We’re trying something new this week and taking a break from the usual interview format. This episode kicks off a roundtable discussion format that we plan to revisit every few months. Chris is joined in person by Daniel Thron and James Blevins, both CG Garage podcast veterans, for a relaxed but sharp conversation about recent events in technology and the movie industry. The group starts with James Cameron’s bold claim that he wants to use AI to cut costs without laying anyone off, and whether t...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 510
Marti Romances, co-founder and creative director of Territory Studio San Fransisco, joins the podcast to share his journey from designing DVD menus in Spain to creating iconic futuristic interfaces for blockbuster films like P rometheus , The Martian , Guardians of the Galaxy , and Captain America: The Winter Soldier . With roots in multimedia and motion graphics, Marti explains how his early passion for architectural drawings and spatial design naturally evolved into a unique approach to interf...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 509
Michael Ralla joins the podcast to share his journey through the world of visual effects, with a focus on his latest project as VFX Supervisor on the film Sinners . He discusses how he worked closely with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, whose fearless approach to lighting and darkness pushed the creative envelope. The episode features a deep conversation about the differences between film and digital, the evolving language of color, and how these choices impact storytelling—insights that ...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 508
Jess Loren, CEO and co-founder of Global Objects, joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of immersive content and the creative tech reshaping the industry. A force to be reckoned with, Jess has a sharp pulse on where things are headed, and she doesn't hold back when discussing the current state of Hollywood. She talks candidly about the challenges studios and creators face today, and how technology like digital scanning, virtual production, and Gaussian splats can embolden ind...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 507
Johnson Yan, a trailblazer in real-time 3D graphics, joins the podcast to recount his remarkable journey from the earliest days of computer graphics and flight simulation. Starting in the late 1970s, Johnson tackled fundamental challenges like texture mapping, anti-aliasing, translucency, and scalability, long before today's GPU technology emerged. He shares insights into his pioneering work at Singer-Link, where he developed flight simulators utilizing vector graphics and early raster technolog...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 506
Sebastian Sylwan has a wealth of experience, having been CTO at Weta Digital, Scanline, and Felix & Paul Studios, as well as Director of Technology at Digital Domain. He’s spent his career at the intersection of art and technology, helping world-class teams push the boundaries of visual effects, immersive media, and real-time workflows. In this episode, he reflects on the challenges of innovating in production environments—where the pressure to deliver can often stifle meaningful experimenta...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 505
Scott Ross, legendary VFX executive and co-founder of Digital Domain, joins the podcast for an unfiltered conversation about the state of the film industry and the visual effects business. With decades of experience and a reputation for telling it like it is, Scott digs into the systemic challenges facing Hollywood—from broken economic models in studio filmmaking to the relentless pressure on VFX vendors. He reflects on his time building Digital Domain alongside James Cameron and shares insights...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 504
Joshua Lastine, an entertainment lawyer, returns to the podcast to break down the rapidly changing legal and business landscape of the film industry. As AI tools reshape content creation, streaming platforms redefine distribution, and independent filmmakers leverage new technology, Joshua explains how contracts, intellectual property, and revenue models are evolving. He dives into the legal implications of AI in filmmaking, from WGA and SAG-AFTRA’s new protections to the ethical and financial ri...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 503
Oliver Markowski, Head of 3D at RISE, returns to the podcast to dive deep into the latest advancements in VFX technology. Since his last appearance, the industry has seen major shifts, and Oliver shares insights on how USD and MaterialX have evolved, shaping how studios exchange data and build pipelines. He discusses the adoption of USD across the industry, from major VFX houses to tech giants like NVIDIA and Apple, and the challenges of standardizing MaterialX for real-world production. Oliver ...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 502
Eric Barba, Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor, returns to the podcast to discuss his latest work on Alien: Romulus , directed by Fede Álvarez, for which he is nominated for an Oscar in 2025. He shares the challenges of bringing the world of Alien to life, from balancing practical effects with cutting-edge VFX to ensuring the film stays true to Ridley Scott’s iconic franchise. Eric dives into the evolution of creature effects, how real-time technology is being used in production, and the metic...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 501
In the special 500th episode of the CG Garage podcast, Steve Preeg, one of the first-ever guests of the show, returns to reflect on a decade of change in the visual effects industry. An Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor known for his groundbreaking work on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and TRON: Legacy , Steve shares how both the industry and his own career have evolved since his last appearance. He delves into advancements in digital humans, motion capture, and AI tools, providing insi...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 500
Jake Maymudes, visual effects supervisor and CEO of Wylie Co., shares his experiences working on major projects like Dune: Part One , Dune: Part Two , and Alien: Romulus . Jake discusses the creative and technical challenges involved in creating the stunning visuals for these films, from complex simulations to photoreal environments. He also reflects on his journey through the visual effects industry, including early work at ILM and his collaborations with industry titans like Paul Lambert and E...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 499
Todd Perry, a veteran visual effects supervisor with decades of experience in the industry, shares his journey from his early fascination with Star Wars to becoming a key figure in VFX. Todd discusses how he transitioned from experimenting with stop-motion and early computer graphics to landing his first major jobs at Imageworks and Weta, working on projects like The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers . He reflects on pivotal moments in his career, including his work as a CG supervisor on blockbu...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 498
Andy Boyd, co-founder of Jam, shares insights into his studio’s journey over the past decade and their ability to adapt to changing industry dynamics. Andy reflects on his studio's blend of commercial and long-form projects, including Brothers , a feature film featuring a photoreal CG orangutan, now available on Amazon Prime. He discusses the challenges of creating realistic fur and how transitioning to V-Ray as a rendering solution revolutionized their approach to creature work. Andy also explo...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 497
Jason Smith, the senior visual effects supervisor on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power , joins the podcast to discuss his award-winning career in visual effects. With nearly 25 years at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Jason’s achievements include an Oscar nomination and a Sci-Tech Award from the Academy for his groundbreaking work on Blockparty, a rigging tool used to bring countless creatures to life. He shares how his fascination with creatures and his dedication to mastering both ...
Dec 03, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 496
Jo Plaete, a pioneer in digital humans and chief innovation officer at Metaphysic, joins the podcast to discuss his company’s groundbreaking work on the newly released film Here , now in theaters. Jo traces his journey from his early career in computer graphics and visual effects, working on films like Where the Wild Things Are and Aladdin , to creating cutting-edge AI-driven tools that enable photorealistic de-aging of actors like Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. His experience includes collaboratin...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 495
Daniel Thron, Erick Schiele, and James Blevins join Chris to discuss their work on the short film Ray Tracing FTW . Directed by Daniel, the film pushed the boundaries of virtual production, and Erick’s production design had to work both digitally and practically, ensuring consistency across virtual environments and physical sets. James, with his expertise in virtual production, shares how they overcame technical challenges using real-time ray tracing to handle complex scenes. Each of them wore m...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 494
Jared Sandrew, a 3D supervisor at Disney and visual effects veteran, joins the podcast to discuss his career journey, from growing up around the pioneering technology of digital colorization to becoming a key figure in stereoscopic 3D conversion for blockbuster films. Jared shares fascinating stories about his time at Legend 3D, where he worked on major projects like A lice in Wonderland and Shrek , and how he helped build the stereo pipeline that revolutionized the industry. His passion for sto...
Oct 14, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 493
Line producers Debbie Kennard and Ron Eli Cohen discuss their work on the short film Ray Tracing FTW and offer an insider’s perspective on the art of film production. Debbie shares her story, from her beginnings as John Carpenter’s PA on The Thing to becoming a trusted line producer in Hollywood, while Ron talks about transitioning from acting to producing, with credits like The Dark Knight Rises . Together, they break down the vital role of a line producer and provide insight into the world of ...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 492
In this episode, Richard Crudo, the cinematographer, and Esther Woodworth, the 1st Assistant Camera for the Ray Tracing FTW short film, share their journey working on the groundbreaking project. We take a deep dive into the dynamics of the camera crew, exploring how different departments like lighting and grip collaborate to bring a director’s vision to life. Esther provides insight into her passion for cameras, and the duo sheds light on their roles and teamwork on set. Richard and Esther discu...
Sep 30, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 491
Matthias Christen, the main 3D artist from The Scope on Ray Tracing FTW , shares his fascinating journey from traditional analog painting to becoming an expert in 3D and virtual production. Starting with a passion for drawing, Matthias entered the advertising industry, where he honed his skills in Photoshop and Illustrator before transitioning into 3D work. He talks about his growth at The Scope, where he’s been involved in creating cutting-edge car commercials and collaborating with top-tier ph...
Sep 23, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 490
In this episode, Chris sits down with AJ Wedding, founder of Orbital Studios, to discuss how the Chaos Innovation Lab used his studio to film Ray Tracing FTW using Project Arena. AJ shares how his early fascination with virtual production, inspired by his work on The Mandalorian , led him to launch Orbital Studios during the pandemic. He explains the challenges of building a virtual production studio from scratch, perfecting LED panel technology, and saving productions like Snowfall significant ...
Sep 16, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 489
It’s been seven years since Ed Ulbrich last appeared on the CG Garage podcast — and a lot has changed. The man who digitally aged Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and resurrected late rapper 2Pac as an on-stage hologram is now chief content officer and president of production at metaphysic.ai, which is using AI tools to create photorealistic digital humans in real time for movies such as Robert Zemeckis’ Here . Ed breaks down what Metaphysic.ai does, and how it can be used by di...
Sep 09, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 488
Kevin Tod Haug has always been destined for a career in VFX. From a young age, he analyzed movies and TV series to work out how they were made. He joined the industry and saw it transform from electro-mechanical to digital via movies and TV series, including Tron and Star Trek: The Next Generation . He then became a full VFX supervisor on movies including Fight Club , The Cell , Panic Room , and Quantum of Solace , and pioneered creative VFX shots that allowed cameras to move through tiny spaces...
Sep 03, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 487
Ian Dawson’s dream of a Jarvis-style computing interface seems to be coming true. This multi-talented CG veteran began his career in graphic design, before moving into producing and creating flying logos throughout the 90s. He then moved into advertising, and title sequences and VFX sequences for movies including the Iron Man trilogy , Star Wars: Rogue One , and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol , picking up work in AR and VR along the way. Ian talks through his career and the technology that h...
Aug 26, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 486
Get ready to dive into the magical world of virtual production with the one and only Gary Marshall, Vice President of Virtual Production at Nant Studios. In this episode, Chris chats with Gary, a true wizard in the visual effects industry, who’s been behind some of the most jaw-dropping movie moments you’ve ever seen. From running film reels around London as a newbie at the iconic Moving Picture Company to working on the epic Avatar and Gravity , Gary’s journey is nothing short of legendary. He ...
Aug 19, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 485
Alex and Tim Porter have the perfect skillset of a VFX power couple. Alex has a background in interior design, which she leveraged into user experience and virtual spaces. Tim, meanwhile, has worked in games and VFX, beginning as an artist but gravitating towards developing tools and scripts that make it easy to create complicated environments and characters. Together, Alex and Tim have established Mod Tech Labs, bringing together their expertise for a new generation of visual content creation. ...
Aug 12, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 484
Erick Giesler has seen the filmmaking industry change right from the very start. As a child, he acted in TV shows, but found that he was more fascinated with what was happening behind the camera. He learned how to create VFX, beginning on SGIs, then moving to software such as Electric Image, 3ds Max, and V-Ray, and helping to create VFX for movies including Independence Day , Titanic , and The Day After Tomorrow , and picking up two Emmy awards. Today, Erick is leveraging his experience behind t...
Aug 05, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 483
Todd Terrazas has been part of the AI revolution since the beginning. He started out developing a system to automatically triage 911 calls and then was part of the development team behind the first wave of AI-powered chatbots. Today, Todd has founded FRBC.ai, which empowers storytellers with AI tools. He’s also the mastermind of the AI LA Community, which in turn hosts the AI on the Lot summit. Todd voices his expert opinion on AI and creativity, covering everything from what AI means for musici...
Jul 29, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 482
A love of computing, music, and cinema has propelled Jeff Kleiser’s career from the earliest days of VFX on movies including Tron , Flight of the Navigator , Stargate , Judge Dredd , Surrogates , and many more. Along the way, he’s helped the late, great Doug Trumbull create eye-popping film-based projects for Luxor hotels and Radio City’s 3D Christmas movie. Jeff talks through his career, and how he’s seen the industry evolve from optical printers and really slow computers to today’s AI and CG t...
Jul 22, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 481
