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When I asked Alex Acklin a series of questions for this post, one answer that struck me was his vision. He had a vision. It wasn't clear, but he knew he wanted to be an artist from a very young age, though he wasn't sure what kind.
He got into VFX because he has always loved movies, and after a while, like many of us, he wanted to look behind the curtain and see how the magic is made.
The path to compositing isn't a straight one. Many artists accidentally discover its appeal upon exploration. Before joining Lost Boys, Alex had spent his youth exploring and learning about making good art.
He started out as a traditional ink and pen illustrator, taking classes to learn how to be a comic book artist when he was a teenager.
After a while, he realized digital art was becoming popular, so he started learning about character design and would turn his friends into cool anime heroes. This later led him to learn about 3D animation and its many disciplines. Unfortunately, the traditional pathways for learning 3D weren't working out for him. Undeterred, he realized he had a passion for 3D and started to self-learn modeling and texturing 3D characters. With this newfound enthusiasm, he also developed a passion for lighting for animations.
His thirst for knowledge led him to study other artists' techniques and tips through LinkedIn, YouTube and Artstation, which inevitably led him to compositing. Realizing how limiting raw CG renders looked, Alex discovered how compositing could elevate his renders. Compositing is where all his skills and interests converged.
Before Lost Boys, Alex Acklin’s journey was about self-discovery and laying a robust foundation for his future.
And none of this would have been possible without his loving parents motivating and guiding him each step of the way.
When asked about one of his favorite quotes, he fittingly chose one from Miles Morales in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse":
"I never thought I'd be able to do any of this stuff. But I can. Anyone can wear the mask. You can wear the mask. If you didn't know that before, I hope you do now.”
It’s all about smashing those boxes we put ourselves in, I do believe anyone can make it big, no matter where they start. It’s a nudge to believe in ourselves and to tell others they can make their mark too.
And that is a Splendid Idea!
Hang tight for Part 2, folks!