By KELLY LOUISEIZE
It takes volumes of documents and conversation to explain what Kris Holland, a Sudbury-based entrepreneur, could illustrate in a simple 3-D computer image.
Simple for Holland, but not so for many.
He became quite adept at producing images tinkering around with 3D Studio commercial software his mother bought. So much, in fact, international companies and agencies have phoned him to partake in developing everything from undergound mining images to hotels in space.
Shy by nature, Holland was able to come out of his shell long enough to find his next project networking at a Northern Ontario Business Awards ceremony.
Since then, his firm, Mafic Studios, has blasted off - literally.
In last month’s Popular Science magazine, Holland’s images of the CSS Skywalker, the first orbital hotel in space, were part of the lead story.
American Bigelow Aerospace hired Holland to develop the images just as California-based Space Dev. contracted him to develop the Dream Catcher, a vehicle that would transport passengers to low space orbit and take them back to Earth.
“Since then (Space Dev.) has given me another batch of work and there is more coming,” he says.
Mining companies and related consortiums also use Holland’s imaging. Greg Baiden, who heads the mining engineering department at Laurentian University, uses Holland’s imaging in all his projects. He phones Holland about once a week.
“Greg (Baiden) once told me ... I was the only person he could basically give a rough description, a sketch on a napkin, and come back in a few days and have the completed image he wants.”
His liberal science degree from Laurentian University has assisted him in understanding client needs. Industry and research and development clients just have to explain the budget and leave the magic to him, he says.
But it hasn’t been all roses. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, mining houses throughout the world stopped spending.
“I did not have any work for eight months,” he says.
Broadening his scope became paramount to the viability of the business. Holland is beginning an offshoot company aimed at developing training DVDs for 3-D animation, Photoshop and other software applications. Currently, he has agreements in principle with Philip Straub, a conceptual artist with the world’s largest gaming outfit, Electronic Arts and an official from Pixar.
“These people are at the top of their game,” he says.
He has convinced them, in principle, at least to produce six- to eight-hour pieces of art which Holland will then format, and burn onto a DVD for marketing.
He would also like to get his foot in the transportation sector door. Organizations such as Boeing McDonald-Douglas may need his expertise, he muses, alluding their existing graphics are less than comparable to his work.
Once he develops his reputation, Holland figures he will be able to approach conglomerates for larger contracts.
He says anything is possible with his new, extraverted demeanor and any distance is surmountable with some Internet billing software.
