Autodesk honors next generation of filmmakers with the VES Student Award

This year’s student nominees showcased an incredible range of creativity, from dystopian landscapes and magical dreamscapes to powerful narratives exploring the real-world impact of climate change. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, these teams demonstrated remarkable adaptability, producing high-quality VFX and animated projects using remote and hybrid workflows.

While only one team could take home the award, every entry deserves recognition for their immersive world-building, emotional depth, and artistic excellence. Their work not only demonstrates technical skill but also a deep understanding of storytelling and visual communication.

My colleague, Eric Bourque, Vice President of Engineering at Autodesk, presented this year’s VES Student Award to Camille Poiriez, Arielle Cohen, Eloïse Thibaut, Louis Florean, and Theo Fratissier from ARTFX Montpellier for their film “Green.”

“Green” is a photorealistic animated short that tells the story of a real-life orangutan named Green, highlighting the fragility of nature and the urgent threat of climate change. The film takes viewers on a journey through the lush jungles of Indonesia, following Green as her habitat is devastated by a catastrophic event.

I recently had the chance to speak with Camille about the making of “Green,” and here are some key insights from our conversation.

Where did you draw inspiration for the film?

The idea came from a documentary about Green, an orangutan from Indonesia, created by French filmmaker Patrick Rouxel. We were deeply moved by the story and wanted to create an animated short that would highlight the issue of biodiversity loss due to deforestation and climate change. Our goal was to make the film feel like a documentary, with realistic visuals that immerse the viewer in the story and bring the urgency of the crisis to life.

Can you discuss your process for character design and animation?

Eloïse Thibaut, our character artist, used detailed references of real orangutans to ensure Green looked as lifelike as possible. She focused on creating a 3D model with realistic textures and fur. While we considered motion capture, we ultimately chose hand animation to maintain control over the details. Theo Fratissier, our animator, used video footage of an orangutan at a Paris zoo to capture the subtle expressions and movements that made Green feel authentic.

How did you create the environments?

We designed two contrasting environments to reflect the emotional arc of the story. The first was a vibrant, lush jungle filled with soft lighting and warm colors, meant to evoke a sense of peace and beauty. To achieve this, we combined 3D animation with real footage of plants. The second environment was darker and more chaotic, using grayscale tones and fire to convey the destruction and fear Green faces. The final scene, where Green looks directly at the camera, serves as a powerful emotional climax.

What creative tools did you use in your production workflow?

We relied heavily on industry-standard tools such as Maya for rigging, animation, and layout, and Arnold for rendering. Arnold was especially crucial because it allowed us to render the intricate details of Green’s skin and fur with exceptional realism.

What were the biggest challenges you faced during production?

The main challenge was conveying the film’s message effectively—making audiences reflect on the impact of climate change on wildlife. We achieved this by focusing on photorealism and using detailed references for everything from lighting to character movement. The final scene, where Green meets the viewer’s gaze, became the emotional core of the film.

Learn more about “Green,” the VES Student Award-winning film, here.

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