Meet the Team: VFX department

Welcome, Tamers, to the first-ever in-depth Meet the Team, where you get to know more about the devs working on Temtem and Temtem: Swarm! We plan to hold these little segments from time to time, so everyone can become more familiar with the Crema devs, and get to see the people they are behind the game.

On this occasion we sit with the VFX team, which consists of Kees Klop, Alberto Abanses, and Mario Belén, to chat about their day to day, their favorite work of theirs, their road in Crema, and some quirky questions so we can get a deeper look into who they are. Let’s begin!

Kees Klop

 

• Tell us a bit about yourself and your background! How long have you been at Crema? Have you worked in a similar role before?

Hi everyone! My name is Kees. 26 years old and Lead VFX Artist at Crema.
I started my gamedev journey somewhere around 2014 with a Game Artist degree in Amsterdam. During the first 2 years I learned the basics when it comes to creating games, but as time went on I got more and more interested in VFX, so I decided to learn that myself during my free time. Eventually I was an intern for a handful of studios where I first experienced working as an 2D Animator and VFX Artist for games such as WhatTheHen and LethalLeague Blaze.

In 2018/2019 I got my first full time job, which was something that I wanted to achieve since I started learning VFX in my free time. Unfortunately, due to budget reasons my contract couldn’t be renewed, so I was looking for a new opportunity. This happened during the beginning of Covid, so it was extra hard to decide what I wanted to do. During that time Crema was actually looking for a new VFX Artist, which got me interested. After some interviews I decided to move to Spain for the first half year to get to know the team, and to learn how to work with the Temtem project!
And now 3 years later I’m still enjoying every single day working remotely from the Netherlands with this wonderful team on a super fun project!

 

• What were your goals when you joined Crema? Have they changed with time, or do they remain?

Three things that were very important to me when I joined Crema. and currently after 3 years still are: creative freedom, to keep improving and my mental health.

Creative freedom is very important to me and Crema gives us that a lot, which creates a nice workflow because we also know how the Temtem tools work and what we can do with them! 

I always try to aim for the best possible effect in the context of the project we’re working on! And for Temtem this made way for new possibilities, which was pretty challenging but we learned a lot out of it! Due to trying out all kinds of different ideas we made techniques such as Outgrowth, Horror and Nightmare Feed a reality!

Crema has a wonderful work environment, and the way each and every person works on their craft is amazing to see and experience! Game development is a very creative profession, so mental health and feeling good is very important to me.
But each day I wake up with the feeling of “let’s do it!” which really fuels the love I have for VFX and creating games.

 

• Which element do you prefer to work on when creating VFX?

There are 2 types of elements that I find exciting to work on, which are: Toxic and  Mental type Techniques. Working on Temtem I get to work on a lot of Techniques which use these types and I can pour in some more horror-themed effects! 

Think of techniques such as Horror or Nightmare Feed, where we fake the feel of a different realm within the Temtem universe. Games such as Bloodborne inspire me to create these ideas, even the stories of H.P Lovecraft and Cthulhu!

 

• If you were a Temtem, which Tem would you be?

I would be Ganki!
The way Ganki moves and looks so happy resembles my character. I try to be an optimistic person and always active with anything I’m doing. And we can all agree that Electric is a top 3 type! 

 

• What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while working at Crema?

Communication is key, especially when working remotely.
Game development has a lot of factors that come together to eventually create the games we’re working on, so knowing each other is important. This way we are aware of each other’s traits and flaws, and who you can ask for feedback or help from, for example!

Don’t try to do anything alone and approach the team members around you! You can do some pretty awesome stuff when teamwork comes into play!

 

• If you could trade places with anyone else at Crema for a day, who would it be and why?

Very tough question!
But If I had to choose, that would be one of the bosses, Guille Andrades! And then preferably the Creative Direction side of his role. I just love coming up with ideas for different techniques and systems, and working together with a team to make that become a reality. Experiencing a Creative Director role would be a surreal thing to do!

 

• Are there any important people that inspire you in the work that you do?

I take inspiration from quite some areas: anime, family, colleagues old and new… 

I started to venture into 2D Animation/VFX because of the series Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Akira Toriyama, thank you!

Jason Keyser was also a huge inspiration for me when I started out my VFX journey; he’s well known in the VFX industry and I also worked together with him on the platform VFX Apprentice, where we teach VFX students all about the craft! 

And last but most importantly would come my family, especially my mother! She always told me to do something which makes me happy and that I enjoy and love to wake up for. I always keep that mindset when it comes to the things I do!

 

• What are the best and the worst parts of your job, to you?

The best would be creating unique and new VFX which look and feel memorable! And creating it together with different departments to make it reality!

And the worst part would be optimizing VFX for different platforms, and the wacky stuff that some programs introduce. I’m more on the artistic side of VFX, so learning the technical terms usually takes me a bit more tries before it works! But we’ve some great team members that are super smart when it comes to that so I can ask for advice!

 

• What makes all the hard work worth it?

When everything finally comes together and it just works is the best feeling

 

• If you had not pursued a career in VFX, what do you think you’d have chosen?

I would have started a café where I would just be making coffee for customers. Maybe with a cool theme where different kinds of people can come together and just enjoy the taste and relax.
Coffee is super tasty to me and I always look forward to a nice cup!

 

• What are your hobbies outside of work?

Well what would my hobbies be?
Of course one of them is playing games. I play airsoft once a month, which is a nice way to go out into the woods, and also a great exercise!
I do fitness 3 times a week, this is a great way for me to clear my mind and get away from the computer screen. Because, as you can understand, if you create games and like to play games you spend a significant amount of time behind the screen…

 

• If you were a vegetable, which vegetable would you be and why?

A green asparagus. First of all, asparagus are super tasty!
And myself I’m quite tall, with a thin posture that perfectly resembles an asparagus…

 

• What’s your favorite piece of VFX that you’ve created?

I would say effects such as Leech and Horror! Those are some of the Temtem effects where I went more overboard with the Temtem VFX to see what the possibilities were! 

 

Alberto Abanses

 

• Tell us a bit about yourself and your background! How long have you been at Crema? Have you worked in a similar role before?

Hello, I’m Alberto and I’ve been working at Crema for three months as a Junior VFX Artist!

Before starting working at Crema I studied a degree of Art for Videogames in Zaragoza, the city where I grew up. It was a super intense degree where we made some little projects where I could try different roles as Animator, 3D Modeler, Environment Artist… and finally VFX Artist, which was the role I most enjoyed working on even though it was the one I knew less about.

Once I finished my studies, I spent some time learning more about VFX by making different new projects for my portfolio, as I am always trying to learn something new. Some time later I got my first job as a VFX Artist at a small studio where I developed my skills a bit more. But being the only vfx artist of the studio was limiting for myself because, in my opinion, as a junior it is super important to have teammates to ask questions or get feedback from. So when I saw the Crema posting looking for a Senior VFX Artist I applied, even if only to let them know that I existed for a possible future offer. And surprise! After some interviews I got the job as a Junior VFX Artist and moved to Madrid! Always apply for job openings that interest you, and do not close yourself off to opportunities!

 

• What were your goals when you joined Crema? Have they changed with time, or do they remain?

My goals when I joined Crema were to seize the opportunity of working on a team, learning from them and contributing with the things that I can do, having the freedom to come up with new ideas, and improving in my work little by little. To have a good work-life balance and to be in a healthy work environment are also really important to me. Not enough time has passed for these goals to change yet.

 

• Which element do you prefer to work on when creating VFX?

Water is an element that, when I see it, I’m always like “I need to make something like that!”. It’s a bit difficult to make it look good, but I like it a lot when it’s done, even if it can be a bit tedious. 

Electricity and Fire are two other elements that are so cool to work on because I feel they are a bit “kinder” when approaching them.

 

• If you were a Temtem, which Tem would you be?

I have to say Platypet! It seems to have a really good attitude, it’s so cute and when it gets angry it’s super fun. The design and how it moves makes me want to hug that little thing for my entire life.

 

• What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while working at Crema?

That receiving and giving feedback are really important to accomplish a good result! And to not be afraid of showing something that is in an early state and a bit ugly, because if other people see what you are doing they can give you some ideas to try. 

 

• If you could trade places with anyone else at Crema for a day, who would it be and why?

Hard to say! If I acquire the skills of that person, I’d probably switch with someone from the Animation Team to make some cool animations, or maybe someone from the Sound Team. I’m really curious about the process of making and implementing all the SFX and music.

 

• Are there any important people that inspire you in the work that you do?

I have to say all the people and projects in the game industry inspire me, there are a lot of people out there creating new and awesome things. Also films and tv shows are something I find inspiring. I absorb a lot of the ideas that I see out there, like a sponge. To name something in particular I would say games like Hades, Elden Ring or TV shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender!

 

• What are the best and the worst parts of your job, to you?

The best thing is the freedom that we have to create cool VFX and try new things. Seeing myself get better and more comfortable with the things I create is something I value a lot too. 

The worst thing I would say is when we have to spend time optimizing effects to make them work all right, but even that is part of the progress, and having the mindset to achieve a cool effect in the most optimal way is important too!

 

• What makes all the hard work worth it?

When you see your effect implemented in the game and it’s looking and working as you had in mind. That is really rewarding for me, even more so if other people and the players like it! 

 

• If you had not pursued a career in VFX, what do you think you’d have chosen?

I have always loved animation, and for a long time it was what I wanted to do, to give life and personality to the characters that other people make, from creating the rig to making animations.

Another of my interests was to make 3D environments and turning an idea that I had in my mind into something real.

So probably I’d go one of those ways.

 

• What are your hobbies outside of work?

Of course playing video games! Lately I’ve been defending the super Earth in Helldivers 2, or playing indie games (which are the best thing in the industry, imo). I like reading books or comics, watching films and series…

I usually go wall climbing after work to do some sport and not stay glued to a screen all day, or I take walks around Madrid, which is still a new city for me. 

I like to cook too, and am trying to get better! My goal is to make croquetas de cocido as delicious as the ones my mom makes. 

 

• If you were a vegetable, which vegetable would you be and why?

Corn because of popcorn, and as popcorn I would go to the movies for free! I would end up being eaten but I bet I could enjoy some commercials at least.

 

• What’s your favorite piece of VFX that you’ve created?

I’d probably say a combo fire attack that I did some years ago during the summer. It may not be my best work, but it is one of the first VFX that I did that caused me to get more comfortable creating VFX, and the one that made me take the decision of following the VFX career. 

 

Mario Belén

 

• Tell us a bit about yourself and your background! How long have you been at Crema? Have you worked in a similar role before?

Hello! I’m Mario, Junior VFX Artist at Crema. Been working here for three months only, but it’s been super fun so far!

Before joining the monkey team, I studied Video Game Design and Development at university, and worked on a project for three long years. During the second year of development, I also enrolled in the VFX Apprentice course to heighten my skills as a VFX Artist.

Just when I was finishing with all of that, I was lucky enough to see the job offer for a Senior VFX Artist at Crema, so I decided to update my portfolio and apply to the job, I’m not quite there for the Senior title, but they decided to take me in as a Junior, so don’t be afraid to apply for those jobs even if you don’t meet all the requirements!

 

• What were your goals when you joined Crema? Have they changed with time, or do they remain?

For me, getting to work in a game production environment alongside other VFX Artists where I’m able to learn and grow was a must. It was also very important for me to be able to maintain a good work-life balance. Achieving this while also getting to know the rest of the awesome team made this job a gift sent from the heavens. These goals haven’t changed yet, but my current focus now would be just to get better and better at creating VFX.

 

• Which element do you prefer to work on when creating VFX?

Lightning/Electricity, no doubt. So freeing and forgiving in shapes. Also the fast and snappy timing allows for very satisfying animations.

 

• If you were a Temtem, which Tem would you be?

When I first saw it, I loved the design of Valash, so that would be my choice. But quite recently I’m working a lot on some effects for Kinu, and I’m growing fond of the little floating Tem, probably not to be, but definitely to have as a companion.

 

• What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while working at Crema?

Not everything needs to be perfect: during game production sometimes it’s better to move on once you have something looking good and ready, and then come back to improve it if there is time for it. Also, having a good working environment rocks.

 

• If you could trade places with anyone else at Crema for a day, who would it be and why?

Probably someone from Design or Animation, I’d like to try working on that for a day. If I have to say someone specifically, then Mariana, so I can go home and play with Monet all day long.

 

• Are there any important people that inspire you in the work that you do?

The amazing community of Video Game Artists I see everyday on the internet. And also, not only people but many of the shows I watch, books I read, and games I play make me want to try out new things for my effects!

 

• What are the best and the worst parts of your job, to you?

The best, getting a good end result, making the lightning feel electric, the fire feel hot, and the wall of stone feel heavy and robust. In other words, conveying the right feel for the effect.
The worst, having to fight the software and engines to achieve the result I want.

 

• What makes all the hard work worth it?

The end result, seeing and getting a good feel for the final effect. That’s very rewarding, and even better if other people like it too!

 

• If you had not pursued a career in VFX, what do you think you’d have chosen?

Gameplay programming, most likely. Same as with effects, achieving a good feel for character control is amazing, and also working on gameplay mechanics sounds super fun.

 

• What are your hobbies outside of work?

Playing video games obviously, but I also enjoy reading fantasy novels, tabletop role playing games and volleyball!

 

• If you were a vegetable, which vegetable would you be and why?

Potato; pretty basic but it’s the best one there is.

 

• What’s your favorite piece of VFX that you’ve created?

The Dragon Incarnation effect I did for the Dragon’s Rise Artstation challenge. Probably not the best in terms of quality, but I really loved the original concept and the theme, and really enjoyed the process. I think it marked a before and after for my effects.

 

 

This is it from the VFX peeps! Thank you everyone for tuning in today with us and our VFX Team, and see you next time with another department!

Have fun and Temtem up!