VFS grads unite in District 9: How Vancouver Film School alumni made a mark on the hit film

Neill Blomkamp, director of the Oscar-nominated sci-fi thriller District 9, got his start at Vancouver Film School. That's not all: much of the talent behind District 9 originates at VFS, including co-writer and Best Adapted Screenplay nominee Terri Tatchell, Visual Effects Executive Producer Shawn Walsh, and dozens of members of District 9's visual effects team – all of whom share a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Visual Effects.

At VFS, we're thrilled and proud to see their success. Read on to find out more about District 9 and our graduates, watch video interviews featuring some of these talented artists, and see examples of their student reels!

From the VFS Blog

See also:
3D Grad Neill Blomkamp Interviewed on CBC's The Hour (May 2010)
VFS Grad Blomkamp One of TIME's Most Influential (April 2010)
Terri Tatchell Talks to VFS (January 2010)
Oscar Nominations for District 9! (January 2010)
District 9 Gets Golden Globe Nom, DVD Release (December 2009)
The Heart in Darkness: Co-Writing 'District 9' (October 2009)
District 9: Bonus Round! (August 2009)
A Word from Neill Blomkamp (August 2009)
A Neill Blomkamp Primer: VFS to District 9 (August 2009)
You Are Now Entering District 9 (August 2009)
What Is District 9? (October 2008)

Watch some of the visual effects crew behind District 9 discuss the film

Vancouver Film School graduates look back at developing the Oscar-nominated visual effects and screenplay for District 9.

Alumni Credits

Neill Blomkamp (Graduated 1998) - Director & Co-Writer
Terri Tatchell (2001) - Co-Writer
Shawn Walsh (1997) - Visual Effects Executive Producer
James Stewart (1997) - Creature Supervisor
Robert Bourgeault (1997) - Lighting Lead
Derek Stevenson (1998) - Matchmove Lead
Brett Ineson (1996) - Motion Capture Supervisor
Christopher Ahrens (2006) - Lighting Artist
Geeta Basantani (2001) - Senior Compositor
Peter Benson (1999) - Motion Capture Actor
Jelmer Boskma (2006) - Modeler
Freddy Chavez (2005) - Visual Effects Compositor
Dominic Cheung (2005) - Lighting Technical Director
Paul Copeland (2005) - Visual Effects Artist
Anthony Di Ninno (2006) - Animator
Ian Fenton (2001) - Compositor
Brian Harder (2000) - Creature Rigger
Nathaniel Holroyd (2007) - VFX Coordinator
Bernhard Huber (2006) - Effects Animator
Steve Johnston (2006) - Render Wrangler
Patrick Kalyn (2001) - Animator
Bernhard Kimbacher (2007) - Visual Effects Data Coordinator & Compositor
Julianna Kolakis (2006) - Creature Texture Painter
Veronica Marino (2006) - Compositor
Adam Marisett (2005) - Visual Effects Artist
James McPhail (2007) - Visual Effects Technical Director
Nikolai Michaleski (1997) - Compositor
Jacob Miller (2006) - Matchmove Artist
Francisco Moncayo Moreno (2007) - Digital Effects Artist
Brendon Morfitt (2004) - Digital Artist
Fernando Pazos (1996) - Animator
Dan Prentice (2004) - CG Artist
Mike Rhone (1999) - Visual Effects Artist
Cesar Rodriguez Bautista (2006) - Digital Paint & Roto Artist
Cynthia Rodriguez del Castillo (2007) - Digital Paint & Roto Artist
Marc Roth (1997) - Visual Effects Artist
Ben Burden Smith (1999) - Motion Capture First AD
Richard Sur (2006) - Lighting Technical Director
Anna Tonrungroj (2008) - Digital Compositor
Grant Wilson (1991) - Animator
Joey Wilson (2005) - Modeler
Samson Wong (2007) - Matchmove Artist

See the VFS Student Reels

Watch a selection of reels created by some of the District 9 visual effects team while they were students at Vancouver Film School.