Artist on Serenity
by Wes Beckwith
Michael Cliett, working on the Dave School Production "NASA Seals"
We recently got to chat with Michael Cliett who recently worked with Zoic on Serenity (he is now with Origami Digital). Michael's story is an fantastic example of how an education, networking and hard work can pay off in this industry. If you are an aspiring VFX artist, you need to read this article, if you just like to read great stories, you need to read this article.
CGF – Tell us a little bit about yourself, where were you born? When did you become interested in art or computers?
My name is Michael Cliett, and I was born into a family of outlaws out in the sleepy little mining town of Bisbee, Arizona. No, seriously, I was born in Bisbee, just not to outlaws.. just thought that sounded cool. Anyway.. funny thing is, I never actually lived in Arizona, I was just born there. My parents actually lived 150 miles away in East Nowhere, New Mexico, and the nearest Hospital, was, well, on the Mexican border in Bisbee, in the next state over. My mom always said I was born with a Jalapeno in my mouth, as I have always LOVED spicy food, and actually was eating whole jalapeno's at 16 months. Mmmm, mmm. My dad, being in the petrochemical industry, had us moving around all of
the time, thus I spent the first 6 weeks of my life in New Mexico, before I was moved to Texas. All my life growing up, move after move, including a stint in Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Japan still has a fond place in my heart.. I loved it there, and actually get to go back occasionally to visit friends, and do business. I'll be going there for a premiere of a Japanese anime feature I'm working on now within the next 6 months. Saudi Arabia? Well, that's a different story. Being the blonde hair/blue eyed American Devil that I was, I have not so fond memories of having rocks pitched in my direction while riding my bike through the neighborhood back in 4 th grade. Yes, those Saudi Kids.. they loved to play catch.. with rocks.. problem is the rocks were always thrown too hard, and I could never catch them. I just never did quite get that.. hehe. Anyway.. I've been interested in computers all my life, and art as well. I got my first computer (in Japan) at the age of 8..it was an Apple II e. I used to play on that green monitor this flight simulation game, and would always think how it could be so much better. Who knew one day I would so something to make similar applications “better?” As far as art, I was born a lefty, so I guess I always had that “creative” thing going for me. When I was a baby, and used to eat and color with my left hand, my mom would always put the crayon/fork/spoon in my right hand, but I never gave in. Maybe that's why I'm such a freak now, but that's beside the point. I started drawing pictures way back as a little tike, and never stopped. When I was in grade school, the lady down the street, who was a professional painter, taught me how to paint with acrylics. I loved to draw and paint hardware, such as planes, tanks, and cars. I think I may have really gotten a feel for weight of objects such as those from studying them up close at an early age, as now, I really enjoy animating hardware, among other things. So, to make a long story short, Arizona, born, never lived, Japan good, Saudi Arabia, not so good, lefty, creative, and loved art and computers.
CGF – Tell us a little bit about your background in 3D?
My background in 3D..well, it's kind of interesting how I came to do this job. When I saw Jurassic Park, I was a Senior in high school. I remember it so well, like it was yesterday though, because I was absolutely blown away by the effects and filmography of that movie. I was so interested in how they did that, and wanted to pursue that soooo bad. All in all though, back then, I was pre-occupied with girls, among other things, plus there were no schools for it, and I couldn't afford the software. At this point in my life, I was living in a little town in Connecticut.. worlds away from the glitz of Hollywood, and my parents wouldn't have shelled out the $ $ for an 3D application, so I didn't bother asking. I wasn't the best kid,(I liked to have my fun) and they probably would have thought that I wouldn't have stuck with it had they bought it, and they probably would have been right. So all in all, after a few years of spinning my wheels, I finally went to college ...never did find anything I was too interested in though, and I always had a thirst for adventure that needed to be quenched (I think I got that from moving and traveling around my whole life). So, to satisfy my need for adventure, wouldn't you know it, I became a flight attendant for American Airlines in 2000. It was fun.. for awhile.. got to go all over the world, see things I had never seen, visited friends overseas I hadn't seen for years. I mean heck, my dad was living in Malaysia at the time, and I could go see him, fly first class, round trip, for about $ 200, which I did 5 times in 2 years.
