Serdar Simga

Work History

• 

  Founder, Ceo, VFX Supervisor/ VFX Consultant and Senior Digital Matte

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  February 2004 - Present

  After completing a Masters Degree in Fine Arts-Painting, Serdar started out in his career in 1996 working for Pictor (one of the countries leading digital photo libraries), developing concept ideas and creating and correcting photographic images using 2D and 3D digital imaging techniques. He went on work for both Fosters and Partners and then Pod Productions Architects and Designers where he set up the Digital Environment and Visualisation Department. In the midst of this, Serdar completed a second Masters Degree, this time in Computer Animation and Visual Effects at Bournemouth University.
  
  Serdar made a leap across from architecture and into visual effects, spending the next eight years working as a Freelance Senior Digital Matte Painter/Digital Environment Specialist at all of the major London Visual Effects Facilities (Hensons, Framestore CFC, Senate, Moving Picture Company and Double Negative) resulting in a credit list to be proud of.
  Serdar’s collaboration with production companies allowed him the flexibility to be hands on supervisor, being involved from pre-production through to post production, whilst still being able to matte paint himself as part of the team. Recently Serdar has supervised productions such as “ Conan The Barbarian", "The Devil’s Whore ”, “ The Take ” and “ The Palace ”.
• 

  CEO \ Creative director

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  January 2004 - Present

  London, United Kingdom

  “Digital Matte Painting Facility”
  
  Virtual Mattes is a successful Digital Matte Painting Company with a friendly and personal service, at the cutting edge of the visual effects industry. Since 2004 our industry-leading skills for 2D/3D matte painting and traditional compositing are helping broadcast and film industries to visualise their ideas through pre-production to post-production.
  
  Virtual Mattes specialise in Digital Matte Painting / Digital environments / Set extensions and offers a full spectrum of visual effects services. As consultants and hands-on senior artists, we work with directors and creative departments to develop and achieve their vision with solutions that remain within the production's budget. Any project, large and small, we work towards tight deadlines and budget constraints, with our solid commitment and friendly approach.
  
  Our involvement with your projects can range from as early as Consultancy, Pre-production, Shot / Concept Design to VFX Supervision, 2D/3D Digital Matte Paintings to managing full-scale productions.
  
  Virtual Mattes is dedicated to producing "invisible" visual effects for feature films and broadcast media and delivers a tailored made personal, cost effective post production services to all its clients.
  
  m: +44(0)7946530516
  @: studio@virtualmattes.com
  Skype: Hello VM Studios
  
  Website: www.virtualmattes.com
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Lola Post Production

  April 2022 - February 2023

  London, England, United Kingdom
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Lola Post Production

  May 2021 - August 2021

  London, England, United Kingdom

  " Britannia season 3 "
  Virtual Mattes produced concept art and matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lola Post.
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Nexus Studios

  December 2019 - January 2020

  London, United Kingdom

  Worked on the latest Honda commercial as a senior matte painter
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Umedia

  November 2019 - November 2019

  Brussels Area, Belgium

  ' Polly ' French movie.
• 

  Senior Matte Painter / Shot look Developer

  Bad wolf

  October 2019 - October 2019

  Cardiff Pinewood

  'Discovery Of Witches' Sky TV series
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Lola Post Production

  October 2019 - October 2019

  London, United Kingdom

  'Christmas Carol' BBC TV series

• Senior Matte Painter

  LIPSYNC POST + Virtual Mattes

  July 2019 - July 2019

  "Harlots" Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lipsync VFX London

• Senior Matte Painter

  LIPSYNC POST + Virtual Mattes

  July 2019 - July 2019

  "Postcard Killings" Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lipsync VFX London
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Lola Post Production

  July 2019 - July 2019

  Giri/Hiji TV series
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Lola Post Production

  April 2019 - July 2019

  " Britannia season 2 "
  Virtual Mattes produced concept art and matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lola VFX.
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Lipsync Post

  February 2019 - March 2019

  London, United Kingdom

  "Horrible Histories" Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lipsync VFX London.
• 

  Matte Painting Supervisor

  Windmill Lane

  August 2018 - October 2018

  London and Dublin

  " Sonja " Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Windmill Lane VFX Dublin.
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Lipsync Post

  May 2018 - June 2018

  " The boy Who Harnest The Wind " Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lipsync VFX
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Lipsync Post

  May 2018 - May 2018

  " Hurricane " Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lipsync VFX
• 

  Snr Matte Painter Head of DMP

  Lipsync Post

  April 2018 - May 2018

  " Harlots " Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lipsync VFX
• 

  Matte Painting Supervisor

  Lipsync Post

  March 2018 - March 2018

  " The boy Who Harnessed The Wind " Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lipsync VFX London.
• 

  Matte Painting Supervisor

  Lipsync Post

  March 2018 - March 2018

  " Vita And Virginia " Virtual Mattes produced concept art and the matte paintings for the project while collaborating closely with Lipsync VFX
• 

  VFX Supervisor

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  July 2017 - December 2017

  VFX Supervisor on set / off set
  July 2017 - December 2017 (6 months)
  " Fatih TV series " VFX Supervisor on set and off set for the series in Turkey.
• 

  DMP Producer

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  November 2017 - November 2017

  London, United Kingdom

  " Woman In White " Virtual Mattes' collaboration with the Squint VFX produced two matte painting establishers for the series.
• 

  DMP Producer

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  September 2017 - September 2017

  London, United Kingdom

  " Frankenstein " Series. Virtual Mattes' collaboration with the Squint VFX produced two matte painting establishers for the series.
• 

  Snr Matte Painter Head of DMP

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  March 2017 - April 2017

  London, United Kingdom

  "The Crown" Collaboration with One Of Us for their digital environment needs.
• 

  Matte Painting Supervior

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  March 2017 - April 2017

  London, United Kingdom

  "Year Million"
• 

  Matte Painting Supervisor

  Lipsync Post

  January 2017 - March 2017

  London, United Kingdom

  "Steel Country"
  Virtual Mattes produced six large establishing Digital Matte Paintings for " Steel Country" a feature film directed by Simon Fellows.
• 

  VFX Supervisor and Head of VFX and Digital Matte Painting Department

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  August 2015 - October 2016

  London, United Kingdom - Amman,Jordan

  "Malik" 30 episodical, historical TV drama, collaborating with Arab Telemedia Group at Jordan/Amman as an onset and in-house VFX supervisor and acting head of Digital Matte painting and digital environment dept.
• 

  Director/Senior Matte Painter

  Lipsync Post

  March 2014 - February 2015

  Olympus TV series for Syfy Channel
  Lead Matte Painter and Concept artist for 2D and 2.5D Matte Paintings/Environments for the show.
  Closely working with director Nick Willing to visualize his ideas for the digital environments for the series.
• 

  Lead Matte Painter

  Lipsync Post

  2014 - 2015
• 

  Matte Painting Supervisor

  Lipsync Post

  September 2014 - November 2014

  "The Anomaly"
  Virtual Mattes's produced the full set of matte paintings for the entire project
• 

  Matte Painter Supervisor

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  July 2014 - September 2014

  London, United Kingdom

  "A Little Chaos" Virtual Mattes has produced the full set of matte paintings for the entire project
• 

  VFX Supervisor, Matte Painting Supervisor

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  February 2013 - April 2013

  London, United Kingdom

  "Yonderland"
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  April 2012 - April 2012

  London, United Kingdom

  "Grabbers"
• 

  Matte Painting Supervisor-Head of Department at

  Worldwide FX

  January 2011 - May 2011

  "Conan The Barbarian" 3D movie.
  Digital Environments and Digital Matte Painting Supervisor
  Head of Matte Painting Department
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  February 2011 - March 2011

  London, United Kingdom

  "Dr Who"
  
• 

  Senior Matte Painter

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  April 2010 - May 2010

  London, United Kingdom

  "Iron Clad"
  
• 

  Head of Matte Painting

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  February 2010 - May 2010

  London, United Kingdom

  "King's Speech"
  Head of Matte Painting
  
• 

  VFX Supervisor/Senior Matte Painter

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  February 2010 - April 2010

  "King's Speech"
  Lead Matte Painter
  Collaboration with Molinare, VM worked on the film project "King's Speech".
• 

  Virtual Mattes-CEO/Senior Matte Painter

  Passion Pictures

  2010 - 2010
• 

  VFX Shot Supervisor/Senior Matte Painter

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  October 2009 - November 2009

  London, United Kingdom

  "Nine"
• 

  VFX Supervisor/Senior Matte Painter

  Virtual Mattes Ltd

  March 2009 - March 2009

  “The Take”
  VFX supervision on set at Ireland.
  Sky / HBO productions.Four part TV drama.

• VFX supervisor / Head of post production - matte painting

  Virtual Mattes collaboration with Company Pictures and Bluff

  March 2008 - November 2008

  “The Devils Whore”
  VFx Supervision on set.Head of Matte Painting Dept.
  HBO / Channel 4 / Company Pictures
  Four part Award winning TV drama.
  Spend three and a half months as a VFX supervisor on set at South Africa.
  Coming back to London,looked after the whole post production and produced digital matte paintings for all the episodes.

• Creative advisor and lead digial matte painter

  Virttual Mattes collaboration with Absolute Post

  April 2008 - May 2008

  “Samsung Technologies "
  UK and Europe broadcast and print campaign
  Creative and Lead Matte Painter
  Worked on the project as a creative adviser and lead digital matte painter for design and the post production of the TV commercial as well as the billboard size posters.

• VFX supervisor / Head of post production - matte painting

  Virtual Mattes collaboration with Company Picture and Bluff

  June 2007 - November 2007

  “ The Palace ”
  VFX supervision on set, Lead Matte Painter
  ITV production.
  Eight part TV series
  Three and a half months as a VFX supervisor on set at Lithuania.
  Coming back to London, three and a half months supervised the post production, as well as lead the digital environments/matte painting team.

• Lead matte painter

  Virtual Mattes Ltd collaboration with Clark Associates

  May 2007 - July 2007

  "Man On Wire" - Oscar winning documentary
  Lead Matte Painter
  Lead and advised the creation of digital environments/matte paintings.
  Sequences employs various photo realistic matte painting techniques, using Photoshop and 2.5D Maya projections.
• 

  Senior digital matte painter

  Prime Focus World

  February 2007 - May 2007

  "28 Weeks Later"
• 

  Senior matte painter

  Double Negative

  June 2006 - February 2007

  London, United Kingdom

  "World Trade Centre"
  "Star Dust"
  "Magic Flute"
• 

  Senior matte painter

  MPC

  September 2004 - June 2006

  London, United Kingdom

  "Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire"
  "X Men The Last Stand"
  "Kingdom of Heaven"
  "Storm-breaker"
  "Sixty Six"
  Matte Painter
  Sequences employs various matte painting techniques, using photo realistic Photoshop and 2.5D Maya projections.
  Kingdom of heaven
• 

  Supervisor/ Lead matte painter

  The Senate Visual Effects

  May 2003 - October 2004

  London, United Kingdom

  "The Rome"
  Award winning HBO / Channel 4 - TV series
  
• 

  Matte painter/environment artist

  Framestore

  September 2002 - May 2003

  London, United Kingdom

  "Thunderbirds"
  
• 

  Digital matte painter

  The Jim Henson Creature Shop

  July 2001 - September 2002

  "Lara Croft Tomb Rider - Cradle Of Life"
  "Around the world in 80 Days"
  
  

• Head of 2d/3d visualisation-matte painting at Pod Production

  Pod Productions

  May 2000 - July 2001

  London, United Kingdom

  Head Of Digital Environments
  Set up a VFX and pre-visualisation department for the company.
  
• 

  Digital matte painter

  MPC

  February 2001 - March 2001

  London, United Kingdom

  Mike Basset. Creating 2D Matte paintings of late Wembley Stadium.
• 

  2d/3d matte painter- visualisation specialist

  Foster and Partners

  July 1999 - April 2000

  After finishing the Master's Degree by their request, I returned to Foster and Partners to help them with their VFX and Post production needs.
  Some of the projects worked on Re-pedestrianisation of Trafalgar Square, British Museum, HSBC HQ, New Wembley Stadium and various other projects and more.
• 

  Visualisation specialist / matte painter

  Foster and Partners

  September 1997 - August 1998

  London, United Kingdom

  I worked closely with architects in order to create photo-realistic architectural visuals of their vision.
  This process involved in with enhancing/retouching images liaising with architects working to verbal and printed briefs.
  Some of the projects worked on as follows:
  Hong Kong airport, Stansted Airport, BT HQ in Sydney, Holborn Place, Wembley Stadium, Cisco Co. building, pedestrianising of Trafalgar Square and various other highbrow projects.

• Digital artist/ photo re toucher

  Pictor International

  March 1996 - August 1997

  One of the leading photo library in London.
  Worked as a Digital creative and touch up artist, developing concept ideas and bring in them to life.
• 

  MPC

  ? - Present