Today we’d like to introduce you to Charles H. Joslain.
Hi Charles, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Well, I’m originally French, born on the Atlantic Coast, and a bit North of Bordeaux (where the famous wine is from).
I grew up between Paris (where my mother still resides) and that region until I was 18. Then I moved to the UK, South West of London, and basically lived there for 13 years (despite a short stint in Munich, Germany).
I first moved to LA in late 2016 and stayed there for about 2.5 years but the traffic and the influencer culture frankly got to me. It was also time to renew my O-1 visa (something many ‘entertainment foreigners’ like myself will be familiar with), which is a lengthy and onerous bureaucratic chore. I went back to London for a few months to get that sorted and then… Covid hit!
The only bit of luck in all that is that in late 2019 I partnered with my close friend Izzy Traub, to help him develop the many services offered by the company he founded: VFX-LA. And fast forward a couple of years: we’re now back in LA since the industry has recovered fairly well (ish).
It’s still a love/hate relationship with this place but… Can’t live without that sun after tasting it once I guess.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
From Covid to personal struggles, missing my son and close ones in Europe, to… you know… getting old! No, it certainly has not been a smooth ride.
I’m now Head of Creative for VFX-LA and behind the fancy title, I can assure you that building a small/mid-size business, especially one that requires complex technical knowledge as well as pretty astute diplomatic skills to manage a wide range of clients that often don’t know zit about what you do and what they’re asking for, is a daily hustle and one I love passionately yet find daunting at times.
Several of our artists’ paychecks depend on my input at many levels and make sure to close deals, manage budgets to make sure everyone else gets paid first, and hopefully, pocket a little profit. It’s a task I didn’t see myself doing just a few years ago but so far… We’re doing okay.
The next phase for me is compartmentalizing work and private matters/health/family a little better, while we grow our little VFX studio.
As you know, we’re big fans of VFX-LA. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We’re a 3D/VFX studio that covers a wide range of services from… you’ve guessed it… VFX work, to architectural renderings, and motion graphics, and recently we’ve specialized in creating DeepFakes. We are especially proud of the work we’ve comleted for the ‘Weird Al movie’ with Daniel Radcliffe; the first deepfake ever made using 16mm celluloid.
We’ve also recently done over 300 VFX shots for the series ‘The Bear’ which I thought, was one of the best TV content I’ve seen in a long time.
What makes us unique is that we reverse-engineer the VFX/creative process when others, overwhelmingly, think/move in a linear manner; this does not help avoid pitfalls and delays as effectively as we do.
Also, we consult with each client in a way that is not normal or done elsewhere; we do not simply follow orders, we make sure the client’s demands are in-line with their own self-interest and serve effectively their own purpose/brand/messaging/story. Working this way minimizes greatly the number of revisions/problems down the line, and makes the experience MUCH more pleasant for everyone involved.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from growing up.
I was coming home to my grandmother’s dinner after a summer day playing on the beach. My childhood was blessed beyond words.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vfxlosangeles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vfx_la/
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?companies=co0944160
