Meet Marlon Rivas: Visual effects artist behind Avatar: The Way of Water
“I watched Avatar in the military in Afghanistan and thought, ‘I want to do that!’”
Meet Marlon Rivas, a talented visual effects artist and visualization generalist and proud graduate of The Los Angeles Film School.
From immigrant to veteran to renowned visual effects artist, Marlon Rivas’ journey has been one of passion, perseverance and incredible achievement.
Marlon Rivas graduated in 2015 with an associate degree and in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Animation. And with over nine years of experience in the visual effects industry, he has worked on a remarkable list of projects.
Which is why, as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of The L.A. Film School, we’re excited to highlight Marlon’s incredible talent and determination at our 5th Annual Spotlight Awards. His journey from an L.A. Film School student to industry pro shows just what our grads can achieve.
How did Marlon shoot to success in the industry?
Marlon’s path to success began in the military. Serving five years in the US Army, including two tours in Afghanistan, Marlon found his true calling during a movie night.
He was watching Avatar and knew that was what he wanted to be doing with his life.
As an immigrant from El Salvador, Marlon faced numerous challenges but never let go of his dreams. Reflecting on his younger years, he shares his early love for storytelling, influenced by Disney movies and playing with action figures.
“I grew up with the entire VHS collection of Disney movies, watching them one after the other. I loved creating my own little stories with action figures.”
After leaving the military, Marlon seized the opportunity to pursue his passion.
And so began his long-standing relationship with The L.A. Film School, earning two degrees that set the foundation for his career in visual effects.
The L.A. Film School connection
After leaving the military, Marlon was keen to pursue a different challenge.
With financial support from the GI Bill (which provides funding for veterans), Marlon seized the opportunity to follow his goal to make his mark in the visual effects industry.
The strong foundation he got with The L.A. Film School was exactly what he needed to get started—and he gives a lot of credit to his mentors.
Hands-on training, a collaborative environment and gaining deep knowledge of the industry played a crucial role in his development.
Marlon remembers one of his instructors, Joffrey Black.
“Joffrey Black worked diligently with me and always gave me the best advice. When I landed one of my best credits before Avatar, I called him to thank him for kicking me in the butt and pushing me to excel.”
He also mentions Brian Bossin for teaching him 3D, and Daniel Fiske, his animation and character rigging teacher.
“Everything [Daniel] taught saved my butt. For example, when I got on Stranger Things 3 and needed to rig the Demogorgon, I rewatched old class videos with Daniel and realized how invaluable his skills were.”
Marlon’s projects
Today, Marlon has over 29 credits to his name.
One of the highlights of Marlon’s career so far is working on Avatar: The Way of Water.
“Working on the second Avatar was surreal. Being part of a James Cameron production was unbelievable, especially as a fan of Titanic.”
Marlon’s portfolio also includes significant projects like Aquaman, Zombieland: Double Tap, and Netflix’s Rebel Moon (Parts 1 and 2).
“Right before I graduated, I got my first gig on Aquaman, which went on to make a billion dollars. Recently, I worked on Rebel Moon 1 and 2, which was a fulfilling experience thanks to the amazing team and supervisors.”
Marlon’s advice to budding creatives
Marlon Rivas is passionate about helping aspiring visual effects artists navigate the industry. Here’s his advice:
- “Keep your demo reel simple. Start with basic tasks like compositing or removing background elements. As you work more, you’ll learn more. Keep your skill set diverse and always keep learning.”
- “Network, network, network. Get yourself out there. Community involvement will take you much further than the most polished resume or coolest demo reel.”
- “Don’t aim to be the best at just one thing; be versatile. It’s always a learning curve.”
Welcoming Marlon to the Spotlight Academy
Get ready to celebrate the 5th Annual Spotlight Awards from September 9-12!Join us as we honor the heart, creativity and dedication of The L.A. Film School’s alumni. Follow Marlon’s journey and watch him get inducted into the Spotlight Academy.