Rubbing shoulders with the pros

3-D animator Petr Zápotocký never thought he would be standing face to face with the designers behind Star Wars, let alone be allowed free reign to poke around a Lucasfilm animation studio. Needless to say, it was a dream come true for Zápotocký, a graphic-design major at Prague College, to be invited by the Singapore government to the island nation, which has become a Mecca for high-tech creative companies like animation and visual-effects studios. "I was so excited that words cannot describe it," said Zápotocký of his reaction to being invited to Singapore.

Zápotocký, along with his classmates Alexandr Pánek and Laetitia Desroches, were among a select group of graphic-design students from around the world chosen to participate in the five-day event sponsored by Contact Singapore, an agency that works to attract foreign talent to the city. Applicants went through a rigorous selection procedure that involved submitting formal portfolios and passing an interview with program organizers. 

In addition to the Lukasfilm studio, the three got to visit the workspace of such animation heavy hitters as Double Negative, one of the largest European providers of visual effects for film; Scrawl Studios, whose client list includes Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Discovery Kids; and GAMBIT Game Lab, which explores new directions in the development of video games. Students got to see where the magic happens and had ample time to ask questions and interact with professionals working in the field they're training for, while also doing a bit of networking for possible future employment. "I got to see firsthand how a studio works - from the client to the workers to the final product," Desroches said.  

Between hobnobbing sessions with top designers, the students discovered a culture and way of life both foreign and fascinating, an experience they all agree will benefit them both professionally and personally. "Singapore is a city of amazement on every corner," Zápotocký said.

The students were especially impressed by the fact that though the work culture in Singapore seems more demanding than in Europe - Panek said workers at some studios looked so cramped and engrossed in their work it reminded him of a sweat shop - the people they met during their short stay were extremely friendly and seem more relaxed and open-minded than people at home. 

"Singapore is simply made for the happiness of people," Desroches said. "It is clean and well-organized, and the people are very courteous - always willing to help and very respectful to each other. I never once felt out of place or judged. "

In their free time, the three took in some local culture with a trip to the Singapore City Gallery to check out an exhibition on city planning, a visit to the Asian Civilizations Museum and the Botanical Gardens, as well as Sands Skypark, a famous lookout point 200 meters above the city. 

While the students took every opportunity to gobble up as much culture as possible, they also spent a significant portion of their time enjoying the diverse dining options.

"One main occupation while we were there was eating," Desroches said. "Since Singapore has every world dish available and the most amazing seafood, our bellies were spoiled from fresh sting ray, to the spicy crab specialty to the most wonderful sushi. Let's just say we did not sleep much - the city moves 24 hours per day, so there was always something to see and experience."

And what an experience it was. Zápotocký was so affected by what he saw in Singapore, he says he was compelled to make a career change within the graphic-design field and promptly quit his job as a flash designer upon his return. "I had a lot of epiphanies in Singapore regarding the meaning of my life," he said. "The visit to Singapore was, in that sense, extremely enriching."

Though the other students may not have made such dramatic life changes as a result of their experience in Singapore, all were inspired to some extent, both by the input from professionals they received, as well as the unique setting in which they received it.

"The biggest experience I gained from this visit was that I got a new breath of fresh air for my own work," Pánek said. "Every designer sooner or later starts to stagnate in the work they do. They need new motivation, new ideas, and they need to find that passion again for the work they do. That's exactly what I found. "

Emily Thompson can be reached at
ethompson@praguepost.com