Fresh off the biggest day in his life, Film Production grad Dan West is convinced that awards mark the beginning, not the end, of a filmmaking career. At a May 29 awards ceremony, Dan was presented two Leo Awards , which honour British Columbia’s most talented figures in film and television.In recognition of his short film Alarium, Dan was awarded prizes for Best Student Production and Best Student Direction. “Receiving the Leo’s is a huge accomplishment, but I really only see this as the first step,” says Dan.

Dan’s film Alarium, completed at VFS in August 2003, is a tragic story of separation set during the Second World War. Actor John Cassini, who starred in Paycheck, and Catwoman , presented him with both awards.

Currently, Dan has several independent projects in motion, including another independent short film, a treatment for a television show, and a low budget feature film. “Winning the awards has really inspired me to get going on some independent projects,” he says.

Dan currently works for Bright Light Pictures , a leading production house in Vancouver . Bright Light has produced such films as White Noise , Try Seventeen , and Jiminy Glick , and Bloodrayne, a film based on a video game that is set in Europe .

Since being hired by Bright Light as a principal assistant to producers Shawn Williamson and Stephen Hegyes, Dan has been involved in over ten films. “The pace here is fast, which means I’m learning even faster,” says Dan. “Working at Bright Light has an abundance of benefits, but the experience of working with professionals is what really caps it all off. I’ve experienced so much in the past year, and the awards have only motivated me to do more.”

It’s been ten thousand years in the making. Ancient tales and Aboriginal myths passed orally from generation to generation, a living entity which has survived and thrived in the hearts, imaginations, and words of shared history. Until now. Raven Tales, co-developed by VFS alum Simon James, follows the humorous misadventures of Raven and his friends at the beginning of the world. It is the first computer animated film based on Northwest Coast Aboriginal tales, and the first such film to be produced by an all Aboriginal Canadian team.

James, a graduate of the Classical Animation program, is an internationally known artist, carver, and storyteller. He first began exploring the concept of bringing the past and the present together in his VFS student film, Dawn of Creation. “I’ve always wanted to bring the stories of my ancestors into the 21 st century,” says James, “and computer animation gives me that opportunity. I want people to see that native talent does not have to be limited to traditional arts, but can keep pace with the latest in technological innovation.”

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It’s been a busy week. In fact, it’s been a busy twenty-three years for Bob Grieve. As a Hollywood Sound Editor, Grieve is responsible for many memorable soundtracks, including hits such as The Big Chill, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Zoolander. For the past ten years, Grieve has run Sound Dogs, a sound design facility he started with partner Greg King. Known in Los Angeles for his ability to create evocative soundscapes, Grieve works with major studios including DreamWorks, Universal, Disney, Paramount, Sony, 20 th Century Fox, MGM, and Warner Brothers .So why did such a sought-after artist at the pinnacle of his profession decide to direct the VFS Sound Design department? From his LA studio (while working on the feature, After the Sunset, starring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, and directed by Brett Ratner), Grieve took a moment out of his 16-hour workday to discuss what inspired him to move into education. With Sound Dogs booming, Grieve was not exactly facing the typical uncertainties one might expect from someone on the cusp of a major career shift. He wasn’t looking for an alternative to what he had been doing, he wasn’t burned out. But when he heard about VFS and checked it out in person, something just clicked.

“As I explored the school, I became more and more enthusiastic about sharing and passing on to others what I have learned,” says Grieve. “And that’s one of the things I have enjoyed the most so far. I love talking to the students and helping them out.”

One thing Grieve feels strongest about imparting is the need equip students with the intellectual and practical knowledge to be versatile professionals. Sound design is a deeply creative field so vital to visual media - be it film or video games - that without it the screen experience would crumble instantaneously. And yet, sound designers operate entirely behind-the-scenes, and no matter their experience or status work at the mercy of producers and directors.

“Post-production sound is the last man on the totem pole,” says Grieve. “That’s just the nature of the beast. Big deadlines. Long hours. Day and Night. Nothing is more valuable than someone who can do any job, do it right, and do it fast. It’s hard work, but it’s a hugely exciting creative outlet, and it is richly rewarding.”

Having a department head who is so deeply embedded in the LA film world means that Sound Design students are able to learn directly from somebody who is not only talking about but is living the experience they are learning. For recent graduate Tracy Baylen, this is exactly what she appreciated about having Grieve as an instructor and mentor. “It was inspiring to watch him work. He knows so much and has so much experience that he intuitively knows what sounds good and what works with the picture,” says Tracy .

“I was amazed by his focus, patience, and willingness to help. And he really cares about passing knowledge to students and helping them be successful.”

For Grieve, who continues to divide his time between Vancouver and LA, the entry into education has been - by his own estimation - like stepping into a cold pool, one toe at a time. “I feel fortunate to have gotten involved during the Sound program’s formative years,” he says. “And I’m excited by the growth of the program and the quality of the graduates we are producing.”