Tell me a bit about yourself?

I cottoned on to computers at an early age. At that time, I really wanted to work in films and I was interested in special effects. Like many of my generation, films like Star Wars, Alien or Tron got me locked into my life's work. After studying science, I went towards photography. At the same time, developments in information technology allowed me to explore a new approach to images.

I've worked with Photoshop for a long time and, of course, with After Effects for my first animations. Anyway, I found a little 3D program that allowed you to make spheres, cubes and cones :) I was hooked immediately. I set myself up as a freelancer, using the company name Animea, in 1998 and I started working in advertising and idents for TV. I was contacted in 2001 to make 3D animations for a TV series called LivingStone about archaeological architecture.

What I find exciting is the fact that 3D opens you up to the world. Whatever the field of application, usually you can only build what you know, but building in 3D allows you to explore realms like anatomy, technology, history and architecture and before you know it you've enriched yourself enormously with knowledge.

How did you discover LightWave?

I first saw LightWave in the middle of the nineties, back when I was learning 3D by myself with ElectricImage and Strata 3D on the Mac. A colleague showed me version 5.6, which had just come out if I remember rightly. I was immediately hooked by the sober and professional look of the interface - I was already at the stage where I didn't like "gadgets" that, to me, got in the way between the user and the interface of a program. I also really liked the fact that LightWave worked in real-world dimensions, which allowed you to build what you imagined much easier.

When did you start using LightWave?

I was lucky enough to be chosen to make some animations for Futuroscope in Poitiers. That was the moment I chose to use LightWave, even if I only knew it superficially. It was a tricky time because I had to learn the package in record time, but everything went well and I've stayed with LightWave ever since.

What do you particularly like about LightWave?

The thing I like best about LightWave is the fact that I know it well! Okay, I'll expand on the subject. The philosophy behind Modeler is really very agreeable - thinking only in terms of vertex and polygon allows you to be closer to your object. It demands a bit more rigour in creation, but in the end it's a lot more satisfying. Even when I work on all aspects of a 3D production, the modelling stage is where the package fades most into the background, in respect of creation. The separation of the Layout and Modeler parts of the package implies a method of working that really suits me.

Layout is more technical, needs more tricks and a better knowledge of the whole package, but it's all made worthwhile with a fantastic render quality.