Ruel Smith: It All Starts with a Passion Artwork

Reel Drive: A Look Behind the Boards

Meet the next generation of filmmakers leading the charge into the new era of content. Take a journey alongside Stept Studios founder, Nick Martini, to get a behind-the-scenes look from the directors, creatives, and producers who are creating the projects you drool over on Instagram and Vimeo. From commercials to music videos to feature films, these are the artists who are redefining the landscape of modern production.

All Episodes

Reel Drive: A Look Behind the Boards

Ruel Smith: It All Starts with a Passion

April 19, 2021 • Stept Studios • Season 1 • Episode 6

Born and raised in Jamaica, Ruel Smith discovered at an early age his passion for animation and VFX. After seeing the Lion King and Jurassic Park as a kid, he instantly knew what he aspired to be and he has not stopped since.

After migrating to the United States, Ruel met his mentor - an art teacher who started a DIY animation program out of love for animation - helping pave the way for Ruel's future career. He got his foot in the door after moving to LA at the age of 22, working his way through the VFX & Animation world on sets from Captain Marvel to Griffith Observatory's new Planetary show to an MLK VR project for Time Magazine.

In today's episode, join our host Nick Martini and Director/VFX Supervisor Ruel Smith as they discuss maneuvering through one of the most difficult industries in order to pursue a dream of telling meaningful stories.