Riccardo Zanarini

Riccardo Zanarini is the Houdini Tutor for second- and third-year students at Escape Studios. His journey in visual arts and 3D began in Rome, where he earned a degree in Graphic Design from AANT (Accademia delle Arti e Nuove Tecnologie). His passion for visual effects was sparked when he watched a breakdown reel from Game of Thrones during a motion graphics class, and in that moment, he knew he had found his calling.

In 2019, Riccardo moved to London to pursue his dreams. After building a compelling showreel, he won a scholarship to Escape Studios, where he completed a Master's degree in 3D for VFX. Immediately following his graduation, he joined Escape as a 3D Studio Assistant. During this time, he deepened his understanding for the FX world and developed a passion for Houdini, especially for creating explosive visual effects.

Riccardo's dedication soon led him to a role as an FX Technical Director at Milk VFX. There, he handled a variety of simulations for major productions, contributing to projects for Netflix, Prime Video, Universal, and more.