Episode 14: Ambre Vanneste

Welcome to Behind the Pixels, an exclusive interview series that takes you on a captivating journey into the world of visual effects through the perspectives of our talented individuals. 

In this episode, we are joined by Ambre Vanneste, Crew Planner for UFX Studios. 

Hi Ambre! To get started, could you please briefly introduce yourself and describe your journey leading to your position at UFX Studios today?  

I studied film production at SAE Institute in Brussels, where I created my own website for promoting short films made by independent filmmakers. It’s called indie-clips.com, if you want to check it out! 

Then, I moved to London to pursue a Master’s degree in Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths. This experience abroad taught me a lot about building a career path, broadening my network, and establishing my strongest skills. 

I came back to Brussels and quickly got introduced to the world of VFX with my first job as VFX Coordinator at UFX Studios. I learned everything I know about post-production there, including the importance of strong planning in addition to a strong team. Today, I work at UFX Studios as a Crew Planner, managing the planning of our artists, supervisors and producers according to the projects’ needs. 

Could you explain your job in a few words and tell us what’s the most rewarding aspect of your role?  

As a Crew Planner, I am aware of all the ongoing and upcoming productions at the studio. Based on the scope of a project, I anticipate our staffing needs including production, supervision, CG, 2D, motion design and more. 

Every day, I am in contact with the studio’s wide network of artists, assigning our talents to the right missions in cooperation with our Head of Production and our Head of VFX. As the artists’ first point of contact when they come into our studio for a mission, it is very important and rewarding to me when the artists tell me they feel safe in a supportive environment and that they really appreciate our working conditions. 

What made you want to work in VFX and post-production? Is there a specific piece of art that has motivated you to pursue a career in VFX?  

I have always known that I wanted to pursue a career in film, and I still remember shooting my first « movies” with my friends at the age of 13 (where I learned that ketchup does not do the job for fake blood on camera, hahaha!). During my Bachelor, I was still aiming for a career in screenwriting or directing but I also found that I had strong organizational and communication skills, which ended up very useful for me and my classmates’ film sets, where I was often assistant director or producer. 

I am glad that today, my passion for film and production has combined into the role of Crew Planning at UFX Studios. Visual effects are a major element of a film, requiring both artistic and technical mastery – and let’s be honest: they’re usually one of the coolest elements of a film! 

What’s something your colleagues know you for?  

I always say I will beat every single one of my colleagues at Mario Kart yet end up losing terribly almost every single time we play. But when I eventually win, I will never stop bragging about it! 😉 

What’s an underrated movie or series everyone should watch?   

The horror movie « Bring Her Back » by Danni & Michael Philippou and produced by A24 was the greatest movie of 2025 for me 🙂 But somehow, it is less known than « Weapons » that came out the same year. 

I also want to mention the incredibly funny series “Derry Girls” written by Lisa McGee, which should be much more popular than it is! 

Is there a genre you are personally fond of? And what’s a niche reference that you would recommend?  

I am definitely a horror fan and also known for that at the office, actually! Horror is a wide genre that contains many sub-genres but I appreciate all of them. 

I think “The Descent” by Neil Marshall is an underrated movie of the genre, starring only women (and creepy cave creatures) – and a great example of a successful low-budget production.  

Is there an artist, filmmaker, designer, or creator whose work you admire? 

I am a fan of the best-selling author Stephen King and admire him for the immense contribution he has brought to the horror genre. I also admire his famous « hyper productivity », as he can write about 2000 words per day and put out multiple novellas and novels in a year. My favorite piece of advice that Stephen King gave to authors is to write without worrying about the plan of the story, that the story unfolds on its own.  

What movie have you watched more times than you’d like to admit?  

“La Folie des Grandeurs” by Gérard Oury, a French classic starring Louis de Funès that we have watched, rewatched and re-rewatched shamelessly with my family on any occasion! 

What excites you the most about the future of VFX and the creative industry?  

Lately, filmmakers under 30 years old have had massive successes such as Curry Barker, 26 years old, with “Obsession », which grossed 265 million at the box office and Kane Parsons, 20 years old, with his movie « Backrooms » that is already generating much online buzz on its first weeks out. These original concepts bring lots of hope for the future of young independent filmmakers, directly impacting our VFX industry. 

What advice do you wish you got earlier? And what advice would you give to someone interested in joining UFX Studios or pursuing a career in the VFX industry?  

I have realized through my experiences at UFX Studios and in other companies that wellbeing at the office is of major importance, and it starts with you: always saying hello to your colleagues in the morning, trying to develop connections with them at work, communicating when you are feeling overwhelmed and not being afraid to ask for help and give your help to others in need are very important for the health of a VFX studio. I think this advice also applies to other businesses, but it is even more relevant in the context of a visual effects company where creativity shines brightest when we support each other. 

Thank you, Ambre, for answering our questions and shedding light on your role as Crew Planner within the team!