True to its name, Lost Boys has had a truly remarkable journey. Starting as an award-winning visual effects studio in the 1990s, we transitioned into a boutique visual effects school in 2006 with a curriculum created from our real-world studio pipeline and Hollywood client expectations. At the time, this was an innovative approach that, not only impacted the local VFX industry with new, studio-ready talent but also hailed by the students, alumni and industry for our commitment in setting up grads for employment advancement.
Nineteen years later, much has evolved with the industry, its technology and expectations. The same holds true for our school.
Ria Ambrose, who managed the school and helped build the trusted brand, and who instigated the evolution to focused programs and was directly responsible for opening our second location in Montreal 7 years ago, has officially assumed the role as CEO and owner or both locations. With that come some fundamental transformations.
Campus VFX will move forward as one, cohesive brand with two viable Canadian locations.
“It was time for a change and for a few reasons” Ria says. I recently acquired full ownership of the businesses and felt it was time to move the school’s culture and mandate forward as technology and filmmaking are also evolving. Version 2.0 if you will. I was recently asked about our management and brand changes at the SIGGRAPH Asia. I cheekily said that “ we are not lost and not just for boys. We all had a good laugh but in essence, there is some truth to it.” – Ria Ambrose, CEO
“Our new logo, the Phoenix, symbolizes renewal and rebirth. It perfectly captures our school’s position and our vision for the future.”
In many ways, our values of providing each student with every opportunity to succeed in this business is still very much a part of Campus and will never change.
We know every student by name, and we support them as artists and as people. Our class sizes are deliberately small. That means timely and real feedback, real connection, and a real sense of community. Students grow alongside peers, who are just as passionate and committed, and our grads leave with not only a portfolio but with confidence, clarity, friendships and connections.
What has advanced is our mission? Over the past 5 years and post Covid, the industry and indeed the world, has changed. Campus VFX knows the future is constantly shifting and we are going to keep up with those changes, making new paths for students that reflect the globe so our curriculum won’t sit idle. Our mission is to ensure that Campus VFX aligns our students’ career with precision and purpose in all aspects of their careers.
Our online programs are live – check out options here.
“One thing we learned during Covid is it is possible to teach online while keeping lectures live and in real-time. Not everyone is able to move to Canada for the full in-house expereince. “ – Ria Ambrose
Another advancement in our ciriculum includes starting to incorporating AI tools
into our exisisting courses. In keeping true to our commitement to align student’s careers with purpose, Ria and her leadership team are actively seeking on how and when industry AI tools are utizlied and what it means for the VFX pipelines. Industry feedback confirmed
The best approach is augmenting our core foundational VFX skills with emerging AI techniques. Thus future-proofs our students while encouraging them to continually evolve from grads to professional and succesful VFX artists.
We’ve already, and with resounding excitement, brought back fireside chats called Voices of VFX; The Artists’ Expeirence. Every month we invite industry professionals to share their experience and journey; from their humble beginnings to veterans in VFX and film. Intimate chats include behind-the-scenes stories, breaking in to the industry and what its like working on blockbuster shows as well as Q&As.
We’ve proven that the combination of practical experience and education is a powerful approach and needs to evolve – just like VFX.
Our logo has changed but one thing that still holds true; our success story is a testament to the power of combining practical experience with education and an incredible amount of determination to always put the students first and we are taking it forward to the next decade.
We invite our alumni, studios, partners, and students to join us on this exciting journey.
*Campus VFX is officially doing business as “Lost Boys-Campus VFX” in British Columbia as it transitions and Campus VFX in Montreal.