[Alumni] Pierrick Barbin


CG News . 03 May. 2019
Cinéma d’Animation au Canada / Montréal

Focus on Pierrick Barbin, a former student of ESMA (class of 2013). After his studies, his career led him to travel the world and practice in the largest studios.

Promotion 2013
Lighting Artist TD / Compositing
Currently at : Blue Sky Studios

go ahead all !

“Forward, March !”. Pierrick Barbin perfectly knows what it means.

This expression, which is the title of the graduation film he directed with Rimelle Khayat, Loïc Le Goff, Guillaume Lenoël and Garrick Rawlingson, winning the “Best Children Short Silver” award at the Sapporo Court Festival, also reflects his time at ESMA until 2013.

“I feel like the four years I have spent at ESMA (including MANAA) were spent continuously working on 3D, drawing, 3D, script, 3D again… My life was all about that, and I loved it! I was surrounded with passionate people, super involved teachers, and a framework conducive to all development. The teachers impose deadlines on you. I appreciated this frankness in pointing out my weaknesses or helping me to always overstep my limits. This has allowed me to progress. It was a training that taught me… how to learn, in a way. I think this is fundamental in this industry where techniques and technologies are constantly evolving.”

Un parcours professionnel chez les plus grands

As an echo to “Forward March”, which takes place in London during a military parade, Pierrick’s professional career really began in the capital of the United Kingdom, at MPC (Moving Picture Company) where he developed his lighter skills (“Guardians of the Galaxy”, “Exodus”).

After that, he crossed the Atlantic, and became a trainer at the MPC Academy in Montreal, before discovering Vancouver, still at MPC (“Monster Truck”, “Spectre” and “Suicide Squad”).

After two years, he left MPC for Digital Domain, working on movies such as “DeadPool” or “Beauty and the Beast”, before joining Sony Pictures ImageWorks in 2016 (“The Smurfs”).

Un “label” reconnu

In other words, Pierrick has already had a rich career path, which he says he owes in large part to ESMA. “The ‘ESMA’ label is a quality label recognized by all companies. When companies do not know you personally, this label is there to help you get hired.”

Words from an expert and an elder who “keeps remaining curious, which helps me to move.”

We don’t know his next destination yet !