Richard Deere shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Richard , it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? When was the last time you felt true joy?
The last time I felt true joy was actually a very simple moment — waking up with a new story idea and rushing to write it down before it slipped away. That’s how I’ve always lived: dreams turn into sketches, sketches turn into scripts, and eventually into worlds I want to share on screen.
For me, joy isn’t just about success or recognition — it’s about creating something that might outlive me, the way Ridley Scott imagined the Engineers in Prometheus or crafted the atmosphere of Blade Runner. Those films don’t just entertain; they make you think, they haunt you, and they stay alive long after their creators. That’s what I’m chasing with my projects like Retrieval and Sightline.
Joy, for me, is knowing I’m building toward stories that one day people will fall in love with the way I fell in love with films that shaped me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Richard Deere, and I’m the founder and CEO of Eros VFX Studios, an independent visual effects company based in Hollywood. What makes us unique is that we’re not trying to be just another vendor-for-hire studio. My vision for Eros is twofold:
First, we provide cinematic-quality visual effects for productions of all sizes, but with a more transparent and collaborative approach. Unlike many studios that charge by the hour, we price per project so clients know exactly what to expect — it builds trust and allows artists to focus on doing their best work instead of watching the clock.
Second, and more importantly, Eros VFX Studios is the launchpad for original stories. VFX is my vehicle, but storytelling is my real destination. Right now, I’m in post-production on my short film Retrieval, which I’ll be sending to festivals as the studio’s first official project. I’m also developing future stories like Sightline, which blend sci-fi scale with deeply human themes.
What excites me most is the idea that independent doesn’t mean “small” — it means freedom. Freedom to innovate, to take risks, to nurture new artists I’ve met through schools like Gnomon and Rebelway, and to build worlds that one day might stand alongside the films that inspired me growing up.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I’ve been lucky to have close friends — people like Monica, Bri, Mark, Frank, and Jamie — who often believed in me before I believed in myself. At times when I wanted to give up, they reminded me how far I had already come. They helped me see that the path I’ve chosen isn’t supposed to feel easy, because what I want to accomplish is bigger than what most people even dare to dream.
It’s one thing to tell yourself to keep going, but when people who truly know you reflect back your potential, it hits differently. They made me realize that the struggle is part of the journey, and if anyone could do it, everyone would.
That encouragement shaped how I view my own story today. It’s why I’ve built Eros VFX Studios not only as a business, but as a foundation for creating the kind of stories that outlive us. My friends helped me see myself not just as someone working in VFX, but as a storyteller in the making — and that perspective is what keeps me moving forward even when doubt tries to creep in.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me patience and perspective in a way success never could. When I finished school and felt ready to enter the VFX industry, I faced rejection after rejection. COVID had slowed everything down, Hollywood was hit with strikes, and even the most talented senior artists were struggling to find work. At first, I felt invisible — like I had made a mistake investing so much into this career.
But that period of struggle taught me something that success alone never would: that growth doesn’t always come in the form of applause or quick wins. Sometimes it comes in the silence — when no one is calling you back, and you have to decide whether you’ll wait around for permission or create your own opportunity.
If I had been hired right away, maybe I’d just be another junior artist working quietly at a big studio. Instead, the struggle pushed me to build Eros VFX Studios, to start developing original films like Retrieval and Sightline, and to think bigger than I ever imagined.
Suffering gave me grit, but also vision. Success makes you feel good — but suffering shows you who you are, and how far you’re willing to go.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is only part of the real me. On social media, people see the highlight reel — the guy building a VFX studio in Hollywood, traveling, or working on films. But that’s not the full story. Behind that image, I’m still the same dreamer who grew up staying up late watching sci-fi movies, scribbling down wild ideas after waking up, and teaching myself After Effects as a kid.
The truth is, I’m also just a good friend, a loving son, and someone who values connection as much as ambition. I think that’s something people often forget about anyone with a public presence — even celebrities. We’re human first. The founder, the artist, the entrepreneur — that’s just the professional side. The real me is still figuring things out, still chasing dreams, and still grounded by the people I care about most.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I made the world a little better — not just through my own films, but by helping others believe in their own creative selves. Some of the stories that shaped me weren’t just entertaining, they were transformative: the way Arrival explored communication and connection through something as simple yet profound as language, or how Resident Evil and The Walking Dead created entire universes that live on in people’s imaginations.
I admire creators like Ridley Scott, Denis Villeneuve, and even the minds behind franchises that started small but grew into worlds audiences never wanted to leave. That’s the kind of legacy I hope to leave behind — stories and worlds that outlive me, but also the inspiration for other dreamers to step up and create their own.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.erosvfxstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erosvfxstudios
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richarddeere
Image Credits
self.
