Yukun came to Bournemouth from China and went on to complete the BA (Hons) in Computer Visualisation and Animation, and MA in Digital Effects at BU’s National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA).

She said: “Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved feature films and special effects. I started to develop strong interests in photography and filmmaking when I was in high school, and when I graduated I decided to come to the UK to study visual effects. Bournemouth University’s NCCA offers the best VFX and animation courses in the UK and I wanted to gain the knowledge to become an artist who creates amazing motion pictures for films and television.

“As well as gaining skills and new techniques, the course provided us with opportunities to build contacts in the industry. We had the BFX film festival every year and in my third year I participated in a short work experience placement at ILM. After I finished the final major project, I did the BFX competition and my team won the competition. Despite the busy schedule during that year, I gained so much that benefited me when I started my MA at BU in the same year.”

Having wanted to work in the visual effects industry from an early age, Yukun fulfilled her ambition by joining Cinesite VFX; a position she secured after making contact with the company’s FX lead at her graduate show. She said: “My work now involves creating stimulating special effects for films and television on a daily basis. I enjoy the creative and problem-solving aspects of my work the most. We need to constantly learn new skills and keep ourselves updated with the latest techniques. These small challenges make me love my job; it will never get boring. I also love the fact that my work gets to be screened worldwide. I participated in creating ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and it was a dream come true moment when I saw my name on the screen.”

Yukun’s advice to others wanting to follow a similar career route is to start early and ensure you have a good eye for detail. She said: “Start job hunting a few months before graduating, or at least get in touch with people who will potentially offer you a job. Always double check your application content and don’t let some typos ruin your first impression.”