Tristan Nieto
Visual Effects Artist – Motion Graphics – Editor
Phone +44 (0) 7 855 761 794
Website http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/Skype tristannietoAbout Me.Since July 2008, I have worked as a Motion Graphics Artist and Animator for
Tilling Productions, a corporate and broadcast production company based in London. Initially hired as an editor, my skills as an animator and motion graphics artist allowed the company to take on new clients and expand their operations. Since joining I have been involved in pitching projects to new and existing clients, expanding our services and delivering high-quality animations and interactive presentations. We received excellent feedback from our work on the Sport Industry Awards 2009 for which I designed and animated the Nomination Stings. An in depth case study of this project can be seen here:
http://www.tillingproductions.com/facilities/sia-case-study.phpPrior to this, I worked as senior editor and video graphics artist at Vocam, a worldwide production company that makes corporate and industrial training programmes. Whilst originally working purely as an editor, my focus moved to DVD menu design, video graphics and special effects, as well as occasionally supervising editing and delivery.
I have also served as the Technical Director on “The Bazura Project”, a ½ hour TV series airing on Channel 31, and since its inception have been in charge of all technical and Post-Production elements from studio to delivery.
In addition, I have worked on a number of independent productions, including TVCs, short films and music videos, which are listed in my filmography.
Over my eleven-year career in film, television and video, I have worked in almost every position imaginable. After surviving the baptism of fire that is the Australian independent scene, I returned to London, keen-eyed and quick-witted, with the confidence to take on any task. I am entirely self-trained; all my skills and experience are the result of my own investigation and hard work, and as a result I find myself drawn to others of a similar resolve. I've worked freelance on many projects with low budgets and few resources that have survived simply by virtue of ingenuity, camaraderie and strong coffee.
Technical Experience and Knowledge.I am well known for pushing Adobe After Effects far outside its usual confines into high definition effects and 2.5D animation and compositing. By incorporating Photoshop and Illustrator I can streamline and simplify even the most daunting tasks that would have many people looking for a flame suite.
I have come to know Final Cut Studio inside out, from capturing to mastering and everything in between. I have discovered and solved practically every issue one could encounter. Covering the whole breadth of the package, I have taken projects through Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack, Colour, Compressor and DVD Studio.
I have recently started to branch into 3D modelling and animation, primarily using Cinema 4D, but also with Blender 3D and Poser Studio.
On top of all this, I can confidently navigate Premiere, Media 100 and Avid, rewire a small TV studio with minimal risk of electrocution, and load an Arriflex 435. I could point to the business end of the Macromedia Suite, fix a Local Area Network, make a decent espresso, hold a conversation in French, and play Beethoven’s Klaviersonate No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor on the piano*.
Equipment.I have my own editing suite, running Final Cut Studio 2 with all the trimmings. I also have the Adobe Creative Suite 3, which includes After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and more.
Recent ExperienceTilling Productions – July 2008 to presentRole: Animator and Motion Graphics Artist
Directors: Michael Gold, Ed Swatman, Nick & Chris Tilling.
At Tilling Productions I have been involved in many corporate and broadcast projects. Clients include BP, Castrol, Sky Sports, Renault, E.On and The Football Association. See http://www.tillingproductions.com for more.Kenji Yoshida: Artist of the SoulFormat: Feature Documentary
Gauge: Various
Role: Motion Graphics Artist
Director: Ishmael Fiifi Annobil.
Produced for the 2008 UNESCO conference in Paris, this documentary explores the life and work of one of the world's greatest, yet relatively unknown artists - Kenji Yoshida. As with any documentary, the film combines source material from all forms of media, and requires intensive motion graphics to unify the piece visually whilst complimenting the subject and his art.Self-Portrait (in Post-Production)Format: Short Film
Gauge: HD
Role: Cinematographer
Director: Andrea van Caspel.
Shot in a Victorian mansion in Swiss Cottage in May 2008, this surreal film follows an artist and her connection to her self-portrait. Introspective and emotive, Self-Portrait demanded a complex unity of symbolism and imagery, with the bulk of the story told with lighting and composition.Smoke & Mirrors – 2008Format: Short Film
Gauge: HD
Role: Writer/Director/Cinematographer/Visual Effects Artist/Editor
Production Companies: Cinema Viscera & Seventh Floor Productions.
Smoke & Mirrors is an intensely stylised piece, which involved complex camera work and strong lighting that underwent heavy grading and effects work. Over half the film was rotoscoped and the background recreated in 3D before being composited back into the final image. Before-and-after effects comparisons can be seen online at http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/tristan-nieto-showreel_20.html.
The Rusalka - 2008Format: Short Film
Gauge: HD
Role: Cinematographer
Production Company/Director: Wolfsbane Films/Dale Bamford.
This period horror set in the Carpathian Mountains was actually shot on location in the Australian countryside. The film tells of 'the rusalka' - the slavic legend of a young woman's ghost trapped in the lake where she was murdered. Without the aid of fog or snow machines, I used a subtle combination of colours and carefully chosen camera angles to replicate the atmosphere that is unique to the Carpathians.
The Bazura Project – 2006 to 2007Format: Television Programme
Gauge: Various (SD broadcast)
Role: Technical Director
Production Company/Director: Seventh Floor Productions/Lee Zachariah & Shannon Marinko.
Winner of 3 Antenna Awards, (Best Comedy Programme, Best Arts Programme, Best Director), and nominated for 6 more, The Bazura Project is a weekly entertainment news satire. As Technical Director, I supervised the entire technical team, created all effects and graphics, shot and directed both studio and field sessions, designed and animated the opening title sequence (which can be seen online at
http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/bazura-project-opening.html) and produced the final master for all 24 episodes.
The Bazura Project followed a unique format in that every episode started with a spoof of a classic film. Amongst those covered were:
· King Kong (
http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/bazura-opening-king-kong.html),
· The Blues Brothers (
http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/blues-brothers.html),
· Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (
http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/fear-loathing-in-las-vegas.html), and;
· Manhattan (
http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/manhattan.html).
In addition to covering the latest film news, interviewing film makers and reviewing new releases, The Bazura Project also ran weekly feature stories with subjects ranging from the first feature length film - (
http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/la-triviata.html), to the life of history’s worst director, Alan Smithee - (
http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/bazura-feature-story-alan-smithee.html).
Vocam – 2004 to 2007Format: Corporate Video
Gauge: SD (DVC Pro 50)
Role: In-House Senior Editor
Directors: Dylan Volkhardt & Carlo Zeccola.
As senior editor and cameraperson for Vocam Worldwide, a company that creates OH&S programmes, I completed over twenty projects, featuring recreations of industrial accidents, 2D and 3D animations plus online interactive components. I also created DVD menus with foreign-language versions adhering to their respective OH&S laws and regulations. Numerous examples of my work at Vocam can be seen online at http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/. Please see the downloadable version for a comprehensive list of titles.
Election 2007: Countdown to a LetdownFormat: One-off TV Special
Gauge: Various (SD broadcast)
Role: Technical Director
Production Company/Director: Seventh Floor Productions/Lee Zachariah.
Featuring talent from numerous entertainment shows, this one-hour special followed the results of the 2007 Australian federal election. As Technical Director, I managed all facets of the studio recording sessions, from lighting and camera, though to taping and audio recording. Once in post-production I created and integrated all graphics and effects and animated the opening title sequence whilst supervising editing and mastering. To see the opening title sequence from this programme, go to http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/election-2007-countdown-to-letdown.html.
Lost Time – 2007Format: Feature Film
Gauge: SD Video
Role: Cinematographer/Co-Editor
Director: Lee Zachariah.
Lost time is a low budget feature following a young man who reunites with his old friends after living abroad for many years. Constantly skating the edge between drama and comedy, Lost Time needed a versatile approach that could allow seamless transition of emotions whilst remaining entirely in the film’s single location.The BodyFormat: Short Film
Gauge: HD
Role: Cinematographer
Production Company/Director: Snowgum Films/Daniel Knight.
Filmed in January of 2008 on the exotic beaches of “Thailand”, (actually the slightly less exotic beaches of Apollo Bay in southern Australia), The Body is the story of a nameless corpse that washes onto the beach and of the two people who discover it. Tackling the elements and some less-than-waterproof prosthetics, The Body was a unique project to work on. Trying to create fear and foreboding on the lush and sun-drenched shores of the Australian southern coast proved challenging.Wagons "Snakebite" - 2007Format: Music Video
Gauge: HD
Role: Cinematographer/Visual Effects Artist
Client: Wagons
Production Company/Director: Seventh Floor Productions/Lee Zachariah.
If Primus were a country & western band, they would be Wagons. One of the most entertaining new acts in Melbourne, Wagons produced this music video to coincide with the release of their latest album. For this project I worked as Cinematographer and visual effects artist, as well as colour-timed and mastered the final product. Get ready to hoe-down at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PWA9JP1YhICompass TV Commercial - 2005Format: Television Commercial
Gauge: Super 16mm
Role: Cinematographer/Editor/Visual Effects Artist
Client: Compass Pools
Production Company/Director: Seventh Floor Productions/Lee Zachariah.
Advertising an automated, self-cleaning pool system, this project was complex as it involved underwater photography, graphic compositing and image manipulation. It was produced as 30 second and 15 second versions, as well as a 5 second sponsorship tag. The complete ad can be seen on my showreel at http://tristannieto.blogspot.com/2008/03/compass-pools-tvc.html.
15/15 Film Festival TVC - 2007Format: Television Commercial
Gauge: HD
Role: Motion Graphics Artist
Client: 15/15 Film Festival
Gauge: HD
Role: Cinematographer
Production Company/Director: Snowgum Films/Daniel Knight.
Winner of Best Short Film at Fantasia, Fitzroy and the Trasharama-A-Go-Go film festivals, this comedy-horror, set in a small room, revolved around a character that was unable to either move or speak. The film presented many challenges, in terms of lighting and composition, which came from having limited time and resources whilst trying to avoid repetition and bland uniformity. The film can be seen at http://www.snowgumfilms.com/themorningafter/.
Heartless/Senseless – 2007
Format: Short Film
Gauge: SD Video
Role: Visual Effects Artist
Director: Joel Baldini.
A short and sweet tale of fetters and cherished possessions, Heartless/Senseless involved complex colour grading, such as isolating individual objects and hues within a black-and-white canvas. Produced with the assistance of the Melbourne University Filmmaker’s Fund.
SPASA TV Commercial - 2004
Format: Television Commercial
Gauge: 16mm
Role: Cinematographer/Editor/Visual Effects Artist
Client: Swimming Pool and Spa Association
Production Company/Director: Seventh Floor Productions/Tim Egan
Unlike most ads, the focus of this TVC was more on promoting the positive aspects of the industry. From a brief and voice-over script, I developed a visual approach incorporating underwater photography, graphics and visual effects to create a sense of security and trust through symbolic imagery and association.
Mrs. Pinkwhistle “Charm the Pants” - 2004
Format: Music Video
Gauge: DV
Role: Cinematographer
Production Company/Director: Scott Jordan Productions/Scott Jordan.
Described as ‘A rock band you’d take your Grandma to see’, Mrs. Pinkwhistle combines post-punk riffs with offensively cute electronica. This music video combined live performances from the band with guest performances from Australian actors, including Ian Smith (‘Harold’ from Neighbours). Bright colours and simple compositions evoked a warm and inviting environment, reminiscent of classic children’s television.
SPASA Expo Stand - 2004.
Format: Multi Screen Looping Images
Gauge: HD
Role: Animator/Visual Effects Artist
Client: SPASA - Swimming Pool and Spa Association.
Production Company/Director: Seventh Floor Productions/Tim Egan.
During the SPASA Expo ’04, the organisers requested a series of looping animations to showcase the year’s award winning pools and spas. For this project, I took images from their design portfolio and combined them with a tiled motif, based on their existing corporate identity, to create a 10-minute looping animation.
Personal Information
Education
St. Paul’s High school 1992-1998 (97th Percentile, National).
Nationality
Dual British-Australian.
Interests & Hobbies
Film & television. Music. Art. Travel. Physics & Mathematics.
Referees available upon request.
* Possibly all at the same time, although this remains untested.
