Collegian Lewis Candy (Sargood 2015-2019) and his team have won Best Visual Effects at the 2025 NZ Youth Film Festival for Echoes of the Wild, a film he both produced and supervised for visual effects. The award, endorsed by Wētā FX, was presented at a ceremony on 15 November at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, where more than 100 young filmmakers from across Aotearoa gathered to celebrate emerging talent.

Lewis, who recently completed a Master of Design Technology through the Miramar Creative Centre at Victoria University of Wellington, specialised in full animation and live action filmmaking. He says digital storytelling is a career that combines his long-standing interests in computers, digital technology, writing, mathematics and art.

The win was the result of a three-month production, during which Lewis was the producer of the film’s most technically demanding roles. In his acceptance speech, he reflected on the often unseen effort behind high-level VFX work: "It’s often misunderstood what is involved to make a film to this level with such a small budget and team.. A lot more goes into it than people realise. But when the elements come together and you see your CG elements i/o character on the big screen, there’s no other feeling like it."

He hopes more young people consider stepping into the creative tech space: “If you’re interested in this kind of work, jump at the chance. Not all aspects are covered at school, but once you’re at university, you can dive straight in, no matter your experience.”

Lewis was also pleased to hear that since his time at St Paul’s, the school has expanded its art facilities with a purpose-built art room and a continued focus on visual arts, an area that helped lay the foundation for his work today.