We sat down with Denis Lessard, a 3D Animator at Ubisoft Quebec. Not only is Denis a talented individual working in the industry and on games like Assassin’s Creed but he is a HUGE retro gamer as well. Come learn more!
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi! My name is Denis Lessard and I live in Quebec City in Canada. I’m a 2D and 3D animator in the videogame industry for about 17 years now! My first passion is video games and I’m also a retro game collector! I also like to draw and snowboard.
What was the first console/game you ever owned?
The first game system I got was a radio shack TV scoreboard that I found in the garbage. I repaired it myself since we were really poor and my Mom wasn’t able to buy a videogame console. So, I raised money by collecting bottles from everywhere and eventually got my first system, the Atari 2600. My passion for gaming really originated with that Atari and some of my first favorite games at that time included: Missiles Command, Dig Dug, Pitfall, Frostbite, and River Raid!
Do you have any fond childhood memories based around gaming?
Some of my best gaming moments are:
- Mega Man 2 and Mario Bros. 3 on the NES. Those games are still some of my favorite of all time.
- Final Fantasy 2 was a complete blast for me. I was playing this game in English and would translate the text, word by word, with my dictionary! (In case you didn’t know, I natively speak French)
- The release of the Game Boy! This little grey portable system marked the ability to play video games outside.
- The PlayStation 1 release! This console has so many good RPGs and fighting games. We also saw the birth of so many good franchises.
- Mario 64 was redefining with what a 3D platformer could be.
- Half Life 2 on the PC was also a major step for the industry. I’m still dreaming about a 3rd installment…it won’t happen, but dreams keep it alive!
I think you get the idea, haha!
As a game developer for approximately 17 years, can you share how you go into the industry and what inspired you to pursue this career?
I always dreamed to contribute in some way to this industry. The first attempt was a couple of boss designs for the Mega Man series that I created at home on grid sheets! I sent them to Capcom and although I never received any response, I was proud to have tried. Sadly, my house burnt at this time and I lost all my old drawings.
Then after my graduation from school, I was looking for a program at college that could propel me in this industry and the closest thing I found was a 2D traditional animation class. It wasn’t related to video games and more about movies, but I was able to learn traditional 2D animation. Some recruiter at the end of the program was looking at my work and proposed to me to do some inking for an educational PC game series that nobody knew called Moon Muncher.
I work at this studio called Art Media for five years and then later when the studio fell into bankruptcy, I heard that Ubisoft was starting a studio in Quebec City. So, I decided to go take a class in 3D animation and I was hired about six months after finishing my class. I’ve now been working at Ubisoft Quebec for almost 12 years!
Having been with Ubisoft for almost 12 years, what game(s) have you worked on and what was your role?
The first game I animated in 3D for Ubisoft was TMNT on the DS. After that, I worked on Surf’s Up for the Game Boy Advance. For this game, I worked on a really small team so I was able to wear many hats: sprite animation, level artist, FX and all the enemies and collectibles in game. There are many games after that, but mostly the Assassin’s Creed series since Brotherhood and some kid game series. These included Combat of Giant and Petz.
With the exception of a few projects where I worked in game designing, storyboard, 3D animation and rigging, I am mostly a 3D animator in real keyframing and motion capture cleaners too.
What’s currently been the highlight of your career?
To be honest, just having the chance to work with incredible people from all over the country and from different religious backgrounds. This industry is just fantastic and it’s an honor to be a part of it! I’ve met some really important individuals from Nintendo, Pixar, Walt Disney, Squaresoft, etc.
Given the choice, what game would you love to work on?
THE MEGA MAN SERIES!
Having been in the industry through multiple console releases, what challenges and new opportunities do you find with each new release?
Always try to push the limit, the complexity, the engine, etc. further.
For those looking to enter your field, what advice would you give them?
Be ready to breaks walls and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it! Keep working hard!
What upcoming games, besides your own, are you most looking forward to playing?
The new God of War (I’m playing it right now and it’s breathtaking), the upcoming Spider-Man game and Red Dead Redemption 2!
Finally, is there anything else you’d like to share?
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to share a little bit about my passion and myself!
See ya!
