Name
Jason Yacalis, FX & Lighting Artist
About
I am a talented and creative individual that seeks to inspire and amaze by crafting the impossible; a storyteller who's fortee is in the evoking of emotion through the creation of realistic and awe-inspiring moments.
Ever since I first had a NES controller in my hand, jumping on the backs of those koopas and blasting down all the ducks in the fields, I knew I wanted to make video games. As I grew older, I realized that it was not just the games that I wanted to make, but the interactive stories. I was always the kid drawing in class, imagining fantastical places and things and traveling in search of new myths, cultures and inspiration.
With a background initially focused on science and fine art, I quickly made my way into the computer animation world. I graduated from Full Sail University in June of 2008 with perfect attendance and a lackluster demo reel. It wasn't until after I graduated that the real learning happened. I interned in the newly formed Game Art degree program at Full Sail, quickly working my way through a mentorship position to lab specialist and instructing students in the wonderful art of Level Design and Shaders & FX using the Unreal Engine.
It was then that I had the opportunity to come out to San Diego and work on several larger projects with Pendulum Studios. Working with both real-time and pre-rendered methods I've had the chance to contribute and help manage both the pipeline and art side of things.
I learned so much from my colleagues at Pendulum and Full Sail that I am eternally grateful for, and without them I wouldn't be nearly as far as I am today. I took all that I learned from there and have been applying it at 2K Games for just over the last year. I've been working with some very talented individuals, honing my FX and Lighting skills and cross-training in as many disciplines as possible.
With more experience now under my belt and a passionate and driven attitude, I scour the horizon for new opportunities to tackle... and new stories to tell.