Today, Escape Studios, one of the most successful and well-respected CG academies in the world, announced five new US advisory board members, including Afonso Salcedo of Pixar Animation Studios, Ken Maruyama of Sony Pictures Imageworks, John Leonti of The Mill, Patrick Davenport of Method and Andrew Bell of MPC. The five new advisory board members will reinforce Escape Studios’ already strong ties to the CG industry.

“We pride ourselves on having direct contact with the VFX industry and incorporating their insight and feedback into our training programs,” said Dom Davenport, CEO and founder of Escape Studios. “I am delighted to welcome this caliber of industry talent and experience to our advisory board and look forward to working with them to make our US campus the best it can possibly be.”

Coming from diverse and qualified backgrounds, the advisory board members each bring a different perspective and knowledge base to Escape Studios:

“As a former Escape Studios student, I’ve experienced the quality of training first-hand and look forward to impacting future students with my knowledge of the industry,” said Afonso Salcedo, a full-time lighting artist at Pixar Animation Studios.

“Aspiring technical directors typically don’t have the right skill sets, even after completing college courses. But Escape Studios emphasizes training that’s based on actual industry criteria and I hope to continue that tradition by sharing my insight as an advisory board member,” said Ken Maruyama the vice president of recruiting, academic relations and animation artist management at Sony Picture Imageworks.

“It’s an honour to be part of Escape Studio’s advisory board and influence the academy’s direction and training offerings, especially when it comes to new VFX and 3D technologies,” said John Leonti, the co-head of 3D at The Mill’s Los Angeles office.

“I’ve seen the industry evolve and grow, creating the demand for new skill sets. Schools like Escape Studios are essential for developing talent that will keep up with this evolution and I am excited to be a part of that process,” said Patrick Davenport, vice president of creative operations at Method.

“The VFX industry is multifaceted and newcomers require a variety of skills to be successful. I look forward to bringing my experience to the advisory board and helping the school to develop the best talent,” said Andrew Bell, head of product for commercials at MPC’s Los Angeles studio.

Chris Arrant

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