Kris Orpilla
About Kris Orpilla
Kris Orpilla is a Lead VFX Artist with extensive experience in the gaming industry, currently working at Riot Games since 2021. He has held various roles at notable companies such as Zynga, Unity Technologies, and Electronic Arts, contributing to multiple projects and developing visual effects across several platforms.
Current Role at Riot Games
Kris Orpilla currently serves as the Lead VFX Artist at Riot Games, a position he has held since 2021. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the visual effects for various projects, ensuring high-quality standards and innovative designs. His expertise contributes to the immersive gaming experiences that Riot Games is known for.
Previous Experience in the Gaming Industry
Prior to his role at Riot Games, Kris Orpilla held several significant positions in the gaming industry. He worked as a Lead VFX Artist at Zynga for six months in 2015, and then transitioned to Unity Technologies as an SME Consultant from 2015 to 2016. He also served as a Senior VFX Artist at Wavedash Games from 2017 to 2018, and at Double Fine Productions from 2018 to 2019. His diverse experience spans various aspects of visual effects and character design.
Educational Background
Kris Orpilla holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Design from California State University, Long Beach, where he studied from 1994 to 1999. He furthered his education by obtaining a Master's degree in Visual Effects and Animation from the Academy of Art University, completing his studies from 2002 to 2008. His educational background provides a strong foundation for his career in visual effects.
Contributions to Game Development
Throughout his career, Kris Orpilla has made significant contributions to various game development projects. He played a dual role as Character Lead and VFX Artist on an unannounced project under the EA Play4Free division, managing pre-production and pipeline workflow. At Wavedash Games, he developed effect prototyping tools and designed shaders and lighting for combat effects. His work at Electronic Arts involved authoring visual effects for multiple PC titles and overseeing the development of game engine specific effects for 'Dawngate'.
Career Progression
Kris Orpilla's career has progressed through various roles in the gaming and design industries. He began as an Industrial Designer at DD Studio from 1999 to 2000. His journey in visual effects began at Electronic Arts, where he worked in different capacities from 2006 to 2014. He later transitioned to roles at Baobab Studios, Facebook, and other companies, gaining extensive experience in visual effects and character art before joining Riot Games.