Chris LeDoux is the Co-Founder of Crafty Apes, a VFX Supervisor and an Entrepreneur. Born and bred in Alaska, Chris earned Bachelor’s degree in both psychology and sociology, but his fascination with filmmaking led him to the world of visual effects. He began his career in VFX as a compositor at The Orphanage in 2004. He worked at numerous studios such as Uncharted Territory, Cafe FX and Scanline. Now a veteran of the film industry, his impressive resume includes compositing and VFX supervision ...
Dec 26, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 435
Chris LeDoux is the Co-Founder of Crafty Apes, a VFX Supervisor and an Entrepreneur. Born and bred in Alaska, Chris earned Bachelor’s degree in both psychology and sociology, but his fascination with filmmaking led him to the world of visual effects. He began his career in VFX as a compositor at The Orphanage in 2004. He worked at numerous studios such as Uncharted Territory, Cafe FX and Scanline. Now a veteran of the film industry, his impressive resume includes compositing and VFX supervision ...
Dec 19, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 434
Mark Spindler is a Visual Effects Supervisor at Pixomondo in Frankfurt, Germany. He’s worked on feature films such as Midway, Justice League, Star Trek: Into Darkness, as well tv shows like The Mandalorian and Game of Thrones for which he received two VES Award nominations. His most recent work on House of the Dragon has also been recognized with an Emmy nomination. He began his career path as a Compositor after finishing his Master of Arts in Media Production in 2012, then became a Lead Composi...
Dec 12, 2023•59 min•Ep. 433
Eric J. Robertson is the Executive Vice President of ReDefine, as well as a Producer, Cinematographer and Entrepreneur. As part of the DNEG Group, ReDefine leverages an incredible legacy of creative and technical innovation to cater to projects that benefit from their agile boutique approach. The studio designs solutions that are tailored to the requirements of each show and always delivers to the highest levels of quality. The list of their credits includes DUNE: PART II, BORDERLANDS, WACO: THE...
Dec 05, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 432
Ghost Robot is the creative studio of the future based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY. They work with a global community of artistic talent to create content for forward thinking clients. Ghost Robot was founded in 2002 by Zachary Mortensen. The company derived its name from the theme of a music video Ghost Robot was producing at the time. The video was for the song "In The Waiting Line" by the band Zero7. "In The Waiting Line" was the first commercial use of machinima using the animation engine ...
Nov 28, 2023•44 min•Ep. 431
Zacharias “Zach” Reinhardt is a 3D Artist, as well as Founder and Lead Instructor at CG Boost. CG Boost provides Blender tutorials and resources for 3D artists, in order to make creating passionate 3D projects achievable for anyone. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews the Founder of CG Boost Zach Reinhardt about starting his YouTube Channel and gaining traction, the inspiration behind launching his company, alternative packages to study Blender, which area of the industry uses Blender the mo...
Nov 21, 2023•48 min•Ep. 430
Tim Simmons is an experienced media producer with a demonstrated history of creating short and long form video to create engaging content.Tech Savvy, people savvy, and self motivated creator with a successful track record of building a brand from scratch, Tim is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others – and exploring the intersection of creative content and AI. In 2022, Tim created Theoretically Media, a channel focusing on creative AI imagery. The Channel dives into filmmaking, music...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 429
Melinda Ozel is an Expression Scientist, Consultant and Educator of all things face related. Before pioneering a career path in expression science, she worked as a Researcher at Meta and Affective where she used her expression expertise to advise the tracking and simulation of facial behavior. She now helps companies in film, game and tech create compelling animated characters and build high-fidelity face tracking technology. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Expression Scientist Melinda O...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 428
Activision Blizzard’s history goes back more than 40 years. Two incredible gaming brands Activision and Blizzard Entertainment merged, bringing together the best creative talent in gaming. The acquisition of King in 2016 further strengthened the company’s vision to bring the world together through epic entertainment. Their professional gaming properties include the Overwatch League™, the Call of Duty League™, Hearthstone® Grandmasters, and the World of Warcraft® Arena World Championship, among o...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 427
A veteran facilitator with over 25 years experience in VFX and animation, Jep Hill is an Executive Creative Director at Alkemy X, an award-winning global creative company at the intersection of advertising, brands and entertainment. The company is a creative partner for the biggest names in film and television, such as Fear of the Walking Dead, Wednesday, The Whale, Westworld, Power, Dear White People, Hunters, Mr. Robot, and many more. Since 1981, Alkemy X has been a pioneer in a continuously e...
Oct 24, 2023•52 min•Ep. 426
Todd Sheridan Perry is an On-Set Supervisor on the show with a diverse background in video games, film and television. He’s worked on titles like Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers to Final Destination 5, The Immortals, Total Recall, Resident Evil 5 and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Todd has also worked as a CG Supervisor on Marvel’s Doctor Strange which was nominated for a Best Visual Effects Oscar. Scott Kirvan is a VFX and Virtual Production Supervisor, Tech Enthusiast and multidisciplinary creativ...
Oct 17, 2023•59 min•Ep. 425
With 10+ years of VFX industry experience, Digital Artist and VFX Sup Marco Baratto is more than ever interested in being an integral part of it through compositing and creative leadership. An understanding of light, color and composition are essential to his approach. His additional interests include photography, concept art, cinema and mathematics. His most recent credit is the role of a Digital Artist in Christopher Nolan’s OPPENHEIMER. His other credits include EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS and GUA...
Oct 10, 2023•47 min•Ep. 424
Curious Refuge is a home for unlocking your inner artist using the latest tools. Founded by Caleb and Shelby Ward, the company believes in giving back to the creative community with their videos, blog content and interactive courses. They develop compelling and innovative video and blog content for free and have a blast with every video. They also work with world-class clients and storytellers to bring their creative visions to life. Self described as a bunch of goofballs who have a love for lif...
Oct 03, 2023•51 min•Ep. 423
Grant Miller is a Partner and an Executive VFX Supervisor at Ingenuity Studios. Grant brings a deep level of technical and artistic acumen to his role as Executive VFX Supervisor at Ingenuity Studios. He oversees the studio's CG, FX, and Pipeline teams, ensuring that final results meet the exacting demands of sophisticated clients. Working closely with directors and creative decision-makers, Grant provides guidance and methodology during preproduction, supervision on set, and ensures seamless co...
Sep 26, 2023•48 min•Ep. 422
With a passion for storytelling and a flare for the visual, Matt Whelan has been making short films and commercials for over 10 years. Training as a classical animator at Sheridan College, Whelan's experience spans live-action and digital Directing, storyboarding, CG animation, and VFX supervision, where he has received international nominations for multiple film/television works. His current focus is on live action narrative. Whelan received a 2023 Emmy® nomination for his work on Apple TV+ ser...
Sep 19, 2023•48 min•Ep. 421
James MacLachlan is a London-based VFX Supervisor and Director with a career spanning 19 years.He has worked for studios in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. James has worked at a number of London VFX houses including Glassworks and The Mill and is currently a Freelance On-set VFX Supervisor, Flame and Nuke Artist. He offers secure remote artistry on both Flame and Nuke in his London studio. Over the years he has completed high end VFX on TV Commercials, TV Series effects and design...
Sep 12, 2023•31 min•Ep. 420
Jim Morris is President of Pixar Animation Studios, where he oversees all of the company’s productions and operations. Morris began working at Pixar in 2005. Films under his supervision include RATATOUILLE, UP, TOY STORY 3, CARS 2, BRAVE, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, INSIDE OUT, THE GOOD DINOSAUR, FINDING DORY, CARS 3, COCO and INCREDIBLES 2. As a producer, Morris most recently made the live-action Disney feature JOHN CARTER with director Andrew Stanton. He also produced Pixar’s WALL•E, which won the Ac...
Sep 05, 2023•53 min•Ep. 419
David Baylis is a 3D Artist living in Vancouver B.C Canada who specializes in automotive real-time rendering using Unreal Engine. He is originally from Lille, France. David works at Epic Games as a Consultant who produces demos, tutorials and webinars. Having always been a car enthusiast, David loves exploring new ways to deliver photorealistic renderings. There is a lot of history behind each car, and that is what he tries to portray in his artworks. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews 3D A...
Aug 29, 2023•45 min•Ep. 418
James David Hattin is the Founder and Creative Director of VFX Legion. James oversees every aspect of the visual effects process for episodic television shows and feature films, from start to end, and provides clients with 20+ years of skill and experience as a lead creative and Visual Effects Supervisor. Prior to launching VFX Legion, James spent three years as senior compositor and compositing/digital effects supervisor at Zoic Studios. James exited Zoic in 2013 to apply his creative skill set...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 417
Martin Hall is a VFX Supervisor with 30+ years of experience in visual effects. Trained in the traditional fine arts, he found visual effects to be the perfect synthesis of art, technology, and business, while being the most collaborative of all creative endeavors. Among his numerous film and television credits include, LOVE DEATH & ROBOTS, VENOM, GAME OF THRONES, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, WINNING TIME: THE RISE OF THE LAKERS DYNASTY, PERRY MASON, ALL THE OLD KNIVES, ENCOUNTER, and many others...
Aug 15, 2023•54 min•Ep. 416
André Luis is the Co-Founder, CEO and creative force behind Trojan Horse was a Unicorn (THU), one of the world's leading transformative experiences for digital artists and creative professionals. In 2013, he came up with the idea to create THU as a result of wanting to do things differently, be useful to society, and have an impact on people's lives. With a background in Industrial Design and Marketing Management, André's career was paved through the worlds of design, marketing, web development,...
Aug 08, 2023•54 min•Ep. 415
A veteran facilitator with over 25 years experience in VFX and animation, Jep Hill is an Executive Creative Director at Alkemy X, an award-winning global creative company at the intersection of advertising, brands and entertainment. The company is a creative partner for the biggest names in film and television, such as Fear of the Walking Dead, Wednesday, The Whale, Westworld, Power, Dear White People, Hunters, Mr. Robot, and many more. Since 1981, Alkemy X has been a pioneer in a continuously e...
Aug 01, 2023•50 min•Ep. 414
Barnstorm VFX is an Emmy-nominated studio behind the visual effects on Amazon Studios’ THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, HBO’S SILICON VALLEY and CBS’ STRANGE ANGEL. Barnstorm’s team embodies the pioneering ingenuity, daring creativity and freewheeling spirit of the first aviators. Founded in 2011 with the original location in Los Angeles, Barnstorm VFX now has a second office in Vancouver, British Columbia. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Co-Founders of Barnstorm VFX Cory Jamieson and Lawson ...
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 413
John Romero is an award-winning game designer, level designer and programmer whose work spans over 130 games, 107 of which have been published commercially, including the iconic works Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM and Quake. He has worked in the mobile, hardcore, mid-core, casual and MMO space. John has co-founded eight successful game companies including the likes of id Software, Gazillion Entertainment and, most recently, Romero Games which celebrated its 7th anniversary in 2022. He is considered to be...
Jul 18, 2023•59 min•Ep. 412
As Global President & Chief Operating Officer at Digital Domain, Lala oversees the company's global VFX services and operations. As part of her duties, Lala partners with production management, finance, production accounting, recruiting, artist management, technology management and operations to steer Digital Domain to success. She communicates closely and helps to coordinate work between DD’s global studios, ensuring that production and operations practices are properly aligned to keep the ...
Jul 11, 2023•50 min•Ep. 411
Gabriel Aguiar is a YouTube Creator and a Unity Expert. Focused on his work in Blender and Unity, Gabriel’s YouTube Channel currently has over 100K followers. He also provides assets for game developers on his Patreon. In 2021, Gabriel launched a game studio Golden Bug Studios in Coibra, Portugal. The studio is currently working on a project called Rabbit's Tale. In this Podcast, YouTube Creator and Unity Expert Gabriel Aguiar talks to Allan McKay about his experience launching a YouTube Channel...
Jul 04, 2023•40 min•Ep. 410
In his book THE ALCHEMIST, Paolo Coelho talks about a Personal Legend. So many people give up just moments before they reach their own Personal Legend. After a while, if you aren’t getting the desired goal, it’s hard to convince yourself not to give up. It’s especially hard when other people are telling you to give up. Insecure people lash out at people who are more accomplished or ambitious, or courageous. They’re intimidated by someone who rubs them the wrong way. This also applies to new tool...
Jun 27, 2023•15 min•Ep. 409
Crafty Apes is a full service, boutique VFX company based in Culver City, CA & Atlanta, GA. The company was launched in July of 2011 by three visual effects veterans Jason Sanford, Chris LeDoux and Tim LeDoux. Believing that strong 2D compositing is the backbone behind quality visual effects, Crafty Apes was formed to primarily offer high-end compositing services for feature films and television clients. Crafty Apes specializes in compositing effects and visual effects supervision. By paying...
Jun 20, 2023•58 min•Ep. 408
Frank Petzold is an internationally acclaimed Director and VFX Supervisor, and he’s been working in film for over 25 years. Whether working in film or television, Frank creates cutting edge visuals. Before stepping into the world of directing, this award-winning VFX Supervisor enjoyed a successful career in Germany as a Director of Photography, specializing in shoots with visual effects components. In the early 90s, Frank joined the Tippett Studio in California to supervise and direct VFX work f...
Jun 13, 2023•48 min•Ep. 407
Some people argue that you can’t make more than $50K in VFX. Others compare their lives to the curated lifestyles on social media and demand to get paid more. It really comes down to your WHY: Why do you need more cash? The quickest pay rise you can give yourself is figuring out your budget. It’s better to figure out your finances and take control of your money. And if you still want to earn more money, you need to understand the industry you’re in and what it pays people. That being said, you c...
Jun 06, 2023•28 min•Ep. 406
