Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Gray.
Hi Patrick, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m originally from Montreal, Canada. Art and design have always interested me. I found my way through art school and later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Design. At the same time, something else was emerging that caught my attention: computer graphics. I was hooked from the beginning and was one of the first to use CAD to create architectural imagery. That was how I started. From then on, I essentially evolved with technology, never stopped learning. It was a fascinating journey, to say the least, filled with sweat and tears.
Career-wise, I was involved in several feature films in the early 2000s; the first Fantastic Four was one of the big projects, along with many dinosaur-related shows for the Discovery Channel. As we all know, dinosaurs are a major aspect of computer graphics (hello Jurrassic Park) so I jumped on the bandwagon, proposing my own project to the network, which was greenlit in 2006 for two episodes. The two-episode TV series was called Dinolab.
After enduring too many harsh winters in the north, I had opportunities to work in the US. That’s where VoyageDallas comes in. I moved here to help establish a CG department for commercials at ReelFX Creative Studios. We built a team of incredibly talented people and worked on some national and global commercials. I was also involved in the animated feature films ReelFX created, such as The Book of Life.
Now, I am a full-time freelancer, still working on commercials occasionally, but also engaging in a wide range of projects: from medical, engineering, automotive, and beyond.
I continue to learn something new every day.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not, my industry is as chaotic as it gets, from Studios shutting down without warning to mass layoffs. Hollywood didn’t help much. The creative pipeline is not a straightforward A to B path; it involves numerous checkpoints. It’s survival of the fittest.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in 3D computer graphics and was at the forefront of photorealism, once the industry’s holy grail. Today, it’s often hard to tell what’s real from what isn’t, but twenty years ago that was a real challenge.
I’m a generalist, and that’s what sets me apart from many 3D artists. There’s nothing wrong with specializing, but I chose to learn most aspects of computer graphics. I can take on a project from start to finish.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Nothing specific, but I would say working on projects that most people have seen or heard of, It’s a nice business card to have.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vizmate.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgray/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vizmate
Image Credits
Discovery Networks/RayonFX
Charlie Uniform Tango
ReelFX Creative Studios
Meteor Studios
31,000 ft Agency
