Pujan is a talented visual effects artist and compositor whose journey into the world of animation and VFX was shaped by his diverse background and unique experiences. He later honed his craft by graduating from NYFA from the One Year Animation and VFX program. Since graduating, Pujan has worked on numerous high-profile projects in film, TV, and advertising, contributing his skills to major titles like John Wick: Chapter 4 and The Kia Super Bowl commercial.
NYFA Alumni Network: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your career?
P.C: Mumbai, the land of dreams, attracts people from all over the country. Growing up in a small South-Indian neighborhood, I was immersed in Telugu and Tamil, while I spoke Kutchi in a Marathi-speaking city. Despite this multilingual upbringing, my education was in English.
I come from a business family, so pursuing business seemed like the natural path. However, my true interests lay in cricket and sports, and despite my family's expectations, I faced challenges in academia, even repeating my senior year due to failing a language exam. That was when I realized academics might not be my true calling.
Sports, particularly cricket, taught me valuable lessons in sportsmanship and perseverance, and it was through cricket that I connected with people who shared my love for movies. During my break from school, I enrolled in an Animation & Visual Effects course and played cricket for a local club. That year shaped my future and solidified my passion for visual effects, though I still pursued a degree in Commerce to meet family expectations.
Living a conventional life, I realized I had to step off the predetermined path to follow my true passion - visual effects. I joined the New York Film Academy, excelling in the One Year Animation and VFX program and also gained practical experience at L.A. Castle Studio in Virtual Production and Visual Effects.
NYFA Alumni Network: What projects have you worked on since graduating?
P.C: Since graduating, I’ve worked in the film, TV, and advertising industries as a compositor. I started at PIXOMONDO, where I worked on projects like Lost in Space, Orville, Love and Death, Winning Time: Lakers Dynasty, Ghosted, and John Wick: Chapter 4. John Wick was my favorite project because it was my first feature film. After that, I moved to THE MILL, where I worked on commercials.
In 2023, I worked on Kia Telluride (Super Bowl), Corona, Hyundai, Pepsi, Lexus, Frito-Lay (Women’s World Cup), Mailchimp, California Lottery, Capital One, and Meta Quest. In 2024, I worked on Liberty Mutual, Google Android, Blue Bunny, Gatorade, Riot Console Launch Trailer, Meta Quest, Pepsi, and FX Network Alien trailer promotions.
NYFA Alumni Network: Out of all the projects you’ve worked on, do any stand out as your favorites?
P.C: It’s hard to choose just one project, but working on the Kia Super Bowl was one of the most exciting. I had switched from long-form projects to a fast-paced commercials industry, and it was a great experience. Another interesting project was the Alien social promotions project. It was fascinating how they had shot the film, and we had to combine a lot of different elements from different shoots.
NYFA Alumni Network: Tell us more about your work as a compositor at The Mill?
P.C: At The Mill, as a compositor, I had an incredibly enjoyable work environment. I was given a diverse range of projects to work on, including commercials, game cinematic, and trailers. This variety of projects allowed me to grow as a vfx artist by exposing me to different aspects of the pipeline.
While working at THE MILL, I had the privilege of working on the RIOT VALORANT game cinematic trailer. This trailer recently won the CICILOPE Bronze in Animation for Video Games for Riot’s ‘VALORANT’ Console Launch - 2024.
NYFA Alumni Network: What did you learn at NYFA that you apply to your work?
P.C: New York Film Academy (NYFA) played a pivotal role in shaping my career and defining my career aspirations. At NYFA, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the 3D Animation and visual effects pipeline. Although in the industry, one typically plays a specific role, having a thorough knowledge of the entire pipeline facilitates effective collaboration and coordination with the team.
NYFA Alumni Network: Do you have any advice for students interested in working in the film and/or animation industry?
P.C: Our industry can be slightly challenging to break into, but if you stay focused on developing your skills, an opportunity will surely arise. The industry encompasses various departments, from pre-production to post-production to the screen. I believe you’ll master one of these departments, but having a comprehensive understanding of the industry will enable you to work effectively in a team environment and be a problem solver at any stage.
NYFA congratulates Pujan all of his success!
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