The Matrix at 20: 'This movie inspired me' says Harry Potter VFX designer Davi Stein

Twenty years have passed since The Matrix made its way to screens and changed forever our perception not only of reality but of film. But how much has changed in the two decades since? If you ask Davi Stein, Head of Compositing (2D VFX) at Escape Studios, who teach students in the art of VFX, Game Art, Animation and Motion Graphics, she’ll say a lot.

Stein worked on the second and third Matrix movies, as well as many Harry Potter films and Batman.

“Before directors would look through their camera and would see the actor on the green screen.

“So it was hard to visualise, to see what is the environment that will be there.

“Nowadays they can put it on an iPad or VR goggles to some extent that allows them to pre-visualise where the basic set is.

“Also for an actor, it helps them to be able to relate to what is in their environment.”

For those in fear of the technology advancing so far that AI makes humans obsolete, Stein dismisses the notion.

“AI or machine learning will help us do the boring, repetitive stuff, the time-consuming tasks and this could free up time for the creative process itself.”

Though CGI is now seen as a make-or-break aspect of many movies, Stein credits longevity and success to the story and creative vision.

“It’s the story that brings a movie together. That’s where I hope the film industry keeps going, to keep telling strong stories and bring in more original stories.”

It isn’t only the technological landscape that is ever changing, but the work environment.

Though Stein sees a greater balance between genders in her classes, when she started there was a different expectation of women in film.

“I think back then a lot of people figured women should be producers; they’re organised, it’s that stereotype.

“I was organised too, but that was not something I was interested in.”

Since then, Stein says, the change has been drastic.

But there is still a way to go in terms of access and awareness about careers in the creative industry.

Research completed by Escape Studios found 42 percent of women aged 16-25 feel they weren’t made aware of opportunities available to them within the creative industries whilst in school (in comparison to 36% of males who feel the same way).

Stein herself does outreach work with Escape, encouraging and mentoring young people interested in careers in VFX.

But part of her outreach also involves educating parents, who may not see a career path in the creative industries as an option.

“There are so many different positions within visual effects, there’s 3D of course but there’s also colouring, and composite which is my department – bring it all together.”

Some people come to the field late, having first tried their hand at accounting or IT, which are good skills to have in a job that is both heavily technical and deeply creative.

For Stein, though, it was the creativity which drove her spark.

“The first Matrix, that was one of the early films in VFX that inspired and pushed me over that obstacle to go ‘yes, I want to do this’.

That film to me was very different in terms of visual effects; it wasn’t just things blowing up.

“And again it was the directors, the VFX supervisors, who were pushing that creative vision.

“I think those movies are the things that stand out, and the things that last.”