We recently connected with Remi Dessinges and have shared our conversation below.

Remi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My journey began back in 1999 when I first got access to the internet. Like most people, I spent a few years doing random things on my computer, but then I stumbled upon web design, which got me hooked. Learning to make websites pushed me to use tools like Photoshop, and that’s when my interest in design really started to grow. After a few years of designing websites and logos, I discovered a 3D school not far from where I lived in the south of France. At that time, 3D schools were rare, and as it turned out, this one, Supinfocom, was one of the best in the world.

Supinfocom was a perfect incubator for young artists, not so much because of the classes but because of the incredible environment. There was a positive sense of competition, and we all pushed each other to improve. Most of us learned the software on our own, putting in countless late nights. Back then, 3D was far simpler than it is now—global illumination was a new thing, and every texture had to be painted by hand. Everything was a long, painstaking process, but it taught us 3D from the ground up.

In our last year, we had to produce a short film, three to four minutes long, in teams of two or three people. That project was a real turning point. We had to master every aspect of 3D—modeling, animation, rendering—and also learned about writing, directing, audio, and more. It was intense, but looking back, it was the best way to learn 3D and understand this medium holistically.

Curiosity has been the most important skill in my journey with 3D. CG requires a high technical level, and to keep up, you have to constantly look for better techniques, new tricks, fresh approaches, and new software. As the field evolves, you have to keep learning to stay relevant. Over time, you start to rely less on technique alone and more on artistic intuition. After fifteen years in the business, I feel confident tackling any task that comes my way.

But confidence can also be a trap. As you gain experience, it’s easy to become less curious or motivated. You’ve been around the block, you’ve faced many challenges, and you know how to handle them. That’s why staying curious, staying connected to the community, and especially engaging with younger artists are essential. They help keep that drive alive.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a versatile CG artist with 15 years of experience in the industry. After studying 3D in France, I moved to London in 2008, working with top studios like The Mill, Time Based Arts, and Electric Theater. Eventually, I made my way to Los Angeles,in 2015. Electric Theatre Collective sent me to their newly opened studio in LA and in 2018 I joined again the world renowned Design and Direction Studio ManvsMachine LA where I now work as Head of CG .

While I’ve worked on music videos, short films, and art films, my main focus has been TV and online commercials, which I find to be an ideal format. They’re funded well enough to provide interesting challenges and opportunities to grow, but they’re short-term, so I get to move on to fresh projects every 6-8 weeks—or even sooner in the VFX world.

Unlike many artists—especially here in the US—I’ve always taken a broader approach to 3D, aiming to stay flexible rather than being boxed into one specialized task. This has kept me moving between visual effects and motion graphics, giving me the chance to animate something as simple as a cube or supervise a set for a high-budget TV spot. Most of all, I enjoy collaborating with clients and directors to help realize their vision, using both technical and artistic skills to reach our goals, and pushing boundaries along the way.

Throughout my career, I’ve worked with major clients like Nike, Sony, Apple, Lexus, and the NFL. But the best projects aren’t always tied to big names; often, it’s the smaller projects that open up room for real experimentation and discovery.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is seeing an idea take shape from concept to completion, especially when it’s a collaborative journey. I love the process of starting with a rough idea, refining it, adding detail, and bringing it to life. At ManvsMachine, our approach is highly collaborative—we encourage every artist involved to contribute concepts. Sometimes, we’ll spend weeks just doing R&D, exploring new techniques and visuals to convey a single idea the client has in mind. Our work often becomes a kind of patchwork, a mosaic of ideas, and my role, along with our Creative Director, is to guide, challenge, and curate these elements so they come together cohesively.

After 15 years, I still get a thrill seeing my work out in the world, whether it’s on a billboard or a TV screen. I’m not chasing recognition, but there’s a real excitement in watching something you’ve poured weeks of effort into suddenly out there for everyone to see. It’s like taking something that lived on your screen and releasing it into the world—there’s definitely a bit of magic in that.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn in my career was about saying ‘yes’ to everything. Early on, I thought taking on every single project was the path to success. I was eager to prove myself, show my dedication – you know how it is when you’re starting out.
But here’s the thing: that approach started affecting my work. The films I was creating weren’t meeting my own standards, and I was constantly stressed trying to juggle everything. It wasn’t sustainable.
The turning point came when I realized that by trying to do everything, I wasn’t really serving anyone well. I learned that being a good professional sometimes means having honest conversations about what’s feasible and what isn’t. When I see that a project’s timeline might compromise its quality, I’ve learned to speak up.
Since I started being more selective with my projects, the difference has been remarkable. My work has improved significantly because now I can give each project the attention it deserves. I’m more engaged, more focused, and the results speak for themselves.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.remidessinges.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/remi-dessinges-1844925/
• Other: https://www.behance.net/remidessinges

Image Credits

All images from Remi Dessinges