How does it feel to be nominated?

When I ask that question to Zoic Studios Producer Karen Czukerberg on the Visual Effects Emmy nomination for the television show V her face beams, “The nomination is really exciting because we (the team at Zoic Studios) have been part of the show since the beginning, since (Warner Brothers) were thinking about the pilot.”  On Tuesday night August 17, 2010, Karen and members of the visual effects team on V attended the Emmy Awards reception for all of those nominated for a best visual effects Emmy Award.

Five shows were nominated for the Best Visual Effects in a Television series including V and CSI, which Zoic Studios also produces and creates the visual effects for.  Zoic Studios was also nominated for Ben 10 for Best Visual Effects in a mini series.  As a Visual Effects Producer, Karen is in charge of a lot of different tasks some of which include budgets, reading the scripts, making sure that the team can accomplish the effects for the show.  She works closely with the scheduling department and helps choose the artists for the show as well as works very closely with Andrew Orloff the Visual Effects Supervisor. “My job basically is to deliver the episode with high quality visual effects on budget and on schedule, and that everyone is happy: the client, Zoic, the artists and myself.”

Andrew Orloff, Visual Effects Supervisor for V, is both co Executive Creative Director alongside Co-Founders Chris Jones and Loni Peristere, but also the Visual Effects Supervisor overseeing the visual effects on all of the episodic television shows for Zoic Studios both in Los Angeles and Vancouver.  Orloff comes from a CG background and has been working in visual effects for television for sixteen years.  Orloff compares his job to a newspaper editor, “ I am kind of like an editor of a newspaper, I approve and note all the shots that come through on the shows I supervise so I look at everything and talk directly to the artists.  I’m still involved technically on how to achieve different shots, devising methodologies, designing and consulting during pre-production.  We working with Warner Brothers during the script writing phase to figure out how we were going to do the visual effects of the show.”  Orloff was directly involved in imagining the mother ship for the show.  “I remember sitting with the Executive Producer with my laptop open on Maya and finalizing that main shape of the ship in a real time modeling session.”

Going to the Emmy’s for Orloff is a lot of fun and something he looks forward to.  “It’s a really great time to see people we work with, the DP’s, sound, editors.  You get to dress up in a tuxedo and just have a good time.  There is a governor’s ball afterwards where we eat and dance and it really is a lot of fun.”

Karen says, “It’s really special for us because after two years of work to be recognized is just really wonderful.”  The Emmy reception is an opportunity for the visual effects team members of the nominated shows to meet one another.  The nominated clips are screened for the nominees and afterwards there is a question and answer session about the work that they created for their shows.  It’s an opportunity for the visual effects creators to connect with one another on both a professional and creative level.  “It’s going to be interesting to meet people and share the experiences and knowledge that we have of the show and be able to share that information with other visual effects artists.  You don’t have a lot of opportunity to go and talk about your work and share your experiences outside of Zoic so it will be really exciting to do so.”

For Rik Shorten who started as a Visual Effects Producer on CSI and is now Visual Effects Supervisor for the show is thrilled at the second nomination for the team.  He has been on CSI since season five and he is now working on season eleven.  “We have a crew of talented and experienced artists.  It’s unique, specific work for someone who is comfortable with organics and heart surface modeling, they kind of have to do a bit of everything.”  The shot that was nominated took two months to complete.

“It was a lot of work last summer for the crew and it was two months from beginning to end to make the shot.  It was definitely an event episode for the franchise and for the team here at Zoic some of who have been on CSI for a while, like me.  It was an amazing opportunity to do something like this for television.”

The Zoic Visual Effects team for CSI was also recognized for two VES awards in February.  Last night is the beginning of a week of celebrations for the team, which includes a number of parties all leading up to the Creative Arts Awards ceremony on Saturday August 21.  The ceremony recognizes all of the behind-the-scenes personnel in a separate non – televised ceremony, but still has all the glitz and glamor of the live event.  As for the Emmy reception, Rik is very excited to attend and talk shop with his peers.  “Normally when you are working with a crew you are just doing your job on your show, you don’t have a lot of chances to talk to people around town that are working parallel to you on their series.  It’s a chance to stop, look at the work, talk about the work and meet other people in the industry that you don’t have an opportunity to see.  They can talk about what they are doing and pick your brain about a shot and the challenges and experiences of what you did.  I really look forward to these types of events to connect and meet new people.”  Steve Meyer, the 2D lead artist on the project, was thrilled that the team received the nomination.  “Attending the Emmy reception on August 17th was enjoyable and I loved seeing the entries up on the big screen.”

“I bought a red dress yesterday from BCBG, which is my favorite store,” Karen says laughing. “For me, I’m from Mexico and for me to be able to go to the Emmy Awards is so special.  I love my work and I love working at Zoic.  To be a part of V has been an amazing experience for me because I get to work with such talented artists.  The whole thing is really exciting, but the most important thing is the process.  I am really looking forward to representing the company and the show and sharing this experience with my team.”

Stay tuned to see who wins the Emmy Award for Best Visual Effects for a television show and mini series on Saturday August 21 when the Creative Arts Emmy awards ceremony occurs.