ON THE RISE: TALENT IN ACTION

Victoria Itow-Tsering
Director, Animation Films Production Management, Netflix
VES Member: 8 Years
VES benefit most enjoyed: Networking events

Born and raised in Simi Valley, California, Victoria was about six years old when she went on the King Kong ride at Universal Studios in Florida and was stunned by “the combination of mechanics, artistry and animation that created the illusion. I immediately wondered how it all worked and how people could create that type of magic. I feel like I have been chasing that feeling of awe ever since.”

Animated projects such as Rugrats (1991), Sailor Moon (1992), Pocahontas (1995) and Anastasia (1997) ignited her passion to seek out and ultimately be employed within the industry. She is most proud of her work on Back to the Outback (2021), as well as her move in 2014 to Cinesite, Montreal, where she built their animation division. There she supported many new artists early in their careers, growing their confidence and abilities.

Victoria offers encouragement to young women hoping to become part of the industry. “You have something absolutely incredible to bring to this industry and your perspective is needed,” she states. “It can be difficult at first to jump in when everyone around you seems to have so much experience, but there are many mentorship opportunities out there through organizations such as Women in Animation, Rise Up Animation and the Visual Effects Society to help you find the network you will need to support you.”

Her advice to others: “Keep an open mind about the industry because the parts that intrigue you and bring you joy might surprise you and can change over time. If you follow your excitement, it will keep the work feeling fresh and propel you through the tricky parts of production.”

Victoria says that her four-year-old daughter keeps her on her toes and provides her with a welcome change of outlooks.

Rebecca Weigold
VFX Editor – Feature Films
VES Member: 3 Years
VES benefit most enjoyed: the annual VES Awards

Rebecca was born in Camden, New Jersey, but her family moved to Los Angeles when she was very young. Her first job out of college was as a management trainee at Warner Bros. After picking up a UCLA extension catalog, she decided to take the Assistant Editor class at UCLA with the goal of moving into post-production.

“I love post-production, and VFX in particular, because of the blend of the technical and the creative that we have. I once worked as a VFX editor on a movie that was entirely in Arabic. I don’t speak Arabic.”

The film that hooked Rebecca and made her want to be in our industry is The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Over the years, Rebecca migrated to VFX editing.

Rebecca’s first movie as apprentice editor was Cobb (1994). From apprentice editor, she worked her way up to assistant editor, to editor, then switched to VFX editing in 2014 on 22 Jump Street.

“I get along well with all types of people, I work hard. I always have a good attitude no matter what the circumstances or number of hours. I’m engaged in my job. I have 30+ years of experience in the industry (although my VFX work is more recent), so I bring a lot of knowledge to any job that I do, whether it’s managing my department or organizing my database or anticipating needs before they happen.”

Her advice to other up-and-comers is, “Be adaptable, work hard, watch and learn from those around you, and have a good attitude.”

When not working she likes to run, hike, roller blade, water ski, kayak, draw, spend time with friends and family, travel, go to the beach, and cut independent features.

The projects she is most proud of are Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) and Jungle Cruise (2021). Her most recent film was The Woman King (2022).