Hi! I'm Sydney

I'm an FX Technical Director currently based in Provo, Utah and open to relocation. I'm currently a student at Brigham Young University, graduating in April 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, emphasizing in Animation. I worked as an FX Technical Director on BYU's 2025 student film "Love and Gold", and am currently working as the FX Lead and Technical Director on BYU's 2026 student film "Honey Business". Outside of my FX work, I enjoy Utah's beautiful outdoors, any sort of creative project, and spending time with my family.

I specialize in creating captivating visual effects and production-ready tools and workflows using both technicality and creativity. My background is in computer science and 3D animation, and I'm always looking for ways to combine my technical skills with my artistic eye. That's what drew me to the FX department in the first place! As an FX Technical Director, I've encountered so many problems that could only be solved through a combination of scripting, math, Houdini, trial and error, caffeine, and out of the box thinking. Nothing beats the satisfaction of completing a complex FX shot or finishing a unique tool that makes my job more efficient.

Take a look around my website, and I hope you enjoy my work! If you're interested in working together or getting in touch with me, please contact me at sydneygardner711@gmail.com. Thanks!