Interview: VFX Editor Liyana Mansor Discusses Her Artistic Work
Liyana Mansor, a UK-based editor and VFX editor, has made a name for herself in the visual effects industry with her work on high-profile projects such as Chernobyl, Alien: Covenant, The Alienist, Black Mirror, and Andor.
Born in Brunei and raised in the north of England, Mansor's career began in 2012 when she started as a runner at a large post-production house in London. She went on to graduate from Leeds College of Art and Design, and her hard work and dedication paid off as she climbed the ranks to become a VFX editor.
Mansor's favourite film is Gwoemul (The Host) by Bong Joon-ho, and if she could collaborate with any artist, it would be Bong Joon-ho, Yang Jinmo, or Rian Johnson. Her passion for visual effects shines through in her work, as she uses tools like the Wacom Intuos Pro with Avid Media Composer and plugins like Continuum and Sapphire to enhance her ability to do temp compositing and mock up VFX shots efficiently.
One of Mansor's proudest achievements is her work on The Alienist and Chernobyl, and she was a one-woman VFX Editorial department on Chernobyl. Her work on Andor, a critically acclaimed Star Wars TV series recognised for outstanding special visual effects, has also earned her recognition within the industry, including a Primetime Emmy nomination for Lead VFX Editor.
Mansor's career path in the VFX industry centers on her role as a VFX editor and visual effects professional, with key milestones including work on high-profile projects such as Chernobyl, Alien: Covenant (2017), The Alienist (2018), Black Mirror, Andor (2022), and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023).
When Mansor hits a creative wall with a VFX comp, she works on something else and comes back to it later or the next day. She prefers to work up temp offline comps to look as close to in-camera as possible to sell a shot for the edit. To create cleaner green screen keys, she often relies on Continuum's Primatte Studio, and she uses multiple effects to create holographic projection effects.
Mansor collects VFX elements for her temp comp process, particularly for action scenes involving muzzle flashes, fire, smoke, and weather elements. She finds inspiration for creativity from films from her childhood. When working in an epic session, her favourite snack is Cinnamon Social slices.
Mansor uses custom macros on her Razor mouse to cycle through multiple repeated actions, such as prepping and pulling elements with required handles for shots. She enjoys creating invisible VFX, such as extending environments to create different and authentic worlds to service the story and give them an immersive quality.
When asked for advice to her younger self, Mansor said, "never hesitate or count herself out of an opportunity just because she doesn't 'feel ready.'" This attitude has no doubt contributed to her success in the competitive world of visual effects.
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Integrating technology into her lifestyle and work, Liyana Mansor employs advanced tools such as the Wacom Intuos Pro with Avid Media Composer and plugins like Continuum and Sapphire for temp compositing and mocking up VFX shots efficiently.
In the realm of entertainment, Liyana Mansor's passion for visual effects has led her to work on critically acclaimed projects like Black Mirror, Andor, and the Star Wars TV series, earning her industry recognition and a Primetime Emmy nomination.
