50 Years of Hugh Baird College: John Williams, from Student to Hollywood Artist
Hugh Baird College is proud to highlight the incredible journey of Media Production alumnus John Williams, whose outstanding career in visual effects (VFX) has led him to work on Hollywood blockbuster movies and iconic music videos.
John began his academic journey at Hugh Baird College in 2010, studying the Level 3 Media Production course and completing it with a triple Distinction in 2012. During his time at the College, John developed diverse creative skills, ranging from short filmmaking and scriptwriting to radio, photography and graphics. Notably, he was the first student at Hugh Baird College to import a digital background into an animation, demonstrating his eagerness to learn new skills.
Reflecting on his time at Hugh Baird College, John shared:
I could use the skills I had learned on my college course as a foundation. Skills in graphics, Photoshop, and general editing played a big part in my passion for learning more about VFX.
Andy Crofton, Lecturer at Hugh Baird College, said:
John was a very creative student. Quietly confident, he excelled in stop-motion and digital animation using editing software. He was always a fan of science fiction and action and was able to use these genres to develop his skills and awareness of the film and TV industry.
It's fantastic to see him pursue these interests and see his skills in video editing be recognised by production studios here and in the USA.
After completing his course, John reached out for guidance from the College's career services, which helped him take the next steps toward his dream of working in VFX. Although he initially enrolled at Edge Hill University to a VFX course, John took a different path after a year, opting to teach himself the necessary VFX skills while working full-time.
In 2018, John’s hard work led him to London, where he secured a prestigious apprenticeship with Framestore at King’s College London. Competing against 50 other applicants, John's triple distinction from Hugh Baird College helped him stand out and land the position. His two-year apprenticeship opened doors to further opportunities in the industry.
During this time, John thrived in his role as a VFX Paint and Roto Artist, contributing to high-profile productions including Jurassic World, Guardians of The Galaxy, The Crown, Billie Eilish’s music video ‘No Time To Die’ and Aquaman 2.
John credits much of his success to the lessons learned at Hugh Baird College, stating:
Hugh Baird College taught me the skills for the real world and the importance of punctuality and attendance. In this industry, that makes a big difference in securing one freelance job to the next.
After six years in London, John has returned to Liverpool to be closer to family. While he remains passionate about the VFX industry, he is taking a well-deserved break and is exploring the possibility of transitioning into teaching. John has expressed interest in pursuing a Teaching Degree and hopes to inspire the next generation of creative talent, just as his tutors inspired him.
As John reflects on his journey, he offers this advice to aspiring creatives:
It's important to strive for what you want to achieve, even if you feel it's out of reach. Hard work and determination all pay off in the end.
Hugh Baird College is immensely proud of John’s accomplishments and looks forward to seeing where his career will take him next.
Those wishing to find out more about Hugh Baird College’s Media Studies and Production courses can do so via www.hughbaird.ac.uk/subject-area/creative-media
