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Luke Thompson

Helping VFX Artists create world-class visual effects via ActionVFX.com

Luke Thompson is a Filmmaker and Visual Effects Artist from Johnson City, Tennessee. He is known for working with and developing new and emerging technologies within the film, television, and video game industries. Luke is currently the Chief Operating Officer of ActionVFX, a company that creates action-stock footage for the world’s top VFX Studios in the Film and Video-Game industry. Their products have been utilized for productions such as Spider-Man: Far From Home, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, and The Call of Duty franchise.

Highlights

Aug 29 · linkedin

Join me and Rodolphe Pierre-Louis as we answer your questions about the recent announcement regarding the future of ActionVFX! We're live NOW.

#vfx #visualeffects #actionvfx

Aug 26 · linkedin

I've been hesitant about sharing this, but I've decided to just go all in! Last week, I experienced my first-ever panic attack. 👇

It was awful.

It happened just 10-15 minutes before I was set to give a presentation to faculty at a local university. I've always been nervous about public speaking, but this was on an entirely new level.

I was hyperventilating, and it felt like my body was completely out of my control. The fact that I'd never experienced this before made it even more terrifying.

In the end, I had to cancel my portion of the presentation. This led me to an even worse state of mind by the end of the day. I can safely say that this was one of the lowest psychological places I've ever been.

I felt like I'd done something wrong. I felt like I was too weak. I felt like I'd quit and taken the easy way out.

Since then, I've had this ongoing internal sense of fear and panic. It feels horrible and seems almost impossible to shake.

Looking back, I should've been more attentive to my stress and anxiety leading up to this moment. It had already been a packed couple of weeks and months, which should've been a sign for me to pump the brakes. 🛑

From the overall visual effects industry's slow recovery (and what that means for many of my friends and businesses), to my dad suffering a heart attack a few days prior - so many things had been building up until this exact moment when my body said, "Yeah, I'm not doing this. I'm out! 👋"

I'm sharing this story for two reasons:

  • People's lives aren't always about experiencing new jobs, shiny things, and big accomplishments. (We know this, but still need to be reminded that others experience these challenges too, even if they don't talk about them online!

  • If this story resonates with you, and you get the sense that you might need to slow down, consider this your official sign! (Yes, I'm talking to you!) 🫵

It's okay if you don't work on that short film right now. Or if you don't push yourself to make it out to a networking event.

They'll still be there tomorrow. But perhaps your peace of mind won't.

Take care of yourself, friend. And in the meantime, I'm working to take my own advice. 🙂

#visualeffects #vfx #publicspeaking #leadership #technology

Related Questions

What inspired Luke Thompson to start the 'Ask An Artist' podcast?
How did Luke Thompson get involved with ActionVFX?
What are some notable episodes of the 'Ask An Artist' podcast?
What is Luke Thompson's background in visual effects?
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Luke Thompson
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Experience

Host Of The 'Ask An Artist' Podcast at ActionVFX
Chief Operating Officer at ActionVFX

Education

Visual Effects, Norwich University Of The Arts
Home Life Academy
Film, National Film & Television School

Location

Johnson City, Tennessee, United States