UCF Grad Helps Bring Visions to Life for FX Network

It started with a dream of becoming an automotive designer. Blending creative and technical work is something that Michael Viscione ’08 has been drawn to for years.

“I fell in love with the artistry complemented by the technical side of automotive design work,” says Viscione. “My passion is turning concepts into reality.”

And while he doesn’t build cars for a living, Viscione fuses these skills into his work as an art director and visual effects supervisor for FX — the television network that’s home to original shows, like American Horror Story and Mayans M.C. However, a career path in animation wasn’t always on his radar.

After high school, the New Jersey native landed in South Carolina where he studied international business.

“My family thought that business would be a great fit,” he says. “But after an accounting course, I knew it wasn’t for me. Sometimes you just have to try a couple different things before you land on what you want to do.”

Throughout his freshman year of college, he would take the train to Florida as a getaway. During one of the trips, he made his way to UCF where he soaked in the campus atmosphere.

“I remember how welcoming campus felt. The people were great, and I could tell how much the university cared about their students which is something that drew me here,” he says.

After wrapping up his first year of college, he decided to make the move and become a Knight. One question remained though: What should he major in? It wasn’t until after talking with an advisor at UCF that he learned more about the BFA in animation program and how it tied to his creative and technical interests. Throughout his coursework, Viscione strengthened his computer graphics and visual effects skills and started thinking more about the future.

Upon graduating from UCF, he moved to New York City to pursue his dreams. Viscione jumped right into roles including artist, designer and project lead for major film and commercial houses. But after 10 years in the Big Apple, he had a creative itch for something new and different which ultimately brought him to Los Angeles.

Viscione shares his journey that led him to where he is today and provides a glimpse into what it’s like working in visual effects for a large television network.

What drew you to animation?

I originally wanted to do industrial design. But after talking with an advisor at UCF about my interests, I learned more about animation and this world that I didn’t know existed. At the time, I never considered how 3D animation was done, like the behind-the-scenes of creating a Pixar film. But I found it interesting, so I decided to sign up for classes and go from there.

What was your career path after graduating from UCF?

Right after college, I moved to New York where I worked as a freelancer — essentially under my own business name. I did that for nearly a decade and it was great. I gained experience with companies like The Mill,…