From Wellington to Wētā FX: How Online Study Helped Jacynta Scurfield Launch Her Animation Career

The Bachelor of Art & Design (3D Animation & VFX) graduate studied remotely from Wellington while collaborating with classmates across New Zealand, co-creating the award-winning short film A Dragon in Name Only, and building the skills that would eventually help her step into the film industry. Today, she works as a Junior Animator at Wētā FX, contributing to large-scale productions including Avatar: Fire and Ash. 

Discovering a Passion for 3D Animation

Jacynta’s journey into animation started long before university. As a child, she loved drama classes, drawing characters from movies, and creating stop-motion films at home. After winning a youth film competition with a 2D animated short film as a teenager, she realised animation could become a real career path. 

She initially began studying elsewhere with a focus on 2D animation, but everything changed when she was introduced to 3D.

“I realised I actually really, really liked it,” she says. “But I also felt like I wasn’t really being challenged.”

After researching providers, she decided to transfer to Media Design School at Strayer (MDS), drawn by the quality of student work and the school’s strong industry reputation. 

Studying Online Without Missing Out

For Jacynta, online study offered flexibility without requiring her to leave Wellington and relocate to Auckland.

“I really liked the comfort of being able to study while staying in my home city, surrounded by friends and family,” she explains. 

Before starting, she worried online learning might feel isolating. Instead, she found herself part of an active, collaborative class environment with live sessions, group chats, and constant communication between students.

There were actually quite a number of us studying online, and I loved that the classes were live rather than pre-recorded. We could actually get involved in real time.” 

Group collaboration became a key part of the experience. Students regularly connected through Discord, shared updates, and worked together across locations. Jacynta says the balance between online and on-campus students helped create a strong sense of accountability and teamwork. 

“If you have something you really want to do, you’ll chase it no matter the environment.” 

Creating an Award-Winning Film

One of the highlights of Jacynta’s time at MDS was working on the capstone short film A Dragon in Name Only. As co-director, co-script writer, and lead animator, she helped shape both the story and visual direction of the film. 

The project went on to win the Wētā FX Best VFX Award at the New Zealand Youth Film Festival.

According to Jacynta, the team spent almost as much time refining the story as they did creating the 3D work itself. The film also experimented with a distinctive visual style that blended 3D animation with influences from 2D animation and stop-motion filmmaking. 

The project also reinforced important lessons about production pipelines, planning, and adaptability.

In a fast-paced production with a small team, you have to wear a lot of hats to keep things moving forward,” she says. 

From MDS to Wētā FX

While still studying, Jacynta applied for a Wētā FX internship opportunity promoted through MDS. Although she wasn’t selected at the time, the experience helped put her on the studio’s radar. 

A few months after graduating, A Dragon in Name Only screened at a Wellington film festival attended by talent scouts from Wētā FX and other studios. The scouts remembered her from the earlier interview process and were impressed by the team’s work. Around the same time, she successfully applied for a Production Assistant role at Wētā FX before later progressing into a Junior Animator position. 

Looking back, Jacynta says the live feedback environment at MDS closely reflected the realities of studio production and helped prepare her for the pace of industry work.

For students considering online study, her advice is simple:

“Definitely go for it.”