Multi-talented director and VFX supervisor Hugo Guerra tells Chris how he balances his day job with running a YouTube channel and recording the VFX Notes podcast.
In this flashback episode, directors Doug Trumbull, Joe Kosinski, and Tim Miller talk about getting “Brainstorm,” “Tron: Legacy,” and “Deadpool” off the ground.
Chaos Product Managers Alex Yolov and Gosho Genchev on how MaterialX has been added to V-Ray for Maya and Houdini, and what it means for artists and workflows.
Creating “The Creator:” esteemed VFX Producer Julian Levi reveals how Gareth Edwards’ talents as a director came to light while making this gritty sci-fi epic.
Chaos Corona product manager Tom Grimes talks about what makes the renderer popular among archviz artists and reveals some of the features in the pipeline.
Former Hollywood VFX producer Tram Le-Jones on how she’s improving workflows and making artists’ and producers’ lives easier with Backlight’s ftrack software.
From pitchviz to previz, techviz, and postviz: Halon Entertainment’s Casey Pyke on the technology that plans movies including “The Batman” and “John Wick 4”.
Renowned cinematographer and director Richard Crudo shares his story, from humble beginnings to serving as president of the American Society of Cinematographers.
CG veteran Paolo Berto Durante talks about his long-standing computer graphics journey, his company J CUBE’s amazing CG tools, and AI's impact on creativity.
VES winner Robert Moggach has crafted epic visuals for Moby and Muse music vids, big brand ads, and movies such as “Harry Potter” and “I, Robot.” Hear his story.
Vikkal Parikh’s Ataboy Studios creates six-second social media ads for some of the world’s biggest brands. Discover the big story behind short-form content.
Director and USC professor Ben Hansford shares his thoughts on how AI will lead to incredible new cinematic experiences from a fresh generation of filmmakers.
Begin 2024 the right way with this positive podcast about how creatives can turn an ever-changing world into an exciting wonderland of opportunity and joy.
Rising YouTube star and VFX supervisor Jonas Ussing returns to talk about how he’s shining a light on the CG artists and studios omitted from movie credits.
Building Scope City: Automotive photography expert Faruk Heplevent on founding The Scope and creating a revolutionary new tool for customizable urban backdrops.
Joe Letteri, the Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor behind “Avatar: Way of the Water,” talks about his career and reveals how new tech is changing the industry.
A life in movies: Elemental director opens up about telling his personal story through a Pixar animation, and reveals the difficulties of working with water and fire.
“Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” director on how making series including “Avatar: The Last Airbender” helped him find the human heart in animated stories.
Illumination's “Migration” director Benjamin Renner shares his journey from 2D animation in France to 3D in Hollywood, and reveals what it’s like to direct a big movie.
“Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty” music video director Michał Misiński talks about blending CG with the real world, shooting cars, and working with Ash Thorp.
Kyle Balda reveals his journey to directing “Minions: The Rise of Gru” and “Despicable Me 3,” and sheds light on Illumination Entertainment’s creative process.
A fresh perspective: “Spider-Man 2” and “Avengers” artist Ryan Woodward reveals how he works hard without burning out, and discusses his approach to storytelling.
The astonishingly talented screenwriter behind “Perfect Blue” and “Steamboy” shares his thoughts on Japanese storytelling and its relationship with the West.
Google brand expert and storytelling expert Cláudia Cristovão tells Chris how lessons learned from an ancient art apply to artists working in the modern world.
Head writer, director, and producer on HBO’s “Insecure” reveals how she got her dream job, and gives her thoughts on how auteurs and AI are shifting content.
Creative genius Kevin Reste has lent his expertise to some of the world’s biggest companies. Hear his insights into how AI will change the entertainment industry.
“Ted Lasso” VFX supervisor James MacLachlan reveals how the hit Apple TV+ show used invisible effects to create realistic Premier League soccer matches.
From fear and loathing in Wales to happiness and contentment in a Flame bay: VFX veteran Andrew MacDonald reflects on an incredible career in film and ads.
VFX veterans Eric Durst and Matt Whelan on helping create the invisible effects that would earn Apple TV+ miniseries “Five Days at Memorial” an Emmy nomination.
Artist Halsey Burgund’s “Moon Disaster” uses a digital Nixon to deliver an alternative moon landing speed. He tells Chris more about this fascinating project.
Chaos co-founder Vlado discusses Vantage 2 and virtual production, and shares his vision for the artificial intelligence-powered future of computer graphics.
Chaos’ real-time ray-traced photorealistic rendering engine has just hit its second iteration. Product Manager Simeon Balabanov discusses what’s new in Vantage 2.
From Thanos to She-Hulk: Digital Domain’s Chief Technology Officer reveals how machine learning and real-time rendering are transforming the VFX industry.
Educator Terrence Masson talks about what his students learn in his exciting MFA and shares his incredible experiences in the VFX industry’s formative years.
Michelle Munson revolutionized file transfer with Aspera. Now she’s launched Eluvio, a Web3 content delivery system that will power the future of streaming video.
Entertainment Lawyer Joshua Lastine shares his perspective on the legal implications of AI, the WGA strike, deepfakes and digital humans, and streaming services.
Can AI put the “concept” back into concept art? Talented cover artist and art director Marc Simonetti talks about his career and the pros and cons of AI imagery.
CG artist Linden Vennard tells Chris about his route into vehicular VFX, working at automotive CG specialist Speedshap, and his current experiments in Midjourney.
From smashing "Titanic’s" windows to crafting "Moon Knight’s" world: VFX Supervisor Sean Faden reveals his incredible journey to the top of the movie industry.
Stan Szymanski has been in VFX for over 30 years — but he still has his finger on the pulse of the industry. He reveals what recruiters look for in new talent.
Jeff Barnes co-founded CafeFX created VFX for movies such as “Sin City” and “Armageddon,” and he now develops content for Light Field Lab. Hear his story.
AvatarOS is taking digital humans into the metaverse. Founder and CEO Isaac Bratzel reveals how his company is aiming to create the celebrities of tomorrow.
Beyond VFX: Digital Domain President and COO, Lala Gavgavian, reveals how the pioneer of big-screen CG is looking into AI and gaming technology for the future.
Adam Martin is taking his extensive knowledge of the film industry into web 3.0 with Macroverse, an innovative comic book platform where everyone can get involved.
Established VFX Supervisor Chris Browne makes award-winning short films in his spare time. Find out how he single-handedly crafted 200+ shots for “Pleroma.”
“John Wick: Chapter 4” VFX supervisors Janelle Croshaw Ralla and Jonathan Rothbart talk about working with Keanu and reveal their incredible, invisible work.
Crafty Apes’ Chief Technology Officer on creating pipelines for blockbusters, and how machine learning and gaming technology will power up tomorrow’s movies.
Ben Procter, the “Avatar” sequels’ Oscar-nominated production designer, talks about creating the movie’s vehicles and sets, including the incredible SeaDragon.
Crafty Apes’ Head of Studio Molly Pabian reveals how she got her job, and talks about working on “The Last of Us,” “John Wick: Chapter 4,” and “Indiana Jones 5.”
Chris Edwards, co-founder and CEO of THE THIRD FLOOR, discusses visualization for titles including “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “The Mandalorian” season 3.
DNEG exec Philipp Wolf talks about his work on “Dune” and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” and discusses trends in virtual production, AI, and the metaverse.
Martini Giant podcasters Daniel Thron and Erick Schiele return in this special CG Garage episode. Expect in-depth AI discussion — and “Star Wars” arguments.
From “Space Jam” to “The Mandalorian” — virtual production company founder James Blevins shares stories from behind the scenes and reveals his thoughts on AI.
Is artificial intelligence safe, can we trust it, and where will it lead us? Computer graphics and technology expert Andrew Schmied discusses this brave new world.
From his first CG shot to VFX supervising “The Last of Us,” Alex Wang gives Chris an overview of his career, including work on “Deadpool” and “Terminator: Dark Fate.”
VFX expert Mike Seymour is back with a new title and a new lipsync technique for Polish movie “The Champion.” Find out his thoughts on the rise of neural networks.
Academy Award-winner Jonathan Egstad reveals how he’s helped Nuke become essential CG software via movies including “Apollo 13,” “Titanic,” and “I, Robot.”
Celebrated artist and “Obi-Wan Kenobi” virtual art director Meats Meier discusses the positives and negatives of generating images with artificial intelligence.
From “The Adjustment Bureau” to “Beau is Afraid:” Director and VFX Supervisor Yuval Levy talks shooting cars, replacing faces, and artificial intelligence art.
How has the streaming boom affected visual effects work? Zoic’s “Legends of Tomorrow” VFX supervisor Andrew Bardusk reveals how episodic is the new cinematic.
Chris joins Prototype CTO Culley Bunker and Producer Richard Kidd to discover how machine learning and new techniques are taking digital humans to the next level.
Evan Jacobs pulls back the curtain on Marvel Studios’ well-oiled VFX pipeline and explains how he bridges the gap between DPs, directors, and CG supervisors.
From “Happy Feet’ to “Entergalactic:” Taylor Moll tells Chris how she’s traveled the world, learned to lead — and set up Dneg’s feature animation department.
Calligraphy is a unique fusion of mind, body, and art — and Aoi Yamaguchi has mastered the form. Find out how her performances are taking the medium to new places.
Discover the inner workings of theme park rides with Eugénie von Tunzelmann, who’s taken her VFX skills from “Interstellar” to “Jurassic World VeliciCoaster.”
“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Cowboy Bebop,” and “Boardwalk Empire” title designer Karin Fong on working with top talent to create the perfect credit sequence.
Crafty Apes CG Supervisors Sean M. Ritchie and Chris Cook discuss working on movies including “Dune” and “Spirited,” and reveal how tech will change the industry.
Pixar Animation Studios’ Marketing Manager talks about making “Toy Story,” and how artificial intelligence is changing some surprising elements of movie making.
Chris celebrates the podcast’s 400th episode in style with Scott Leberecht, the director whose documentary “Jurassic Punk” profiles VFX renegade Steve Williams.
The director behind Muse’s “You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween” promo discusses the creative processes, as well as founding a small company and embracing AI.
From applied mathematics to “Space Jam,” “Finding Nemo” and “Klaus:” Animated movie producer Jinko Gotoh tells Chris about her incredible Hollywood journey.
Former Navy Seal Mikal Vega now directs “Call of Duty” content and he’s acted in “Transformers” movies. Find out how he balances destruction and creativity.
In her sights: World-renowned photographer and air rifle champion Zhang Jingna shares tips on how to take great shots and sheds light on the fashion industry.
Oliver Markowski, head of 3D at German VFX studio RISE, talks USD, Houdini, and Material X, and reminisces about the days of floppy disks and huge manuals.
Angie Jones has contributed to projects including “X2,” “Fortnite,” “Bloodshot,” and many more. Join her to find out what it takes to be a professional animator.
VFX legend Garman Herigstad sheds light on his globe-trotting career and talks about working on “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” “The Time Machine,” and “Black Adam.”
How do you make a high-quality animated TV series? Mio Markovic, DreamWorks’ VP of Animation Production, breaks down “Voltron,” “Camp Cretaceous,” and more.
Love Death & Robots’ supervising creative director breaks down “Bad Travelling,” “Jibaro,” “Three Robots: Exit Strategies,” and “The Very Pulse of the Machine.”
Scanline’s “Stranger Things” VFX supervisor talks Chris through a career that has taken in “The Nevers,” “2012,” “Super 8,” “Iron Man 3,” and “Tomb Raider.”
Seeing the bigger picture: Discover how Mike Romey has helped create planetariums, Times Square billboards, “Star Wars” rides, and virtual production toolsets.
Join VFX Supervisor Isaac Irvin for a globetrotting guide to his VFX adventures, including “Speed Racer,” “Iron Man 3,” “Real Steel,” “Robocop,” and many more.
Bob Bacon has gone from greenlighting Disney movies “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” to founding a Web3 animation studio. Here’s how he found the value of creativity.
Sean Devereaux’s body of work includes “American Hustle,” “The Equalizer,” “Patriots Day” — and Zync cloud rendering. He shares his secrets of success.
Scanline VFX supervisor Mathew Giampa has worked on shots for “The Joker,” “Black Widow,” and “The Suicide Squad.” He talks about leveling up throughout his career.
Cult animator Bill Plympton talks us through his career in short and feature films, TV ads and idents, and offers tips and inspiration for budding artists.
Marc Morissette has taken blockbuster VFX experience and knowledge into founding his own studio, Cluster. He shares the secrets of establishing a growing company.
Brazil, beer, and being back on set — versatile VFX supervisor and head brewer Scott Kirvan gives Chris the heads-up on his 30-year-career in the CG industry.
Veteran Digital Domain VFX artist Eddie Smith reveals how Houdini changed the face of VFX via “G.I. Joe,” “Tron: Legacy,” “Ender’s Game,” and “Fantastic Beasts.”
INK-spiration: 3D Artist Ioanna Ivanova gives essential tips for getting started in the CG industry and reveals the benefits of working for a smaller studio.
Laika’s Jeff Stringer reveals how the studio behind “Coraline” and “Kubo and the Two Strings” combines traditional stop-motion animation with cutting-edge CG.
Future House Studios’ Adam Sidwell has gone from “King Kong” VFX to virtual concerts for Justin Bieber. He shares his thoughts on NFTs, the metaverse, and more.
CGarchitect, the world’s largest online community for archviz, has become part of the Chaos family. Founder Jeff Mottle talks about handing the reigns over to Chaos’ Lon Grohs.
Animal Logic’s Darin Grant talks about the studio’s move into animation, the moving CG content at this year’s SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater, and global VFX trends.
“Huxley” is about to become huge. Creator and concept artist Ben Mauro tells Chris how NFTs have helped his sci-fi comic book go to the big screen — and beyond.
Can web 3.0 power the future of cinema? Director and writer Matteo Santoro reveals how his NFT feature film “SIFT” gives fans a role in the production process.
From pioneering CG for “Apollo 13” and “Titanic,” to VP at Houdini developer SideFX: Judith Crow talks about her career on both sides of the effects industry.
Barbara Ford Grant is president of a world-leading virtual production facility and the first female chair of the Sci-Tech Committee of the Academy. Hear her inspirational story.
Creative studio Recom Farmhouse’s founder Christoph Bolten and managing director Richard Levene recount some of the crazy adventures they’ve had in photography.
From “South Park” to “Sweet Tooth:” Zoic co-founder Andrew Orloff talks about using cutting-edge technology to create large-scale VFX for the small screen.
Axis co-founder and CEO Richard Scott talks about his 30-year-plus career in CG, from early design graphics to one of Love, Death and Robots’ best segments.
How do you go freelance? Or start working on your own IP? Sonja Christoph returns to the podcast to tell Chris how she’s starting a business and making a game.
Jill Smolin has worked behind-the-scenes in the VFX industry at companies including Digital Domain, Cinesite, Gnomon, and SIGGRAPH. Hear her incredible story.
KitBash3D founders Maxx Burman and Banks Boutté talk about how their 3D asset packs have become essential — and how they’re going to help build the metaverse.
Jonas Ussing and Stine Sørensen are raising a family in rural Denmark while working on VFX and animation for movies and games. They tell Chris their story.
Zap’s back! The shader wizard returns to discuss the relationship between Material X, OSL, and USD — and reveals his newfound love of streaming music on Twitch.
Glassbox gives real-world directors the tech to make movies in virtual worlds. Founder Mariana Acuña Acosta tells Chris about this exciting new filmmaking method.
Shining a spotlight on Metastage: CEO Christina Heller tells Chris how volume capture can bring real-world performances and people into a digital environment
Flame artist Katrina Salicrup has also created an award-winning fiction podcast. She tells Chris about her career and how she turned her passion into a reality.
Chaos’ CEO Peter Mitev and CTO Vlado Koylazov join Enscape’s CEO Christian Lang to explain how the companies’ merger could revolutionize the way we render.
Peter Baustaedter has gone from 8-bit games to “Apollo 13,” “Avatar,” and Visual Effects Art Director on a major Amazon Studio production. Hear his amazing story.
Raf Grassetti is the art director behind the “God of War” games — and a successful NFT artist. Find out how he’s combined artistic and entrepreneurial skills.
From Kansas to “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Cobra Kai:” Producer Mallory Yund reveals how she’s helped behind-the-scenes on some of the world’s biggest TV shows.
Tech gurus Dan and Erik discuss all things USD and the future of VFX pipelines. We get to hear the ins and outs of Goodbye Kansas’ pipeline and how open source initiatives help with a more efficient workflow.
Supremely talented filmmaker Pedro Conti is back on the podcast — and he’s created a heart-rending short about the pandemic. He tells Chris how it came together.
From render monkey to CG generalist: Nathan Millsap talks to Chris about “Avatar,” “2012,” “Transformers: Age of Extinction” — and balancing work and family life.
Scanline’s Jelmer Boskma tells his story, from attending film school to “Eternals” — via a wonder emporium, the center of the earth, District 9, and Sin City.
Belle van der Woodsen has traveled the world and become a brilliant arch-viz artist. She tells Chris about her inspiration and offers tips for beautiful imagery.
Beauty and The Bit’s cinematic arch-viz movies have helped redefine the medium. Founder Victor Bonafonte talks about the past, present, and future of the studio.
Celebrated digital portrait artist Ian Spriggs discusses his book, “A Portrait of the Digital Age,” and talks about the impact of real-time CG humans and NFTs.
In true “Inception”-like fashion, Chris talks to The VFX Artists Podcast hosts Kofi Opoku-Ansah and Daniel Mark Miller about careers and creating short films.
Giant Animation’s Lead Character Modeler, Paul Deasy, shares his tips on creating character sculpts and becoming a successful artist online and in the industry.
Steve Griffith’s career has taken in everything from “The Matrix Reloaded” to “Jungle Cruise.” Chris picks his brains on virtual production, real-time and AI.
Meet Jack Evans, the lighting luminary behind “TRON: Legacy,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Fast & Furious 8,” “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” and “The Mandalorian.”
Exceptional Minds’ neurodiverse students have worked on “Black Widow” and “Loki.” CEO David Siegel & Supervisor David Wolgemuth talk about this amazing academy.
Illustrator and animator AJ Jefferies has honed his talent to create eye-catching, mind-boggling characters. Discover the tools he uses in his creative process.
Discover how Edd and Jackie’s comprehensive online course, Becoming a CG Pro, is introducing filmmakers and VFX artists to the world of virtual production.
What’s the future for VFX modelers? “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Alita: Battle Angel” modeler Ruairidh MacNeill tells Chris how procedural workflows are taking over.
How can CG help us understand the past? Archaeologist Bernard Frischer explains how computing power helped his company, Flyover Zone, rebuild the ancient world.
From “Real Steel” to “Loki” and “The Mandalorian”—The Third Floor’s Liz Montes discusses her career in film and TV, and reveals how gaming is taking over VFX.
Director Neill Blomkamp’s Oats Studios ushered in a revolutionary approach to effects and filmmaking. VFX Supervisor Chris Harvey reveals the lessons learned.
Andy Boyd’s career has taken him from South Africa to LA via London. He tells Chris about setting up a VFX studio and offers tips for getting ahead in the industry.
The Virtual Reality Show host Sophia Bollinger adopts her “PHIA” avatar to discuss new tech, the power of virtual worlds, and how she became a VR superstar.
Jean-Michel Blottière has edited magazines, presented TV shows, and founded the wildly successful RealTime Conference. He tells Chris his fascinating story.
“Priest,” “Super 8,” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” VFX artist and supervisor Carlos Fueyo discusses how real-time is revolutionizing the filmmaking process.
Artjail’s Head of VFX, Ross Denner, has worked on amazing CG projects around the world. He explains why Houdini is fast becoming small studios’ weapon of choice.
Next-generation technology: Solomon Rogers, CEO of VR specialist REWIND, talks about creating entirely new forms of immersive entertainment for digital natives.
What does it take to become a director? Patrick Osborne, the man behind Disney’s Oscar-winning animated short “Feast,” talks about his adventures in Hollywood.
A matter of life and death: How Ryan Laney’s VFX techniques disguised identities but preserved emotions for the award-winning documentary “Welcome to Chechnya.”
Dmitry Vinnik tells Chris about the tech behind his incredible VFX work on “Battlestar Galactica,” “Tron: Legacy,” “Final Destination 5,” and “Game of Thrones.”
“Star Wars” and “Avatar” concept artist David Levy tells Chris how NFTs are shaking up the digital art marketplace, empowering artists—and changing the world.
CG content marketplace Turbosquid is undergoing some exciting changes. Join Beau Perschall and Dade Orgeron to find out what’s new—and what’s needed from you.
VR, architecture and NFTs meet in Samuel Arsenault-Brassard and Alex Coulombe’s work. They join Chris to discuss the good, bad and ugly of cryptocurrency.
Blur Creative Director Franck Balson and CG Supervisor Gabe Askew talk cel-shading for Love, Death & Robots’ “Suits” and the trailer for Riot Games’ “Valorant.”
NYU Professor of Finance David Yermack goes in-depth on demystifying NFTs to digital artists and explains how cryptocurrency is revolutionizing almost everything.
Doug Wilkinson’s technical know-how and artistic skills have propelled him to head of CG at global creative firm Buck. He catches up with former co-worker Chris.
From “Call of Duty” to “The Mandalorian”—via China and “John Wick 3.” Virtual Art Department Supervisor Matan Abel talks pipelines, taillights and real-time.
NFT art sells on the internet for millions. But what is it? Digital artist and newly minted NFT expert Sally Slade tells you everything you need to know.
Technicolor Executive Producer Leighton Greer and Creative Director Paul Ghezzo tell old pal Chris about working on “Star Trek: Picard,” “Westworld” and “Bridgerton.”
From “The Matrix Revolutions” to “Epic” and “Rio:” Blue Sky Studios compositor and short film director Ari on how he’s always chosen to follow a creative path.
Keeping Chaos customers happy is Albena Ivanova’s priority. She tells Chris how her background in movies and passion for technology have helped her get ahead.
Chaos has a new look and a new name—now meet the people behind it. Uniform’s Richard Pay and Chaos’ Melissa Knight talk about the year-long rebranding process.
Director and artist Ash Thorp talks about how his Hollywood career and personal projects have helped him mature—and how to balance creativity with sensitivity.
Christian Debney has built lightsabers, made music videos and created seamless VFX. As he takes to the director’s chair, he talks about his incredible career.
Andrew Murdock’s CG explores distant moons, microscopic cells and robot worlds. Find out about his independent approach — and how his projects could save lives.
VFX legend Habib Zargarpour goes in-depth on “Blade Runner 2049’s” epic shots and his work on “Star Wars: Episode I,” “The Perfect Storm” and “The Jungle Book.”
Pipeline problem-solver Robert Durnin helped studios create VFX for “Tron: Legacy” and “Pan’s Labyrinth.” He tells Chris about his industry-hopping career path.
Kirsten Zirngibl has created concept art for League of Legends, Magic: The Gathering and Google. Now, she’s creating her own game world — and it’s incredible.
How do you turn a building into a ship? CG advertising specialists David Schaefer and Dmitriy Glazyrin talk about the tech behind their huge images and videos.
Flame artist turned VFX sup Bilali Mack tells Chris about working on “Let Him Go” and “Powerbook II: Ghost” — and how he tells stories with smoke and blood.
Working from Rome: VFX freelancer Alessandro Cangelosi tells Chris how he tackled shots on “Independence Day: Resurgence” and “2012,” and his new teaching role.
Babak Bina creates VFX for Hollywood movies, leads Gnomon Workshop classes — and he also directs short films. Find out more about this man of many talents.
Concept artist Dwayne Burgess talks about helping with set designs on “Fargo” and “American Ninja Warrior” — and how V-Ray for SketchUp has changed his workflow.
Gnomon doesn’t just teach students VFX — it also gets them jobs at illustrious studios. Meet Shannon Wiggins, the woman behind the school’s 97% placement rate.
Al Quattrocchi has combined a successful career in graphic design with a passion for fly fishing. He tells Chris about winning Grammys and catching corbinas.
Meet Yining Karl Li, the software engineer who’s helped Disney create the Hyperion rendering tech behind “Big Hero 6,” “Moana” and “Raya and the Last Dragon.”
Mike Campau’s visuals seamlessly blend photography, retouching and CGI for hyperreal results. He tells Chris about his approaches to work and going freelance.
Chris celebrates episode 300 with Gary Yost, the father of 3D Studio and 3ds Max. Hear the stories behind Autodesk’s seminal software and Gary’s short films.
“Legion,” “Fargo” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming” effects supervisor Lou Pecora returns to the podcast to talk about working up the VFX ladder and COVID-19 downtime.
Previz has evolved from a useful pre-production tool to an all-encompassing part of the moviemaking process — and Scott Meadows has seen it all. He tells Chris his story.
Shuzo Shiota’s Polygon Pictures has produced TV shows including “Star Wars” and “Transformers.” He explains how Japan’s art has found a big audience in the west.
Heads up! Crafty Apes’ Matt Akey and Aldo Ruggiero on how they helped director McG create a potent mix of slapstick and gore for “The Babysitter: Killer Queen.”
This podcast could change your career: Allan McKay tells Chris how to create the perfect reel, become a successful freelancer — and find your true worth.
Maciej Kuciara has created concept art for everything from “The Last of Us” to “Blade Runner 2049.” Find out how “Showtime” has brought his own vision to life.
DD’s Asuka Tohda-Kinney has worked on “I, Robot,” “The Twilight Zone” — and the cover of TIME magazine. Find out how she’s mastered both coding and creativity.
CGarchitect founder Jeff Mottle has rebuilt his influential site as an AI-powered all-encompassing platform for the arch-viz industry. Listen to find out more.
From skateboards to storyboards: Jose Gomez has founded fashion companies and created stunning motion graphics and commercials. He tells Chris his amazing story.
From Brooklyn to Botswana: SHoP Architects visualization pros Mengyi and Sam on the tech they use to create beautiful buildings and oversee construction remotely.
Chaos Group has reinvented rendering with V-Ray 5 for 3ds Max and Maya. Alex Yolov and Peter Matanov tell Chris about the journey behind the software’s features.
Icelander Aron Hjartarson explains how his passion for CG has whisked him from Coca-Cola commercials to big-budget movies including “Gravity” and “Contraband.”
Soon, our virtual clones will look and act just like us. Meet genius Hao Li and find out how his Pinscreen software captures and creates accurate digital humans.
Blender Guru’s Andrew Price has made a living and built a big fan base through his passion for the free 3D software. He tells Chris his incredible story.
From empty streets to epic protests: Lockdown Los Angeles inspired Afonso Salcedo to pursue photojournalism. He tells Chris more in his second CG Garage podcast.
Douglas Trumbull, the genius behind the visual effects of “2001,” “Close Encounters” and “Star Trek,” on his 50-year quest to understand and improve cinema.
Meet Glenn Derry, the man who coined the phrase “virtual production,” and hear about how he transformed VFX via “Avatar,” “The Aviator,” and “The Jungle Book.”
Math and biology meet in Andy Lomas’s intricate, mind-bending CG art. He tells Chris how his background in VFX and enthusiasm for natural forms inspired his work.
The Credit Revolution has begun. Meet Matthew Bannister, the man behind the movement, and find out why we need to give artists the recognition they deserve.
Join Unity's Mike Wuetherick to discover how videogame technology, such as real-time and cloud computing, is changing how entertainment is produced and consumed.
Architect and professor David Guthrie founded a PPE company to help healthcare professionals. Find out how he did it — and why he loves cubes and mandolins.
When industry legend Jim Lammers isn't creating 3D content, including "Archer" sets, he's purveying the latest VFX software. He tells Chris and Lon his story.
Eager to return to Pandora? Production designer Ben Procter reveals the art department’s inner workings and the tech behind James Cameron’s vision for Avatar 2.
How do you keep people positive during times of uncertainty? Foundry CEO Jody Madden reflects on 20 years in the VFX industry — and prepares for future shifts.
This podcast will change the way you create arch-viz. Three Marks’ Michael Golden explains his philosophy behind great images that keep your client happy.
Examining “The Witness:” Director Alberto Mielgo on making one of “Love, Death & Robots’” most memorable episodes — and his dreams of animated Oscar success.
Arch viz and VFX meet in the fascinating career of Matthias Buehler, who’s helped build the CityEngine software and brought realistic cities to movies and games.
V-Ray GPU is awesomely powerful — and with out-of-core rendering, it’s only going to get better. Join Chaos Group’s Alex Soklev for a peek behind-the-scenes.
Esdras Varagnolo powered up Pixar’s pipeline — and now he’s bringing his expertise to Skydance. He tells Chris about his incredible, boundary-pushing career.
She’s created butterflies for the Apple Watch, Facebook Friendaversaries — and even graphics for Oscar night. Meet versatile creative director Lauren Mayer-Beug.
Can I get sued for creating a CG likeness without permission? Lawyer Duncan Crabtree-Ireland explains how copyright law applies to digidoubles and deepfakes.
From "The Day After Tomorrow" to the computing of the future: Disney's Alex Nijmeh tells Chris how his enthusiasm for VFX took him on some truly amazing adventures.
Want to create a perfect digital human? USC alum and Pinscreen Principal Scientist Koki Nagano tells Chris how deepfakes and CGI could help us cross the uncanny valley.
From public broadcasting to online presenting: EJ Hassenfratz tells Chris about the path to becoming a respected Cinema 4D instructor and 3D Creative Director
Deepfake videos are a new battleground in the war against online misinformation. Join Wael AbdAlmageed to discover how he’s developing weapons to combat them.
After a long history of working at visual effects companies, Olcun Tan started his own. He reveals the de-aging secrets of some of the huge projects he’s worked on.
Justin Denton, the creator of some of virtual reality’s most thrilling experiences, returns to discuss his directorial role at Blur Studio and the state of VR.
Magnopus takes over the CG Garage podcast. Three wonder women from the innovative studio take the reins to talk technology, diversity, robot butlers — and more.
Traditional sculpting techniques still play an important role in CG film production. Talented sculptor Andrea Blasich tells Chris about the pros and cons of clay.
“Terminator: Dark Fate,” “Love, Death & Robots” and “Deadpool” director, Tim Miller, returns to CG Garage to offer a human perspective on the Hollywood machine.
Ivona’s imaginative competition entry won her a trip to THU — and a place on the podcast. This bright VFX student tells Chris about her education and ambitions.
From immigrants to immortal galactic overlords: The business of creating compelling immersive experiences at ILM’s cutting-edge new technology division.
From Sao Paolo to Los Angeles: How music and animation have helped CG Artist and Director Pedro Conti get through tough times and be true to his heart.
Andrew Gordon, the man behind some of Pixar’s most iconic characters, discusses his 20-plus years of experience working alongside legends and his move to DNEG.
Arch-viz trailblazers and super-talented VFX artists join Chris to talk about the past, present and future of visualization for architecture and other mediums.
How are modern video games designed to hook us in and keep us engaged? Join “Fortnite’s” user-experience director for a deep dive into the psychology of gaming.
Discover how Francis Ford Coppola, Tank Girl and Santa Claus helped this former storyboard artist enter the Spider-Verse and reinvent a familiar character.
From “Diablo” cinematics to diamond-studded domes for David Lynch, John Chalfant has done it all. Hear his incredible origin story and his secrets for success.
Joy returns to the podcast — and she’s gone from games to movies including “The Lion King” and ARwall’s incredible new augmented-reality virtual production system.
From South London to Middle-earth: “Shadow of War,” “Assassin’s Creed” and UFC promo director tells Chris how a passion for movies helped turn his life around.
NVIDIA’s powerful, versatile technology has been one of the CG industry’s best power-ups. Find out the story behind the silicone with one of its smartest guys.
Discover how this world-renowned architecture firm is embracing technology and future-proofing workflows via Lavina, mixed reality and machine learning.
Meet the three-time Oscar-winner and passionate movie fan who put real tech into virtual sets via “The Aviator,” “The Jungle Book,” “The Lion King” and more.
The Brad Pitt of rendering opens up on OSL shaders, takes a trip into the uncanny valley and talks synthesized cats, slightly annoyed rodents and arm-wrestling.
“The Matrix,” “Star Wars” and “King Kong” VFX artist — and fxguide podcast co-host — tells Chris how and why he made the jump from production to academia.
Caustics make good CG scenes look great — but they’re often avoided. Find out why it’s faster and easier to add this lighting phenomenon with Corona Renderer.
How do you create one of the world’s most accurate models of the White House? “Independence Day: Resurgence” and “Justice League” generalist Andre explains all.
From veiny vampires to swinging superheroes: Craig Xray Halperin on an incredible career which has taken in blockbuster VFX, Greek temples and VR video games.
How do VFX skills translate into the world of videogames? Matte painter and level artist at Massive Entertainment Sonja tells Chris about going from “Doctor Strange” to “The Division.”
How are technological leaps in GPUs, light fields and AI changing CG art and digital humans? Three industry luminaries join Chris for a fascinating discussion.
Colossally successful coworking company WeWork needs lots of renders in no time. Join the guys who head up its visualization team to find out how they do it.
“Blade Runner 2049,” “Love, Death & Robots” and “Game of Thrones” designer talks about his career so far and puts a microscope to the DNA of “Jurassic Park.”
CG legend Victor tells Chris about how he developed his style, what it’s like to work for Disney and Marvel — and how he puts the character into his characters.
Zaha Hadid Architects’ incredible designs require cutting-edge technology, new visualization techniques — and a bunch of creativity. Find out how they do it.
Rasterization, real-time and ray tracing: Join two of the Chaos Group experts that are helping users to create photorealistic imagery at phenomenal speeds.
How has the cloud changed the way VFX are created? And what happens when your favorite company is acquired by a big one? Join industry guru Darin to find out.
Los Angeles’ lucrative architecture industry is at odds with the city’s homelessness epidemic. Craig Shimahara reveals how uniting the two can help everyone.
With Game of Thrones' titles reaching their end, Art Director and Head of 3D Kirk reflects on nine years of V-Ray-rendered explorations of mini Westeros.
He escaped “Azkaban,” made “Ratoutille” and driven “Cars 2.” As he prepares to chill for “Frozen 2,” Afonso Salcedo tells Chris about his transatlantic career.
Architectural innovator and technology enthusiast tells Chris and Lon about Gita, a robotic companion which could change the way we interact with cityscapes.
From Edinburgh to East Africa via Los Angeles: How this Renaissance man of gaming, commercials and VFX has traveled the world — and always landed on his feet.
Teaching techniques, trending technology and top talent — find out how the #1 ranked CG school sets up its students for careers in the VFX and game industry.
Do VFX companies have a heart? “X-Men” and “I, Robot” VFX artist — and 3D printing pro — tells Chris how he got through tough times in a turbulent industry.
From rural France to roaring LA: the incredible journey of “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” art director, documentary filmmaker and tattoo innovator Loic.
Professional gaming events can make 16-year-olds millionaires over a weekend. Meet the woman who's made a career out of watching over these digital athletes.
Changing lanes: how this multi-discipline imaging studio is revolutionizing the way automotive imagery is created — and what it means for the future of CG.
Architecture, cinematography and advice from acclaimed designer and visual developer behind “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” and “Love, Death, and Robots.”
Meet the former Naughty Dog technical art director who’s tapped into AI to revolutionize the creation of CG worlds — and help artists get back to what they love.
How this multiskilled artist went from car design to VFX and previz via “I, Robot”, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.”
How do you create a film score? Chris discusses the influences, ideology and intricate process of making film music with the “Construct” composer, Colin Aguiar
Award-winning photographer and compositor on Guardians of the Galaxy and Edge of Tomorrow, talks ghostly pirates, killer drones, moving rocks...and pineapples.
Academy Award-nominated VFX artist tells Chris how he’s taken his experience from blockbusters The Wolf of Wall Street and The Jungle Book into virtual reality.
How do we translate atmospheric and geological phenomenon into CG? The creator of Hollywood’s favorite scenery generator talks mountains, Mars and milk.
One of the minds behind computing’s most important creative software has brought his expertise and passion to Chaos Group. He tells Chris his incredible story.
Will artificial intelligence replace you? Sabine Engelhardt, Alexander Mankowsky, Jeff Kember, Scott Eaton and Rob Hoffmann join Chris to discuss the role of AI and machine learning in creativity during THU 2018
Captain Marvel, Guardians of the Galaxy and Harry Potter art director discusses her approach to crafting the effects of some of the world’s biggest movies.
VFX vets on the serious fun of Digital Domain's input on everything from Titanic to Thanos — plus what it’s like to work with the biggest names in Hollywood.
Meet Hollywood talent who made the jump to games — and find out how they brought cinematic animation, storytelling and production techniques with them.
Chris Nichols chews on the future of a virtual studio in the cloud with two top dogs: Google Cloud’s Adrian Graham and CG artist extraordinaire D. Ryan Reeb.
After five years in production, Kevin Margo’s short film Construct has finally been released. Find out why it’s taken such a long time, and how this little film could change VFX workflows in a big way.
Chris Nichols of Chaos Group talks to Chris Nichols of Digital Domain to discuss digital humans, Thanos of Avengers: Infinity War, and how they used to get each other's emails.
Audi, McLaren, and Wired have turned to INK for incredible renders. Founder Dave Macey tells us how the company’s made a name for itself, and the importance of its passion projects.
Legendary Croatian arch viz firm Studio Niskota is no more — but something bigger and better is in the pipeline. Founders Dean and Hrvoje tell Chris what’s next.
The partnership between Corona and V-Ray is starting to bear photorealistic fruit. Find out how the companies are collaborating, and the exciting new features coming soon to Corona.
How can we make sense of virtual worlds? And which tools can we use to create them? A filmmaker-turned-lecturer and three guests from Oculus and Google offer their thoughts.
Listen to André Luis and Scott Ross talk about their event in Portugal called Trojan Horse was a Unicorn. Make sure and check out the bonus section at the event for more info on winning a Golden Ticket.
Lou Pecora speaks to us about his experience as a VFX Supervisor and Artist during his 17 years at Digital Domain, including attending the Oscars for his team's work on X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Many of you probably know who Vlado is, but I bet many don't know Peter Mitev as well. Peter is the CEO of Chaos Group and started V-Ray with Vlado in 1997.
Mike has done a ton of media on VFX, so it was a pretty rare opportunity to turn the tables and have him talk about his own background and aspirations.
There are several people at Chaos Group that have actual Architecture degrees. We figured that since three of us happen to be in LA at the same time, lets have a chat about it.
Darren Butler, a long time Blur artist, started his CG career in Archviz. We discuss his background, how he started, and what inspired and pushed him to where he is now a CG Supervisor at Blur.
With Kevin as Director, and Derron as an Animation Director, Actor, and even Stunt choreographer, they have both pushed what is possible when it comes to using technology to tell stories.
In this episode we talk to Vlado. Vlado happened to be in our Culver City office and we decided that it was a good opportunity to talk to him. We talked about new stuff in V-Ray 3.0, we talked a lot about rendering technology in general.
Besides being a member of the Digital Human League, Steve Preeg has a long history in Visual Effects. We talk with Steve about his past, his work, and what he thinks are some of the challenging parts of Digital Humans.
As you may remember from the last episode we decided on a name for the podcast. We also briefly talked about what to do for a theme song. Well Brady Harris agreed to help us write a jingle.
Lon Grohs & Daniel Buck discuss the first creative project we did together which was making the V-Ray IRL video for the 10th Anniversary party of V-Ray. Even if the short is over 2 years old, there are still some great stories to be told about it.
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