NY based independent VFX and design house, Phosphene, continues the expansion of its core creative team with the addition of CG Supervisor Vance Miller, Lead Digital Artist Eddie Porter, and Lead Compositor Scott Winston. In addition, Lead Digital Artist Aaron Raff has been promoted to VFX Supervisor.
Partner and Executive Producer Vivian Connolly explains: “With Vance, Eddie and Scott on board, we now have the team we’ve been wanting from day one. Also, Aaron being promoted to VFX Supervisor means Phosphene can expand and take on more projects.”
Vance Miller, CG Supervisor
For over 25 years, Vance Miller has been an integral part of the immense growth and expansion of the visual effects world in New York. Early on in his career, Miller took to CG work, and by 1995 was serving as Vice President of CGI Operations for NY-based Pixel Light Communications. Soon after realizing he craved a more hands-on approach, Miller went on to become one of the most coveted freelance animator/modeler and lighters in New York. Over the next ten years he worked primarily in the commercial and gaming worlds for clients including AT&T, MTV, Best Buy, McDonalds, Jeep, Tropicana, and Verizon.
However, his heart was always in long-form where he says “there is more time for R&D and creative exploration,” so in the mid-00’s, Miller made the transition to film and television work where he took on the role of CG technical director and lighting/rendering specialist. More recently, Miller has been focused on character animation.
After collaborating with Phosphene partners Vivian Connolly and John Bair for many years, Miller was brought on staff to help Phosphene continue to expand its CG pipeline, with greater focus on character animation and 3D environments.
John Bair said of his new CG supervisor: “I have collaborated with Vance for over 10 years. He has an unmatched combination of creative talent and technical savvy with a real eye for innovative solutions to CG challenges.” Prior to joining Phosphene’s staff, Miller collaborated on many Phosphene projects including Tower Heist, The Adjustment Bureau, Salt and Doubt.
Eddie Porter, Lead Digital Artist
Eddie Porter got his start in 2006 as Lead Matte Painter/Background Designer on “Fat Guy Stuck in Internet” for Adult Swim. Following this project, Porter briefly left film and television to pursue opportunities working in the commercial world. Between 2006 and 2011, he had a range of roles from development and previs work to overseeing the completion of full ups on over 100 commercials. During this time, Porter remained passionate about working in film, and dedicated his free time to working on short films, including: Mean to Me, and Portal: No Escape.
After leaving the commercial world in 2011, Porter broke into feature work and episodic television again, working as a visual effects artist and expanding his knowledge of title design. As a freelancer, Porter was able to work on many of the exciting television shows and films that have come through New York City in the past few years including, Smash, The Borgias, So Undercover, Tower Heist, and Rampart, for which he was credited as Lead Digital Compositor. Porter also contributed work to the title design and compositing of the 3D credits for Hugo.
Scott Winston, Lead Compositor
Scott Winston is known in the industry as an extraordinary technical talent, as well as an incredible teacher and mentor to young artists. Winston was 17 when he began his first internship at a stop-motion studio. Having realized his passion for this work very early on, he went on to train as a traditional animator at New York’s School of Visual Arts and worked in traditional animation before transitioning to 3D animation and compositing work.
As a freelancer, Winston had the opportunity to work as both a compositor and as an on-set supervisor, contributing to more than 50 proje
