Under The Mikroscope 🔍 Maxime Sirven, Production Editor

For this new Under The Mikroscope interview, we introduce Maxime Sirven, production editor in Montreal! He talks about his journey, the superpower he dreams of having, and the animated character he relates to the most.

What is the best aspect of your job?

Sharing knowledge with talented and detail-oriented individuals, and witnessing the wonder in my daughter’s eyes once the movie starts, and she knows I worked on it.

What was the first project you worked on when you joined Mikros Animation?

I started on Thelma The Unicorn and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem simultaneously.

Share your academic and professional journey to reach your position at Mikros Animation!

I quickly knew that I wanted to work in cinema. My primary goal was to adapt the works of Jules Verne and Lord of the Rings for the big screen… It seems that a certain Peter beat me to it since then 🙂

So, it was quite natural that I chose the cinema option in high school, even though I was in a science profile. After my bachelor’s degree, I went to Paris to pursue a degree in editing, where I got involved in various projects (corporate, documentaries, TV, music videos, assistant on feature films, etc.). I moved to Montreal in September 2013 and stumbled into VFX by chance since I needed to extend my visa, and it was impossible to do so with a freelance status. Then I found myself immersed in a distinct universe, the realm of post-production in a way, where I could leverage my experience, but most importantly, progress in numerous areas—from pure editing to project and team management, through more advanced techniques and even coding, to handling deadlines that were a little too tight.

However, I began to shift more towards animation, where freedom and creativity seemed more aligned with what I was looking for. The Arcane series, a need for change, and an email from Pierre Escande arriving almost simultaneously convinced me to take the plunge after almost 10 years in VFX, and it will soon be 2 years since I joined Mikros Animation.

What inspires you?

A good story. It can be through music, a movie, an image; it can be real or created, it doesn’t matter to me if it conveys something meaningful.

If you had to be a character from Mikros Animation films and series, who would you be?

The aviator in Le Petit Prince, the narrator of the story… Though I’m not that old!

Your greatest achievement so far?

Working alongside people as passionate as I am. In such a team, the result is guaranteed to be of high quality.

What would be your superpower?

Not needing to sleep, except when I want to, like, for example, to take a nap during the summer under the shade of a tree 😄. Time is limited; that’s what makes life exciting, but at the same time, it’s far too short to do everything. Saving between 6 and 8 hours a day would not be negligible!