I’m Gabriel Castells Somoza, a Houdini FX Artist based in Madrid with a focus on visual effects for film and television. I create procedural simulations — from large-scale destruction and fluid dynamics to fire, smoke, and particle-driven effects — designed to serve the story and seamlessly integrate into live-action footage.

I trained at two of Europe’s leading VFX institutions: Bournemouth University’s National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA), where I earned a Master’s in Digital Effects, and Lightbox Academy, where I completed an Advanced Houdini specialization.

I’ve had the opportunity to work at Technicolor Creative Studios in Montreal as an FX Trainee and as a Junior FX Artist at Able&Baker in Madrid, contributing to production-level FX shots within studio pipelines.

Before moving into FX, I spent several years in on-set film production — working as a production assistant on features, short films, and music videos. That experience gave me a deep understanding of how visual effects need to connect with cinematography, editing, and narrative pacing.

I studied Audiovisual Communication at Universidad Villanueva, which shaped my approach to VFX as a storytelling tool rather than just a technical exercise.

My primary tools are Houdini for FX and simulations, Nuke for compositing, and PFTrack for matchmoving and camera tracking. I’m comfortable working within structured VFX pipelines on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

I’m always looking for projects where visual effects elevate the story. If you’re looking for an FX artist for your next film or series, feel free to get in touch.