In fall 2025 New York Film Academy opened its first Asia campus in Almaty, with Energo University. I spent the year teaching 3D animation and visual effects to the first cohort, and standing up the classroom around them at the same time.
I built a small production floor, and renderfarm setup. Each student ran their own work through a simplified version of a modern Maya/Nuke/Arnold film pipeline: notes, versions, handoffs, and real responsibility for their own creative vision.
At a time when AI is was starting to play a role in image making - a big topic was authorship and the importance of not just technical skills but how creative intent passes from each artist finds its way to into the end product.
Thank you to the faculty and administration at NYFA and Energo University for the trust and support that made the classroom possible. And thank you to the 3D Animation and Visual Effects Class of 2026. It was one of the great privileges of my career to work with them.
