RK Visualization is pleased to announce the appointment of a new team lead: Dan Chomiak.
The industry professional brings to RKV a keen sense of purpose and drive to guide the team through the rapidly shifting visualization landscape. His extensive creative and technical experience includes involvement in virtually all facets of project development such as 3D animation (both character and inorganic), 3D modelling/ lighting/ texturing/ rendering/ compositing, principal direction and project management.
As RKV’s new team lead, Dan is taking charge of a group that is staking new territory in collaboration with several exciting clients and projects. By way of introduction, here are some insights by Dan into his world:
ON HOW HE GOT HOOKED INTO A CAREER IN VISUALIZATION
“I saw the movie, ‘Toy Story,’ when I was young and snapped my fingers and said, ‘That’s what I want to do; I want a job in 3D animation.’ What I found appealing was that everything was created from scratch; every project is a blank canvas, which you can mould and shape in your own way. The only real limitation is where your imagination will take you.”
ON WHAT KEEPS HIM INTERESTED IN THE VISUALIZATION BUSINESS
“It’s the immediate feedback when you’ve really done your job right, when you get that satisfied client and put a smile on their face. Nothing’s better than being next to a client who says, ‘This is perfect.’ Also, with the continual evolution of visualization technology and techniques, things are always fresh which keeps me engaged in what I’m doing.”
ON THE EVOLUTION OF BENEFITS FOR CLIENTS
“Things are really opening up for our clients through visualization and with technology in general. There are numerous ways to satisfy a client’s needs, from traditional print media, development of web content, and most recently virtual reality, even on mobile devices. And that’s just still renderings.
“Video has changed dramatically too, everyone knows that 1080p [high definition] is the standard, but that standard has been shifting to 4K [ultra-high definition] over the past few years. And now there’s 360 video which is gaining momentum just as quickly as virtual reality because the two translate so easily.
“And there is still a further step clients can take, in which the viewer can assume control of the virtual reality space and interact with their project. Traditionally control was always held by the animator, but now the client can direct their experience like never before.”
ON THE TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATED WITH VISUALIZATION
“Technology is surpassing people’s expectations, especially with virtual reality. I still get the reaction, ‘I didn’t know you could do that!’ from people who aren’t in the visualization industry. The technology has allowed our clients to engage the public and approving authorities and communicate their vision more effectively. In the early days, output of photo-realistic images or animations was a real challenge and very costly, simply due to the limitations of hardware. But now high-performance workstations are priced reasonably, making high-end rendering more cost-effective and affordable.
“And outside of the 3D space, there are new methods of video capture through the use of drones, replacing helicopter flights which were not only costly but also consumed a lot of time as well. In terms of efficiencies, advances in technology certainly have helped the industry in a big way.”
ON HIS GENERAL APPROACH TO LIFE
“I crave adventure. I go out on motorcycle adventures whenever I can. I’ve ridden to the Arctic Circle twice, to Moab and through most of the U.S. and Canada, and down further into Mexico. Always on the road less travelled. You just can’t beat seeing the world from a motorbike; there’s nothing else like it.
“I’m also a driven person who needs to see things though to conclusion. For example, I took an immediate liking to Muay Thai, but it wasn’t enough to simply train. I needed to learn from the best. I trained in Thailand for 13 months, and competed in a couple of professional bouts. Definitely one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done in my life. But that’s the appeal: the harder the challenge, the greater the reward. I apply these approaches to my work life, and it’s worked out for the best.”
August 23, 2016