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 Workshop and 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. He says digital storytelling is a career that combines his long-standing interests in computers, maths, 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 under-appreciated what is involved to work at this level on a film. A lot more goes into it than people realise. But when the elements come together and you see your CG character on screen, there’s no 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.”

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.