Interview with Escapee Aman Arora

We sat down with Escapee Aman Arora who studied our undergraduate degree in Visual Effects. Since graduating, he has been super busy in the industry, especially with winning a BAFTA! Read on to hear more about his career journey. 

Tell us about your time at Escape Studios? 

Throughout my time at Escape Studios, everything we did was to prepare for a career in the industry. I liked having access to key software and at the end of my final year, I got the opportunity to prepare for interviews with the Talent Development team. Another great thing about Escape Studios was all the mates I made during my studies! 

Where have you gone on to work and what is your role? 

Since graduating, I have become a Compositing Artist at MPC. As a junior compositor, my role mainly involves keying shots, invisible visual effects and CG comps. I also tech check the majority of final comps for a show before they get sent to clients. Most recently, I worked in a small team for an Apple TV+ show, and before that, I worked on Amazon Original, Wheel of Time. 

What I like about Moving Picture Company is the working environment and culture. My time here so far has been very enjoyable. All my colleagues are really friendly and willing to help. It’s also a very social company as they hold internal events regularly, including Beer O’Clock every Friday! 

Tell us about winning a BAFTA, how did it feel? 

It was an unreal experience. To be nominated was surreal enough but to be able to attend the ceremony and also see the team win was an incredible feeling. Picking up accolades like a BAFTA so early into my career really makes me feel as if I’m doing things right. 

What lessons have you learned during your time studying and working in the industry? 

During my time studying, I learnt to always put in 100% effort and give every project my all. Working above the level you think is required is the way to look at things, never do the minimum, and always do more! 

In the industry, the level of work differs because you’re working with people who have years of experience and also with people who are also just starting out. This gives me a chance to learn without being thrown into the deep end. What I’ve mainly picked up, however, is that most juniors don’t ask for help and then they get stuck, deadlines get pushed and sometimes shots get taken off them. I've learnt to never be ashamed to ask for help and guidance. 

What advice would you give to students looking to start a career within the industry? 

Put yourself out there. Get on LinkedIn and show your work. Let people know what you’ve done and how you’ve done it. Reach out to other professionals in the industry too, from juniors to supervisors, most people are happy to help because this industry isn’t about individuals! 

Finally, don’t take criticism to heart. As you go on, you’ll understand what good and bad feedback is. Your judgement and abilities will improve with time so just be patient.