Chaos
Architecture

Industry solutions

Explore our ecosystem

Products

Media & Entertainment

Industry solutions

Explore our ecosystem

Products

Product & E-Commerce

Industry solutions

Explore our ecosystem

Products

Education & Community
The State of AI in Architecture.

New insights from 1,200+ architects.

Help

Chaos Help Center


What are you looking for?

podcast banner

Sean M. Ritchie & Chris Cook — CG Supervisors, Crafty Apes

402_Crafty_Apes_Full.png

Crafty Apes’ Sean M. Ritchie and Chris Cook have seen changes in the VFX industry first-hand. The CG Supervisors both began their careers in architectural visualization before moving into VFX for movies and TV including The Walking Dead, Gravity, Once Upon a Time, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, and Dune.

Now, Sean and Chris work at Crafty Apes, the prolific VFX studio that’s delivered effects for Spirited, The Orville, Star Trek: Discovery, and many more. Sean and Chris shed light on what separates Crafty Apes from other effects houses, the effects of the pandemic and streaming on the industry, and how they nurture young talent. They also discuss the pros and cons of new technology such as real-time engines and AI-driven art generators.


Links:

Crafty Apes >

Sean M. Ritchie on LinkedIn >

Sean M. Ritchie on IMDb >

Chris Cook on LinkedIn >

Chris Cook on IMDb >

Chris Cook's Reel 2020 >


402_Crafty_Apes_YouTube.png402_Crafty_Apes_YouTube.png

0:04:01 Introducing Sean

0:10:01 How Chris got into VFX

0:14:00 Moving to Canada for "Dune"

0:19:16 The benefits of being an artist-owned studio

0:23:03 How Covid changed the industry

0:28:55 Finding answers with CG supervisors

0:32:28 Coping with the sheer amount of work

0:38:32 Episodic work

0:42:37 Transitioning to LED screens

0:48:56 Where is Unity?

0:54:20 The advantages of real-time

0:57:33 How AI tools are affecting the industry

1:04:53 Upcoming work including "Spirited"

IMG_h96auu.jpg
About the author

Christopher Nichols

Chris is a CG industry veteran and Director of Chaos Labs. He can also be heard regularly as the host of the CG Garage podcast which attracts 20,000 weekly listeners. With a background in both VFX and Design, Chris has worked for Gensler, Digital Domain, Imageworks and Method Studios. His credits include Maleficent, Oblivion and Tron: Legacy.

Originally published: November 21, 2022.
© Škoda Design

Subscribe to our blog.

Get the latest news, artist spotlight stories, tips and tricks delivered to your inbox.

By submitting your information you are agreeing to receive marketing messages from Chaos. You can opt-out at any time. Privacy Policy.

Chaos
© 2024 Chaos Software EOOD. All Rights reserved. Chaos®, V-Ray® and Phoenix FD® are registered trademarks of Chaos Software EOOD in Bulgaria and/or other countries.