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:
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)
Mindblowing New District 9 Trailer (July 2009)
Composing a Solid Foundation (April 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.