VFX / DFX / Compositing Supervisor | 20+ Years in Film, TV & AI-Driven VFX
I’m Astrid Busser Casas, half Dutch and half Spanish, with over 20 years of experience creating visual effects for film, television, and commercials.
My career has taken me around the world — from London to Wellington, Mumbai, Vancouver, Montreal, and Madrid — working on major productions including Harry Potter, Inception, Alita: Battle Angel, Godzilla, Avengers, Superman, Green Zone, The Bourne Ultimatum, and Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy.
I began my career in London’s Soho at VTR, a post-production house with an animation division called The Hive.
As a graphic designer and junior compositor, I created idents and graphics for music videos, TV series, and commercials, while supporting the Flame and HAL suites.
It was a formative start — I learned flexibility, precision, and the importance of patience when working directly with clients.
My dream was always to work in film. I joined MPC London to work on Harry Potter, where I learned Shake on the job and discovered the world of pixel perfection, grain variation, and the collaborative pipeline behind film VFX.
Film required a new level of discipline and detail — lessons that shaped everything that followed.
Working on Alexander with Oliver Stone was an early highlight — he would often drop by and ask for “more blood,” making us all laugh at how far we’d already gone.
That experience taught me an important truth:
“Appreciation and acknowledgment make people want to do more.”
In 2005, I joined The Mill TV to work on the Doctor Who reboot, before alternating between Framestore and The Mill on groundbreaking projects such as the BBC’s Emmy-winning “Walking With…” documentary series — a remarkable blend of CG animation and animatronics that brought prehistoric worlds to life.
I especially loved working on Walking With Monsters.
In 2006, I joined Double Negative (DNEG) — a studio renowned for its creativity, innovation, and respect for artists.
I grew from mid compositor to senior and eventually lead, contributing to The Bourne Ultimatum, Hellboy II, and Inception.
Inception became a milestone project — we won multiple awards, including a VES Award for Outstanding Compositing, which I proudly collected in Los Angeles on behalf of the team.
It was a defining experience that reinforced my belief in collaboration, mentorship, and creative excellence.
During my years at DNEG, I also represented the studio at conferences and recruitment events in Spain, helping connect and inspire new artists.
After 11 years in London, I moved to Wellington, New Zealand, in 2011 to join Weta Digital for The Hobbit trilogy.
Wellington remains one of the most genuine and inspiring cities I’ve ever lived in.
At Weta, I worked on The Hobbit, Avengers, Iron Man, Planet of the Apes, Superman, and other major titles.
Our twin daughters were born there in 2015, making it an unforgettable chapter both personally and professionally.
After their birth, we returned to Spain for a year to be close to family.
In 2017, DNEG offered me the chance to join their Mumbai studio. I had always been fascinated by India and its culture, so we embraced the opportunity.
We lived and worked there for two and a half years, an intense and eye-opening period that taught us so much about adaptability and teamwork.
I worked on Godzilla, Alita: Battle Angel, Avengers: Endgame, and more — surrounded by one of the most enthusiastic and talented crews I’ve ever met.
From Mumbai, our journey continued to Montreal, where I joined DNEG once again.
When the COVID pandemic hit, I transitioned to Scanline VFX, adapting to remote workflows during an industry-wide shift.
After our contract in Montreal, we decided to explore Vancouver, a city we had always been curious about. We drove across Canada and settled there, where I joined FuseFX.
Vancouver’s film community is incredibly collaborative, with a vibrant mix of feature and episodic work.
At FuseFX, I continued developing my skills as a Compositing and DFX Supervisor, overseeing creative and technical workflows for large-scale productions.
It was also during this period that I deepened my interest in AI and machine learning, recognizing their potential to transform visual storytelling.
In recent years, I joined Metaphysic, one of the pioneering studios integrating AI into film production, focusing on face replacement and generative pipelines.
This experience opened an entirely new dimension in my career — blending traditional film artistry with the possibilities of generative AI.
At Metaphysic, I explored how emerging tools can accelerate workflows, preserve creative intent, and empower artists rather than replace them.
It reignited my passion for innovation, collaboration, and the future of visual effects.
We later relocated back to Spain, where I now focus on remote VFX supervision, AI-driven pipelines, and building creative teams across borders.
Each new place and collaboration has deepened my understanding of people, process, and purpose — the true cornerstones of great work.
Today, I continue to bridge the worlds of cinematic storytelling and emerging technology, developing workflows that honor both artistry and innovation.
“The way you treat others shows your values and true character.
You can’t influence others if you aren’t authentic.”
I believe leadership is about empathy, trust, and connection.
Being tough and kind are not opposites — they belong together.
We don’t manage numbers; we lead people.
When artists feel seen, valued, and trusted, they do their best work.
In the end, it’s people who make companies successful — just as trust, understanding, and appreciation make relationships thrive.
The best studios lead not only with technology, but with humanity.