I trained as a graphic designer, then took a bit of a long-winded route into doing motion graphics. I wanted to learn more so started to do more live action and filming real people, as well as animation and editing. It’s important to keep progressing.

I had to teach myself – it’s a mix of trial and error, speaking to people and, of course, the internet.  Video Co-Pilot is pretty much a Bible for anyone wanting to do compositing, in the post-production world.  It’s run by this man who does tutorials and has a really helpful blog.

I came in to do some freelance work for Agile Films and, because they saw I was quite self-motivated, they offered me a space to work from – so that’s what I call my studio. 

I use a Power Mac G5with the Adobe Creative Suite on it. I pretty much live within that. My computer, bless him, works very hard and I try and keep him cool, as much as possible. So I gave him a fan and stuck a picture of LL COOL J on him.

I buy books – like Catflexing – as inspiration. On a Monday I tend to spend the morning trawling the internet, then I get a little idea and go on eBay or Amazon to see if there’s a book about it. And there almost always is. I bought Buttocks and Breasts because I wanted to superimpose my head on all the models.

Working in video means a lot of rendering time. If I can’t get to go outside, I pretend to myself that I am outside. The wait depends on how bulky the video is – if you’re doing After Effects stuff, which has many layers, it can be a few hours for a three-minute video. Now I’ve got a bike I also spend that time cycling down to galleries – I love the Wellcome Collection.

I use manual sketchbooks for quick doodles, ideas and stories. But, more often than not, I mock-up ideas with digital sketchbooks – video messages, photos and “bad” Photoshop.

It’s great when I’ve got time to pursue self-initiated projects because it means I can try out ideas, visual effects and post-effects. To be honest, that mainly consists of filming myself – hopefully in make-up and fun costume. Agile have a meeting room that doubles as a small studio, with all the equipment on hand. I also have a secret cupboard of props, ready for fun times. 

My advice for people wanting to work in post-production is stay persistent and headstrong. And always say yes.

To find out more about Zac’s work visit his website and the Agile Films site.

For more articles, jobs and opportunities, visit our film hub.