AFX Creative Enhances Team With Versatile VFX Artist/Director Felix Urquiza as New Executive Creative Director

Premium content creation studio AFX Creative has gained a VFX powerhouse with the addition of Felix Urquiza as Executive Creative Director on February 1st.

Urquiza joins the fold with nearly 20 years of experience in the field, working at top-tier companies like Method Studios; The Mill; and Team One, heading up the latter’s VFX/CG division TiltShift under the Team One/Publicis Groupe’s USA umbrella. For Urquiza, now was the right time to join and further propel an award-winning company. “What attracted me the most to AFX was the size of their team and their dynamic leadership,” he says. “Their approach aligns with what I was looking for in a company and I feel confident I will work well with the team. And with all the amazing work AFX is currently doing, now seemed like the perfect time to join to add my years of experience and expertise.  I am excited about this new chapter and feel like everything has fallen into place.”

In his new role at AFX, Urquiza will lead the creative team and develop new strategies to elevate its creative focus. In addition, he will be working closely with the studio’s Managing Director Nicole Fina to introduce new clients to AFX and expand its services beyond what it currently offers. “My goal is to bring a fresh perspective, something more personal and meaningful that will resonate not only with our internal teams but also our clients,” Urquiza notes. “Our work and capabilities are already there, and I am here to help take it to the next level. However, what’s more important to me is bringing an outside perspective to AFX. This will push our team and clients to a higher level of excitement and commitment, elevating our passion and vision of creativity.”

Throughout his career, having an outside perspective is what has propelled Urquiza from being a go-to VFX artist to a creative director and studio director, who infuses a unique approach into all his projects. “I would describe my visual style as modern, clean-cut, and pristine,” he explains. “Throughout my career, I have developed both technical and creative skills, and as a result, have become proficient in several areas, including building decks and treatments, writing and designing my own treatments for pitches, and leading the team.”

Early on, Urquiza was essentially inspired to pursue VFX after seeing two James Cameron films. “When I was around 10-12 years old, there were two movies that blew my mind,” he recalls: “The Abyss and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In The Abyss, there is a moment where a ‘water’ creature appears and forms into a girl’s face. I couldn’t understand how they did that! Ever since then, I have been fascinated by movies and how they bring amazing things to life using computers. In my sophomore year of high school, I took an elective for 3D graphics and on the very first day of that class, I knew this is what I wanted to do! I started researching and connecting the dots, laid out my plan, and moved to California. The rest is history!”

Now, Urquiza has transferred his inspiration and passion for visual effects into a multitude of projects for the likes of Activision, Nike, Bacardi, Samsung, Apple, Lexus, GM, Toyota, and many more. In addition, he’s collaborated with top-shelf agencies like Team One, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, BBDO, McCann, Omnicom, and Argonaut. What he does consider to be his primary career highlights, however, include working on his first-ever film, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, doing a shoot with Zack Snyder during the opening weekend of 300, working on XCOM: The Bureau (which he considers one of his favorite projects), and, being nominated twice for a VES (Visual Effects Society) award.

As a key part of AFX Creative’s team, Urquiza now hopes his vast experience across the VFX/creative landscape will provide plenty of insight into his role as ECD. “During my time working at places like The Mill and Method, I gained a lot of experience in understanding what it takes to achieve high-quality work and striving to be the best in the industry,” he says. “I also learned the importance of committing to providing a personalized experience for our clients. At Tiltshift, I gained valuable insights into the business side of things, such as navigating holding companies and how the decision-making process impacts the overall success of a business. Drawing from these experiences, I am confident in my ability to set high standards for creative output, collaborate effectively with clients, and bring strategic ideas to the table on the business end of things.”

Regarding what makes Urquiza’s hiring so important to AFX Creative and what he brings to the studio, Managing Director Nicole Fina adds, “Felix’s passion for his work is palpable from the second you meet him. He brings with him a dedication and commitment to servicing clients that is a perfect fit for our ethos. Felix’s knowledge will strengthen the steadfast commitment we have to our growing clientele. Felix is a true artist at heart and brings his team together in a meaningful way. That collaboration always shows up in the form of better work.”