Meet the Yardeners – the passionate team at The Yard, who cultivate every day the seeds of creativity, transforming them into striking visual effects, fruitful collaborations, and unforgettable stories.

We’re excited to dedicate this new edition to Mathilde Chambras, our fantastic Talent Acquisition Manager. With ten years of experience in recruitment for the animation and VFX industry, Mathilde has built a strong track record of supporting studio growth and connecting exceptional talent with ambitious creative projects.

Hello Mathilde ! Could you please explain your current role at The Yard? 

My primary responsibility is to recruit the best artists for our projects and ensure they have a smooth and positive recruitment experience. To do this, I work closely with our Heads of Departments and VFX Producers to identify the profiles we need and define the skills and experience required for each position. I also organize and conduct the different stages of the interview process. It is very important to me that candidates receive all the information they need and have the opportunity to ask any questions before deciding to join the studio.

My role continues well beyond the hiring stage. I stay in regular contact with our artists after they join The Yard, whether that means keeping them informed about changes to their bookings, checking in on how things are going, or simply having a quick chat to make sure they feel supported. Recruitment is not just about filling positions; it is about building trusting relationships and creating an environment where people feel comfortable sharing feedback or raising concerns that could affect their experience at the studio.

I do not handle this internal follow-up alone. I work closely with the human resources team, our Heads of Departments, and our VFX Producers to provide the best possible experience for our artists and to support their professional growth throughout their time with us.

Another important aspect of my role is maintaining strong relationships with schools and training programs. We partner with several schools across France, and I regularly visit them to meet students and discuss careers in animation and VFX. Together with our Heads of Departments, I participate in job fairs and recruitment events throughout the year, which gives us the opportunity to identify emerging talent and answer students’ questions about the industry. Our involvement with schools is especially meaningful because we are often meeting our future colleagues, and it is important that their first impression of both The Yard and the industry is a positive one.

Some of the school events Mathilde participated in since joining The Yard:

What brought you to the VFX industry? 

I’ve always been a big movie nerd. Thanks to my parents, I grew up watching movies and developed a real passion for cinema from a very young age. I actually studied film history, not recruitment, and for a long time I thought I would end up working on film sets. But it lookls like life had other plans!

Right after university, I had the opportunity to join Illumination Studios Paris as a Recruitment Assistant on Sing. I quickly discovered how much I enjoyed recruitment and the human side of building creative teams. Over the years, I progressed into recruitment management roles and had the chance to contribute to several internationally renowned animated features, including Despicable Me 3 and 4, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, among others.

Some of the features Mathilde contributed to:

After many years in feature animation, I decided to explore a different side of the industry by joining BobbyPills, where I worked in adult animation. That experience gave me the opportunity to discover new creative processes, collaborate with very different artistic profiles, and broaden my understanding of animation production.

In a way, ending up in the VFX and animation industry feels quite natural. My father was a DMP (Digital Matte Painting) Artist in the 1990s and early 2000s, so I grew up hearing about this world long before I became part of it myself. Looking back, it feels like a career path that was quietly present in my life all along.

What do you find great about your current role? 

I’ve been doing this job for a little over ten years now, and one of the things I value most about it is how much it has helped me grow as a person. That may sound a bit self-centered, but it has genuinely been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.

When I first entered the animation and VFX industry, I was a very shy and not particularly confident young professional. Working alongside incredibly talented people and being surrounded by such a wide range of personalities pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop both personally and professionally. The passion and dedication that so many people in this industry bring to their work have been a constant source of inspiration and have encouraged me to challenge myself and keep learning.

I also take great pride in knowing that I play a small part in people’s professional journeys—and sometimes even their personal ones. I’ve hired artists who later got married, which is a lovely reminder that the connections we make at work can become much more meaningful over time.

Being at The Yard has given me the opportunity to continue meeting people who inspire me every day while contributing to exciting and ambitious projects. My role as Talent Acquisition Manager also gives me visibility into many different aspects of the company. Because I work closely with multiple departments and am involved in a wide range of discussions, I’ve gained a much deeper understanding over the years of how a studio operates and how the different teams collaborate to bring projects to life.

Could you share the main challenges in your role?

I would say that the main challenge of my role is to find the right person for a role at the right time. Our industry is very fast paced and competitive meaning I need to have a strong talent pool.

Part of my job is to keep in touch with artists throughout the year and try to find the right moment to hire them. It can sometimes take years before I’m able to hire someone!

As our projects can evolve very quickly, I need to be able to offer solutions to our teams which is why the relationships I establish with people is of the utmost importance. Being a Talent Acquisition Manager is a lot about keeping people engaged with your studio and interested in an upcoming opportunity.

As the animation and VFX industry continues to evolve, what major changes do you expect to see in recruitment and talent acquisition?

I think AI is the major change everyone is looking at in our industry, and recruitment is no exception. AI has already been used in recruitment for some time, with many recruiters now having access to AI-powered features within their ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) or through recruitment platforms. However, I don’t see these tools replacing the role of a recruiter. Instead, they help us work more efficiently by allowing us to spend more time focusing on candidates, expanding our reach, building stronger relationships, and creating more targeted talent pools.

Many artists are understandably concerned about what AI will mean for their careers, but so far, I haven’t seen a significant impact on the way I evaluate or select artists. The human aspect of recruitment—understanding someone’s skills, experience, personality, and potential—remains essential.

I also believe that studios have an important role to play in supporting their teams through these changes. It is our responsibility to help our artists adapt, continue learning, and feel prepared for the transformations that may come with new technologies.

What tips would you give to anyone willing to join The Yard?

I think the advice I would give is probably the same I would give to anyone looking to join a studio. Before applying, it is important to make sure that the work you showcase matches the type of projects the studio is producing. We often receive showreels that are impressive, but don’t necessarily align with the work we do. If we struggle to see how someone’s skills fit into our projects, it becomes much harder for an application to lead to an opportunity.

Taking the time to understand what a studio is looking for, by looking at its previous projects, current work, and the type of artists it hires, can make a real difference. Tailoring your application and presenting work that reflects the studio’s needs shows both preparation and genuine interest.

The way you present yourself during the recruitment process is also a very important part of the decision. I have met incredibly talented artists whose attitude during an interview made us question whether they would be the right fit for our teams. Our industry is highly collaborative, and technical skills are only one part of what makes someone successful in a studio environment. We also need to feel confident that a person will be able to communicate, collaborate, and integrate well within a team.

That being said, there is no need to worry if you feel nervous during an interview. A recruiter’s role is also to help candidates feel comfortable and to understand the difference between stress and a genuine attitude issue. We are not looking for perfection — we are looking for talented people who are excited to be part of a team and contribute to great projects.

Any piece of advice you’d give to students willing to work in talent acquisition in our industry?

If working in talent acquisition within our industry is something that interests you, there are a few qualities that are essential. The most important one is genuinely enjoying working with people. As a recruiter, you will interact with a wide variety of profiles every day, from candidates and artists to production teams, supervisors, and many other colleagues. Being comfortable building relationships and collaborating with others is key.

I also believe that recruitment is deeply connected to empathy. You need to be able to listen, support people, and make them feel that you genuinely have their best interests in mind. Candidates and employees should feel that they can have open conversations with you.

Curiosity is another important quality. In our industry, you need to be interested in understanding the creative and technical worlds around you and in learning what each role involves. You don’t need to become an expert in every discipline, but having a good understanding of the different jobs, challenges, and processes within a studio will help you connect better with people and make more informed recruitment decisions.

Meet more of our talented Yardeners here.

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