Kert Gartner, 2D Compositor

Update

Since this profile was produced, Kert has entered a new phase of his career.

In 2009, he joined New Media Manitoba as a training coordinator 

Wow, I worked on that!

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"Our work is meaningful in the fact in that millions and millions of people will go to see it. It's kind of humbling to think that something that we're slaving away on here in Winnipeg is actually going to be seen by everybody around the world.

"A lot of our projects are big, blockbuster movies and you go and see these things and it's like, "Wow, I worked on that!" So that's kind of cool."

Images from my workplace

Where I work

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"One of the things which makes Frantic interesting is it's the only high-end like post-production facility in Manitoba. There's not really any place between Calgary and Toronto that does the kind of thing that we do.

"We also produce a whole bunch of different television shows. There are other places in Manitoba that do that, but I don't think there are that many that do it at the level as we do here."

Editor's Note: The term "post-production" refers to the processing of a film or video, e.g. editing, after it is shot with a camera

Compositing

My job is as a compositor means that I get different elements from the different departments. Whether it's a live action film plate or a 3-D rendered element that we created, or if it's a shot that's got a blue screen in it, I replace the background.

I take the different elements and combine them together so it looks like they were filmed with a camera rather than spliced together with different pieces of footage.

Three departments

The company is bigger than it seems because it is divided into three main departments - Visual Effects, Live Action and Commercial. We try and treat them like three separate entities but there's always a bit of crossover.

As Frantic gets more and more projects, our staff can increase quite a bit in the course of a few weeks. When there are fewer projects, it goes back down. The number of employees goes in waves according to what's going on in all three divisions.

Young environment

Frantic's definitely a younger place to work; almost everybody is in their mid- to late twenties. We work in front of computers most of the day in an open space.

We work in groups of about 4 or 5 people so if something happens, we all get together to discuss what's going on, which is good.

The people in the 2-D department are great and some of them are absolutely hilarious so there's a lot of laughing. It's a very light-hearted work environment most of the time but it does get serious and sometimes a little stressful. But overall it's really good.

Tried and trusted technology

At Frantic, we use fairly recent computers. Generally we don't go for the latest and greatest because they are prone to error and not always reliable.

So we go with the tried and trusted. We have nice 24" monitors that are easy on the eyes.

Typical eighties kid

I had a good childhood, with a really supportive Mom and Dad. My childhood was just like any other eighties kid. I liked Transformers; I liked Lego.

I was a Nintendo kid and probably got to play it more than they may have liked. At one point I thought I'd even like to work for Nintendo.

Job fits personality

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"As a child is that I was very shy. It took me a long time to overcome that. This job goes kind of hand in hand with that to a degree. I can just sit in my own little zone every now and then and just put my headphones on and concentrate on what I'm doing.

"But then we have people working here that are the exact opposite."

Taking a break

In my time off I don't do much related to computers except maybe researching things I'm interested in. I spend so much time in front of them at work I like a break from computers now and then. Instead, I like spending time with my girlfriend, going to the lake and hanging out with my friends.

My girlfriend signed me up for an Ultimate Frisbee team over the summer and I really enjoyed it. I'm not much of a sports guy so she's trying to draw out the competitive side of me.

Travel bug

I love to travel. My girlfriend and I went to Europe last year for three weeks and that was wonderful. We plan to take more trips around Canada and abroad.

We look forward to when she completes her Education degree and becomes a teacher. She will have two months off a year. Hopefully I can arrange to have the same two months off so we can travel together.

No typical days

Our days are generally not very typical. They change all the time. Some days we may have two or three meetings. Other days I'll just be working all by myself.

Then there are days I'll be working with a group of people in from different areas. So it varies quite a bit, which is very nice.

Room for flexibility

Generally, it's a forty-five hour work week, but it's flexible. If we have to take some time off to go to the dentist or whatever, we can do that. If it's really slow, our supervisors usually send people home. But when we're in crunch time or when things are busy, we're expected to be there.

It's generally fast-paced around here. The pace gradually accelerates. If there's a deadline at the end of October, then I know September is going to be fairly crazy. By the end I'm stressed out, depending on how things go. Sometimes it goes so smoothly that the project is finished sooner than I expected.

Varying stress level

It's just like any other job with stressful and non-stressful days. Some days I'll get into work and everything will be just fine but then in the afternoon, something will happen. There will be a meeting where it is decided that everything has to change. Then, my stress level goes through the roof. But it all evens out in the end.

Not as easy as it looks

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"One of the greatest myths about working in films is that it's easy, that it all goes perfectly smoothly the first time. My preconception was when you're making a movie you have this vision and you know exactly what's it's going to look like.

"But a lot of the time it goes through many, many stages of evolution. Sometimes that's very frustrating and sometimes it's very helpful and makes everything better."

Long hours

We're doing a lot of hard work and there are long hours put into it, especially when we are doing things that have never been done before.

This business sometimes requires more from us than eight hour workdays, such as eighteen hour days, on occasion. Crunch times come in cycles and we've got to respond.

Half science, half art

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"For my job specifically, it would be nice to say that it's a hundred per cent artistic, but it really isn't. Compositing is a science as well as an art so you do need to know your math.

"The other half of it is having a good artistic background. From my personal viewpoint, I think having a good background in photography is good because you know how to compose a shot and you know how things look when they're actually shot through a lens."

Problem solving

Problem solving is a huge aspect of what I do every day because every single shot is completely different from the next and each one requires a different approach.

I have to use my problem-solving skills, especially on more difficult shots where it's a real patchwork.

I often take elements that were shot months apart with variable lighting and try to combine everything in a way that looks real.

Sometimes, there's a need to experiment because a director or supervisor may not exactly know what they want. Often, we have to brainstorm to come up with other solutions.

Working as a team

People skills are very important because we are always working as a team and very rarely on our own.

I will often be working on half a shot while somebody else is focused on another half. We're both aiming towards a goal so we need to cooperate.

We all get along very well so it makes doing that a lot easier.

Learning on the job

I am always learning on the job. When I first started at Frantic, I had never used Digital Fusion®, the compositing program that we use here. I had been using After Effects® all my life.

I just got dropped in and told I had to learn it. It was more or less ‘sink or swim'. Now that I've been using it for almost 4 years I really like it.

Simple & complicated

Our job can be as simple as removing something that was on set that shouldn't be, like a boom mic peeking into frame.

Or it can be as complicated as a completely computer generated environment with hundreds of different characters and elements.

With computer graphics there are no limits anymore. You can do anything. What we're doing here is unique and it involves a lot of work, but it is also a lot of fun. I find the challenge rewarding.

Well-rounded

This job requires a lot of problem solving so I need to be creative as well as artistic. I need to be able to adapt quickly.

It's important to have some basic mathematical skills too. I also need to be good at working with others. Basically, a job like this calls for a good, well-rounded person.

Teaching myself

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"In my case, my hobby became my line of work. I liked playing around on computers. I liked making graphics on computers and one thing led to another and kind of evolved into it.

"I find that at Frantic that the people who did this as a hobby and now do it as a job, are the best at it."

Humour & patience

I have a good sense of humour. If an individual doesn't have a good sense of humour, they probably won't last long in this industry.

I am also detail-oriented which helps when I have to spend a year and a half working on sixty frames of film.

Every little, tiny detail, every little pixel, is there for a reason and so I have to be conscious of that. It requires a lot of patience.

Cool accomplishment

Looking back at where I was before, I think my greatest accomplishment is gaining the skills to to this job. I've learned so much here.

If someone had told me four years ago that I would be doing these complicated shots today, I would have laughed. It's a pretty cool accomplishment to say I'm doing this kind of work.

Stay happy

I'm pretty happy right now and find my work fulfilling. Maybe one day I will make the logical progression and become a supervisor, but for now, I have fun at what I'm doing.

Keep learning

It's important to stay up-to-date on the latest software. It's also fun to do photography, taking refresher courses every now and then.

Photography is one of my hobbies, but it also applies to my job.

Helping Others

I volunteer with New Media Manitoba every now and then, teaching adults how to use programs like Photo Shop® or DVD Studio Pro®.

I like doing presentations that people find interesting. Maybe one day, I'll teach kids.

Advice for getting started

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"If you like making little videos in After Effects® or if you like playing around in Photo Shop® and doing things like that, just keep getting better at it. Give yourself a project and give yourself a goal and develop a demo reel.

"And then start showing it around and you never know when you might land a job somewhere."

Job market info

The links below take you to federal and regional government information on employment, education, salary ranges and long range prospects for this career.

The official title for Kert's occupation is "Graphic Arts Technician" and its NOC* code is 5223

Manitoba Job Futures

Who Hires - Manitoba Labour Market Information

*Each occupation has an official name and unique number called the 'National Occupation Classification' code or 'NOC'.

Education

Useful High School Subjects

- Math
- Computer-related courses
- Art

*Source: JobFutures.ca  

MB4Youth
New Media Master Classes
MindSet has partnered with the new media industry in Manitoba to develop over 100 young people. High school students submit samples from their new media portfolio to be judged by new media professionals who choose the most promising talents for 4-6 sessions with outstanding Manitoba professionals in new media. The program is run in Winnipeg, Brandon and locations in Northern Manitoba.

For those out of school, Adult Learning Centres can help you get or upgrade your high school diploma, including adding subjects that are required for work or further education. All Manitobans are normally entitled to 4 free courses.

After High School

Below are links to various programs and courses that will put you on the path to a career as a 2-D Compositor.

Red River College
Digital Multimedia Technology
3D Computer Graphics
Creative Communications

Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface
Communications Multimedia

Assiniboine Community College - Brandon
Media Production

Essential Skills

The most important Essential Skills* for Graphic Arts Technicians are:

- Computer skills
- Math skills
- Artistic skills
- Collaborative skills
- Decision making

*For more information on Essential Skills and their importance to this occupation, go to Essential Skills NOC 5223.

Professional resources

New Media Manitoba
Dedicated to providing networking, resources and training opportunities for Manitobans in Graphic Arts, New Media and Video Industry and provides space for new media professionals to discuss issues that are relevant to their areas of specialty and the industry in general

Manitoba Film and Sound Development Corporation

Manitoba Motion Picture Industries Association Inc.

Related careers

Graphic Designers and Illustrators (NOC 5241)

Audio and Video Recording Technicians (NOC 5225)

Film Editor (NOC 5131)