The VFX Mentor Blog Series

After two decades in the film industry working in VFX and Animation, I decided to return to grad school. Here’s why and what I hope to bring back to the creative industry.

I never thought I’d go back to school. Not after 20 years working in the industry. But this September, I will be starting my Executive MBA Program at MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

This wasn’t some grand plan I always had. It actually started with a question I kept coming back to over the past few years:

“What kind of leader do I want to be in this changing world and how can I best support my teams during this time of disruption while bringing meaningful change and helping to create a more sustainable, inclusive future for our industry?”

The Industry Is Changing… Really Fast… Right?!

Like many of you, I’ve watched our industry shift dramatically:

•  Studios restructuring
•  Layoffs becoming routine or normalized
• Burnout spreading like wildfire
• And now, AI transforming how we work faster than we’re ready for

I found myself constantly firefighting while supporting my teams through these challenges. I'm sure many of you have felt this same pressure, trying to make sense of everything that’s happening, keeping everyone inspired while holding everything together and keeping projects on track. And I keep wondering:

“Is there a better way to lead through all this? Not just from a creative standpoint, but with structure, empathy and a long-term vision that puts people first.”

 Why Business School?

To be honest, I didn’t think someone like me belonged in a business school. I have no finance background. No fancy corporate title. I’m just an artist with a strong instinct to lead with purpose, build people and to advocate for better access and opportunities.
But the more I researched and explored, the more I realized:

I didn’t need to fit the mold to grow. I needed new tools and skills.

Tools to scale ideas.
To support teams through uncertainty with confidence.
To push for inclusion and innovation.
To speak the language of decision-makers and challenge it when needed.

Last year, I had the opportunity to attend an Executive Leadership Program and had first hand experience of what it felt like to be a student at MIT. It was a revelation! MIT Sloan felt different. It isn’t just a school but a place known for embracing complex problems, collaborative thinking and bold experimentation.

It’s the kind of environment where artists like myself, engineers, entrepreneurs and disruptors sit at the same table, where challenging the status quo is not only embraced but encouraged and no question is too big to ask. And I knew I had found my community, one where I could learn, push boundaries and collaborate fully.

The application process was intense with exams, essays, interviews and many months of self-reflection. But somewhere along the way, I realized, this too was part of the growth.

What This Means for Me?

I didn’t do this to pivot away from the industry that gave me so much. I did it to bring something (hopefully meaningful) back to it.

Through this journey, I aim to:

• Redefine what leadership looks like in VFX, animation and games
• Empower artists to navigate the business side without losing their creative soul
• Build better systems and educational pathways
• Create better access and opportunities, especially for those who’ve been overlooked
• Share what I learn to help our community navigate this changing world

Change doesn’t wait for the “right” moment, and neither should we. I’m stepping into this next chapter with equal parts excitement and fear. But also with a deep belief that it’s worth it. I don’t see this as a career move, I see it as me betting on a future I still believe in. If you’ve been feeling that itch for something more, maybe this is it, it’s time to follow through. The leap won’t feel comfortable, it will be challenging, but neither does staying still when you know you’re meant to move.

I’m excited. I’m very nervous. I’m carrying twenty years of lessons into a place where I’ll be a student again. But if there’s one thing this industry has taught me, it’s that the unknown is where the best stories begin. This is mine. I hope you’ll write yours too.

#VFXLeadership #CreativeEducation #TheVFXMentor #MITEMBA #AnimationIndustry #FilmIndustry