Nikki Atkinson

Nikki Atkinson

VFX Artist Specialising in Layout , Postvis & Previs

Supervisor Previs Artist / Senior Layout Artist / 16 yrs

London, United Kingdom

Hire Me

Stage Operator

The Flash (2023)

Postvis Artist

Matilda (2022)

Previs / Postvis Supervisor

The Matrix 4 (2021)

Previs Supervisor

Cruella (2021)

Postvis Artist

Tom and Jerry (2021)

Postvis Artist

Fate: The Winx Saga (2021)

Postvis Artist

Alien: Covenant (2021)

Previs Supervisor

The one and only Ivan (2020)

Postvis Supervisor

Robin Hood (2018)

Postvis Artist

Mowgli (2018)

Previs Artist

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

Postvis Artist

The Mummy (2017)

Postvis Artist

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

Postvis Artist

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Visual Effects Artist

Doomsday (2017)

Postvis Artist

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Previs Supervisor

The Crown (2016)

Layout Artist

The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

Layout Artist

Gods of Egypt (2015)

Layout Artist

Pan (2015)

Senior Layout Artist

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

Senior Layout Artist

Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

Environment Department

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Environment Artist

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Previs Artist

The Blacklist (2013)

Layout Technical Director

Man of Steel (2013)

Digital Effects Crew

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Digital Artist

World War Z (2013)

Layout TD

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Layout Artist

John Carter (2012)

3D Animator

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Visual Effects Artist

Robin Hood (2010) (2010)

Roto Animation

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)

Matchmove Artist

10,000 BC (2008)

Matchmover

In Bruges (2008)

Matchmoving

Cloverfield (2008)

Matchmover

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Freelance 3D Artist from London specialising in Postvis, Previs and Layout. I work through my limited company Silver Studios VFX.

IMDb Credits
https://uk.imdb.com/name/nm2676336/

My background spans both film and commercials having worked for numerous VFX companies such as Weta Digital, The Moving Picture Company, Double Negative and Cinesite. Credits include films such as The Hobbit, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Man of Steel, Iron Man, John Carter and Harry Potter.

I also had the opportunity to work with high profile clients such as Santander, Nike, Comfort and Orangina within The Mill’s London Commercials Team as a 3D Generalist using both Maya & XSI.

I have teaching experience, having taught 3D to University students at Chiang Mai University, Thailand as part of a British Council initiative. I have also worked as a Maya demonstrator for Character Animation students at Kingston University, UK.

I am a graduate of the BA Computer Visualisation & Animation from the NCCA at Bournemouth University UK. I achieved a Postgraduate Diploma in Character Animation from University of the Arts, London in 2008.
Work History

  • Previs and Postvis Supervisor/Artist

    Silver Studios VFX

    April 2017 - April 2020
    London, United Kingdom

  • freelance previs artist

    MPC

    February 2017 - March 2017

  • postvis artist

    Freelance

    June 2016 - July 2016

  • Previs and PostVis Artist

    The Third Floor

    July 2015 - June 2016
    London

  • Senior Layout Artist

    Rising Sun Pictures

    December 2014 - May 2015
    Adelaide Area, Australia

    Senior layout and previs role across three films in production.

  • Senior Layout Artist

    MPC

    July 2014 - December 2014
    London, United Kingdom

    Senior Layout Artist on Exodus and briefly The Jungle Book

  • Environment Artist

    Wētā FX

    December 2013 - June 2014
    Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

    Joining the Environments team for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, I focused on overgrown vegetation, ivy generation and set dressing.
    Layout/Environment artist on The Hobbit Extended Edition DVD Mirkwood sequence.

  • Layout Technical Director

    Wētā FX

    May 2012 - December 2013
    Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

    Set dressing, camera/environment layout, previs asset modelling/texturing for The Hobbit, Superman Man of Steel and Ironman 3.

  • Layout Artist

    MPC

    January 2012 - May 2012

    Worked as a layout artist using a combination of mocap, proprietary crowd software and hand keyed animation to layout and previs scenes for the film 'World War Z.'

  • Layout Artist

    Cinesite

    March 2011 - January 2012

    Layout Artist on Andrew Stanton's latest film John Carter.

    My role involved set dressing, scene optimization, initial animation for the animation team and setting up scenes for the lighting team.

    The role required a high level of organisation and communication with team members across all departments, including direct interaction with VFX supervisors.

  • 3D Generalist

    The Mill

    January 2010 - March 2011
    London, United Kingdom

    3D Artist at Oscar award winning studio. Projects undertaken in both Autodesk Maya and Softimage XSI for commercial clients such as Orangina, Santander, Nike and Comfort.
    Roles undertaken include animation, layout/previz, matchmove, modelling, texturing, rendering.

  • 3D Animator

    MPC

    September 2009 - January 2010
    London, United Kingdom

    Animation role, animating characters to exactly match backplates for use in cg limb replacements.
    Filmography: Robin Hood, Clash of The Titans, Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief

  • Freelance: Castrol Commercial

    The Mill

    June 2009 - June 2009
    London, United Kingdom

    3D Tracking and texturing for Massive characters for use in stadium crowds for a commercial for Castrol oil.

  • Animation Teaching Residency at Chiang Mai University

    British Council

    November 2008 - April 2009
    Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Taught Computer Animation to 3rd Year University Students at the College of Arts & Media Technology, along with 7other UK animation graduates.
    I taught the students all areas of animation with Maya, specialising in character animation and design, modelling and camera tracking using Synth Eyes. I was also a consultant for their group projects, providing support and critique of their work.
    I also had the opportunity to work on a personal project with student involvement.
    I travelled around South East Asia for 2 months after the residency finished.

  • Maya Demonstrator: Character Animation Modules

    Kingston University

    January 2008 - June 2008
    London, United Kingdom

    Temporary assistant (whilst studying) to university level students working through online tutorials of Computer Animation software (Maya). I also gave students advice about their projects and listened to any general questions/worries they had about their assignments.

  • Matchmover

    Double Negative

    November 2006 - October 2007
    London, United Kingdom

    Camera tracking for numerous films including:

    Harry Potter & The Order of The Phoenix
    The Bourne Ultimatum
    10 000 BC
    Doomsday
    In Bruges
    Cloverfield
View All Positions
Education

  • Central St Martins College of Art & Design

    2007 - 2008

  • Double negative

    2006 - 2007

  • Bournemouth University

    2003 - 2006

  • Stanmore College

    2003 - 2003