About Me

Hello, glad to meet you!

I’m Minal Kalkute, a real-time VFX artist with 7+ years of experience making games feel alive. Most recently, I spent four years at Night School Studio (Netflix) as the studio’s only VFX artist. I created every effect for Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, Thronglets, and Unhinged, shipping on PC, PlayStation, Switch, iOS, Android, and cloud.

My path runs through both art and engineering. I studied computer science, then earned my master’s in Entertainment Arts and Engineering (Technical Art track) at the University of Utah. Since then, I’ve built effects at SideFX, Magic Leap, Deviation Games, and Night School, in both stylized and realistic styles.

My favorite work lives where art meets tech. I hand-paint textures and animate flipbooks, simulate fire and smoke in Houdini, build effects in Unreal and Unity, and write tools that make the whole team faster. To me, a great effect looks beautiful, tells players what’s happening in a split second, and still runs smoothly on every platform.

People who work with me know me as independent, open-minded, and stubbornly persistent. When I commit to something, I see it through.

Outside of games, I love sci-fi, horror, and a good mystery, along with electronic music, graphic design, and photography. I also love to travel, usually with Google Maps open on my phone.

I’m currently open to new VFX opportunities. Take a look at my reel, and feel free to reach out!