Get to Know | Sujung

In this release, we are pleased to introduce Sujung Kwon, our Matchmove Lead at FOLKS Toronto. Sujung's expertise and team spirit have made her an indispensable member of the FOLKS team.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT FOLKS?
My job as a matchmover involves starting from the basics of generating CG scenes that match live-action footage. I also set up general guidelines and share necessary information such as camera specs, project targets and deadlines at the beginning of each project with fellow artists to ensure consistency throughout each project.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE FIELD OF VISUAL EFFECTS?
I attended Seneca College in Toronto for 3D animation, where I encountered matchmove for the first time in an animation class. As part of the curriculum, we were tasked with capturing live footage and overlaying a CG character animation onto it. I found the process of creating a 3D environment that aligns with a 2D image very fascinating. Consequently, I prioritized achieving the highest tracking quality over focusing on creating realistic movement for the CG character. To be honest, the result for either wasn't as great as I had hoped for!

WHICH ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING A CAREER IN THE VFX INDUSTRY?
Sometimes, being in the back end of the whole pipeline isn't that bad. While you might only see the tedious part of the tracking process, there are more enjoyable and satisfying aspects to the job that are often kept secret. I love that this field provides constant new learnings in diverse sections, from technical parts like scripting, to being more creative by doing full CG layouts, and to the part where I need to learn to collaborate with multiple programs such as Nuke, Houdini, and Maya to come up with the most efficient result. Lately, there have been concerns that AI tools are developing so rapidly that tracking will certainly be one of the tasks replaced, and while this is possible, I'm convinced that a human approach is needed in every project.

WHICH ONE OF YOUR COWORKERS INSPIRES YOU MOST AND WHY? 
Tricia Kim is my hero in the VFX industry. She's been my supervisor since I started out as a junior matchmove artist. She taught me every aspect of being a good matchmover, not only from a technical standpoint but also in considering how each shot may impact other departments and how to make their job easier. Having worked with her for almost over 8 years, I've never seen her lose her temper, at least not visibly! She's always calm and zen, and patiently answers my questions, no matter how simple or trivial.

OUTSIDE OF YOUR WORK IN THE VFX INDUSTRY, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES OR INTERESTS?
I love doodling in my spare time. I can sometimes sit in my chair for almost 16 hours a day, which is not exactly ideal for exercising. But when I'm not working or looking after my chickens and cats, it's doodling time!

YOUR FAVORITE SHOT?
This was a fun and challenging shot to work with, trying to create a smooth transition from the camera that works with the 2D plate to a full CG camera move with the 2D plate still attached to the flying-away CG helicopter.