The Allan McKay Podcast

AI is exploding everywhere. There are so many technological innovations that use AI in visual effects. You might be already following the massive growth of AI. For VFX artists, the question is:

  • Is AI taking over the art world?
  • Will art be replaced by AI?
  • Are artists’ careers over?

In 2010, deep learning changed everything. AI became the revolutionary thing we can utilize. But the big part of preventing AI growth was processing power and storage. With technological innovations, we’re beginning to experience AI for the first time. How exciting it is to be alive right now! 

Machine learning is feeding machine information. With machine learning, the more AI gets corrected, the more it can learn on its own. The disadvantage is that it does take some hand holding to teach AI, in the beginning. There is different machine learning based on neural networks. It thinks similarly to the human brain, it analyzes every little detail. With deep learning, we tell what we want it to do – and the AI figures out how to get there on its own.

With AI, there is no emotion attached. It is able to fail at a quicker rate. For humans, it takes 10,000 to learn something. AI fails 15,000 times and tries again. It learns through trial and error. (Humans should welcome failure at a similar rate!) The gap happens when humans don’t understand how the neural network learns on its own. 

AI like DALL-E and Midjourney imitates the style of artists. Ethical AI is becoming a big topic of conversation. AI solutions learn through generative adversarial networks (GAN’s): In a way, it’s two AI’s learning against each other, giving each other feedback and evolving. But essentially, GAN’s create images from scratch. 

Right now, AI is able to replicate, but it’s not able to create on its own. It’s still more of a tool. VFX is driven by technology. There is a lot of fear that AI is going to take over. VFX artists are operators. The tools have simply become more intuitive. AI can be seen as something that breaks the barriers of resistance. It’s here to allow artists to do more, to be artists.

We are no longer talking about hypothetical applications. We cannot predict where AI is headed or where we’ll be in 10 years. The big question to ask is: WILL AI TAKE OUR JOBS? It is easy to react by being scared of AI. Or, you can choose to be inspired and evolve with it. Anyone who doesn’t embrace innovation becomes outdated. AI is just another tool, albeit a different tool from the tools in the past.

AI will replace some jobs, it’s true. But it will also create new jobs. The jobs that will be most affected are the beginning of a pipeline (ray tracing, camera tracking, etc). Our jobs, as artists, will change. We’ll just have more powerful tools to do more, while we can be artists. It’s up to you to learn the new technology and be at the forefront. It’s time to change our mindset from fearful to inspired!

With his 20+ years of experience as a VFX Supervisor, Allan McKay talks about the history, evolution and application of AI, gives an explanation of machine learning and deep learning, which jobs in the VFX pipeline will be replaced by AI – and why embracing and learning this powerful technology will serve you as a VFX artist.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/383.

Direct download: 383_-_AI_ART_Taking_over_Podcast_1.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

ActionVFX creates the world's largest library of visual effects stock footage elements for professional VFX Compositors. From Fire, Smoke, and Explosions, to People and Crowds. ActionVFX's mission is to provide artists with the best VFX assets in the world.

ActionVFX’s footage has been used in films like: Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far from Home, Jumanji: The Next Level; television shows like Watchmen, Flash, Fear of the Walking Dead, Legends of Tomorrow, How to Get Away with Murder, Narcos, Series of Unfortunate Events; as well as in video games, music videos and the live Lady Gaga performance at this year’s Grammys. 

Most recently, ActionVFX footage was used in The Last of Us: They Will Come and Marauder: The End is Near.

In this Episode, ActionVFX CEO Rodolphe Pierre-Louis and COO / Co-Owner Luke Thompson talk about launching the company, the lessons they learned along the way, upcoming technology and the importance of consistent learning, willingness to fail fast, leadership advice and so much more!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/382.

Direct download: 382_-_action_vfx_FIN.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 2:06am EDT

EveryPoint combines photogrammetry techniques with the iPhone Pro’s LiDAR scanner to fill in the gaps, as well as utilizes the positional / accelerometer data from the Apple AR toolkit. When combined, this delivers color 3D models that are said to be more accurate than simply using the iPhone’s LiDAR scanner alone.

EveryPoint is not an end user product in itself, but a technology layer on which developers can create their solutions, in construction and other industries.

In this Podcast, Jonathan Stephens, the Chief Evangelist and Marketing Director at EveryPoint, talks about EveryPoint, the possible applications of photogrammetry, AI and machine learning – and the future of EveryPoint.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/381.

 

Direct download: 381_-_everypoint_FIN.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 2:06am EDT

COVID-19 created havoc in people’s lives and for a while, we thought it would shut down the VFX industry. But it turned out to have the opposite effect. As productions shut down, the studios sent artists home and their equipment to their homes, allowing for artists to work from home. That also means that studios could now hire from artists from anywhere, turning the industry into a truly global one. Which also meant incredible opportunities for artists anywhere.

In addition, VFX has become a booming industry. That gives opportunities for smaller studios to compete. There is so much work out there – and not enough artists to do that work. Which means that artists are in demand. The technological innovations, like virtual production, got sped up. For the studios, their overhead has gone down.

For artists, VFX has become a healthier culture. Because artists work from home, they can spend time with their families and no longer need to commit long commutes to work. Because artists now have stations at home, they can also become freelancers. Of course, this should inspire artists to learn new skills (i.e. Unreal Engine) and grow; or to even launch their own studios. 

If you’ve always dreamed of being a VFX artist, now is the time for you! In this Podcast, Allan McKay talks about the positive outcomes of COVID-19 on the VFX industry – from both an artist’s and a studio’s perspective – and why now is the perfect time to learn, innovate and leverage the career you’ve always wanted!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/380.

Direct download: 380_-_positive_outcomes_for_covid_FIN_updated.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 2:06am EDT

Epic Games CTO Kim Libreri is responsible for continuing Epic’s tradition of fusing state-of-the-art technology with the pinnacle of visual artistry, and for defining the studio’s Unreal Engine as the platform of choice for all types of interactive experiences including games, movies, visualization, augmented reality and virtual reality. 

Prior to joining Epic Games, Kim was the Chief Strategy Officer at Lucasfilm, where he was responsible for the company’s STAR WARS technology strategy and innovations in interactive storytelling, including the highly-awarded 1313 prototype. Kim’s career in digital technology and visual effects spans over 20 years, and he has credits on more than 25 films including SUPER 8, SPEED RACER, POSEIDON and THE MATRIX TRILOGY. He led the development team for the award-winning WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, as well as for the original MATRIX, developing the now-legendary Bullet Time technology. 

Kim is a respected member of many visual effects bodies, including the visual effects branch of the Academy. He has received numerous awards for his work and contributions to Motion Picture technology including an Oscar nomination in 2006 and two Academy Awards in 2000 and 2015.

In this Episode, Epic Games CTO Kim Libreri talks about his groundbreaking work on the Bullet Time technology for THE MATRIX, why innovation is a must in a film career, performance art and interactivity, the evolution of digital humans – and why greatness cannot be achieved without randomness.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/379.

Direct download: 379_-_kim_libreri_FINupdated.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 2:06am EDT

At the beginning of your VFX career, things can seem so hard and so stressful. As a junior VFX Artist, you may feel like everyone is out to get you. Here are some powerful mindset shifts that will change your outlook and how you feel about your career.

A lot of artists have a struggling artist mentality. Once you understand that you’re in a commercial industry – and you are a commercial industry of Hollywood movies and AAA games – you also understand that your client’s vision is the most important. It is your job to deliver the result. As a VFX artist, you are in a service industry. Which means that your project is a director’s vision and you have to respect that.

Another shift happens when you over-communicate everything. You have to communicate to your Producers or Heads of 3D – where you are in your progress and where you’re storing the files. It’s a great habit to get into the habit of communicating that information at the end of the day, via an email. That way you’re creating a massive log of your work. Another part of effective communication is building a visual language. Directors can communicate in different ways. As a VFX artist, you need to learn to use reference images, mood boards and other visual tools to get your message across. 

It is also crucial to see the big picture from the very beginning. So as an artist, you have to start with broad strokes. After you understand the importance of blocking the beats out in animation, for example. You can dial things back early on – and only then start zeroing in on details. Which also means that you share your work early on. You should also get used to foreseeing the needs of the client – by giving them options in response to their notes.

Learning how to critique your own work is the most valuable thing you can do. That will change everything for you. You will start taking pride in your work. It’ll also help you anticipate the next creative changes a client might request next. But most importantly, you must take pride in everything that you touch! It is the most important metric for you as an artist and team member!

In this career advice, Allan McKay talks about the mindset shifts that will propel your VFX career forward: from learning that you’re in a service industry to seeing the big picture; from learning to communicate to anticipating the client’s or the director’s needs; from learning to critique your own work – to, most importantly, taking pride in everything you touch!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/378.

Direct download: 378_-_advice_for_entry_level_artists_FIN.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 2:06am EDT

Christopher Zammit is a VFX Supervisor and Art Director. They've worked on many films like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Tomorrowland, Ghostbusters, and of course films in the Transformers franchise Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight

In this Podcast, VFX Supervisor and Art Director Christopher Zammit gives advice to artists about getting the foot in the door, short deadlines and working overtime, how to negotiate in your favor – as well as the experience working on The Transformers, Man of Steel and so much more!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/377.

Direct download: ep377_-_VFX_Supervisor_Christopher_Zammit_EDIT.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 2:06am EDT

Darin Moran has been making movies for over 20 years. While he studied design & photography at The Academy of Art in San Francisco and film theory and cinematography at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, he dropped out of school after a few years to learn in the field by actually making films.
Exposed to a wide variety of processes and styles across multiple disciplines, Darin’s eclectic work experience with many talented cinematographers and directors informs his vision now as a DP. Specializing in working with natural light, Darin’s focus is creating powerful imagery using photography that’s hidden in the story rather than presented upfront. His recent work includes AGE OF SUMMER, BANANA SPLIT, and the streaming series THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER. RUN HIDE FIGHT is his sixth feature film as a Director of Photography.
In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Cinematographer Darin Moran about the path of becoming a Director of Photography, soft skills versus hard skills, the importance of relationships and diplomacy on set, how to be a leader on set and serve the story, mentors and how to find them; as well as his work on THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, MOON KNIGHT and the upcoming feature THE ESTATE.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/376.

Direct download: 376_Darin_Moran_Podcast.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 2:06am EDT

Chris Ume is a visual effects expert with many years of experience in entertainment and corporate projects. In 2020, he began experimenting with deepfake technology, sourcing AI models from obscure Russian websites, and experimenting with new techniques. That led to a collaboration with an American actor known for Tom Cruise parody videos and Deep Tom Cruise was born.

Since then, Chris has worked on titles like South Park and Sassy Justice Following the viral success of those deepfake videos and others, Ume co-founded Metaphysic.ai in 2021. The company recently closed a $7.5 million funding round.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews VFX and Deepfake Expert Chris Ume about the process, challenges and the future applications of Deepfakes, his experience working on SOUTH PARK, as well as the ethics of this revolutionary technology.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/375.

Direct download: 375_Chris_Ume_Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Emily Dean is an Asian-Australian writer, director, and artist living in LA.

Emily holds a BA (Honours I), History and English Major, from the University of Sydney. Following her academic studies, Emily pursued a career in animation first at the Australian Film TV Radio School (AFTRS) and earned a Graduate Certificate in Animation Directing, then further at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Following training at Pixar in the Story Department, Emily has worked as a Story Artist and Visual Consultant for Warner Bros and Animal Logic on films such as THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE (2017), THE LEGO MOVIE 2 (2019); Lionsgate’s sci fi thriller HOTEL ARTEMIS (2019) starring Jodie Foster; and on Sony Picture Animation’s Oscar Award winning HAIRLOVE (2019) from creator/director Matthew A. Cherry.

In 2012, Emily’s animated short film FORGET ME NOT was nominated for an Australian Academy Award (AACTA), and in 2018 her first live action sci fi short film ANDROMEDA played and was awarded at numerous genre fests including the Trieste Science Fiction Festival. 

In 2019, Emily was awarded Variety Magazine’s Top 10 Animators To Watch; and in 2021, Emily was named one of Piaget’s Extraordinary Women. Emily is also currently serving a term on the inaugural Alumni Advisory Committee for the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) for 2022-2023.

Emily recently directed THE VERY PULSE OF THE MACHINE, written by Philip Gelatt and based on the Hugo Award -winning short story by Michael Swanwick for Volume 3 of the Emmy-award winning Netflix R-rated animated series LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS, under the creative leadership team of Tim Miller, David Fincher, and Jennifer Yuh Nelson.

Emily currently writes, directs and executive produces content for film and television under her production banner Grade 8 Productions.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Director, Writer and Artist Emily Dean about her experiencing directing THE VERY PULSE OF THE MACHINE for LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS, directing her first short films, the lessons and mindsets for filmmakers, starting her own production company and importance of supporting up-and-coming artists.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/374.

Direct download: ep374_Emily_Dean__Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

You need to be ultra specific in how you define yourself when you’re applying for jobs as an artist. It’s the difference between being front-of-mind and standing out -- or blending in with all the other applications. And it’s something that none of us do. By not niching down -- by not being a specific brand -- you’re missing out on an opportunity to make yourself the ideal candidate for the job.

So what are you doing to stand out? How do you make sure your reel doesn’t blend in in the hundreds of other reels? You have to be ultra specific on how to categorize yourself. Because you need to set context for the positions for which you’re applying. It also helps to have your name anchored to the solution to their problem. 

The more you’re able to clearly define yourself and associate your skills with something -- the easier it is for your name to resonate when that something is needed. That singles you out as a go-to person.

In this Podcast, Allan talks about finding your niche, how to have different niches for different audiences; but most importantly, why having a niche is so crucial for getting hired for the jobs you want.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/373.



Direct download: EP373_How_To_Stand_Out_from_Competitors.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Evan Carmichael #BELIEVES in entrepreneurs. 

At 19, he built and then sold a biotech software company. 

At 22, he was a venture capitalist raising $500k to $15M.

He now runs a YouTube channel for entrepreneurs with over 2 million subscribers, wrote 4 books, and speaks globally. 

He wants to solve the world's biggest problem. 

He's set 2 world records, uses a trampoline & stand-up desk, owns Canada's largest salsa dance studio and has a giant Doritos bag in front of him all day long to remind him that he's stronger than the Doritos. 

Toronto is his home. He's a husband, father, TSM Fan and Teemo main.

In this powerful interview with Allan McKay, Speaker, Author, YouTuber and self-proclaimed Introvert Evan Carmichael talks about #BELIEVE as the central message of his content, the problem of low self-esteem, failure, perfectionism; as well as the importance of mentors, consistency – and loving what you do!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/372.

 

Direct download: ep372_Evan_Carmichael_Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

The WHAT IF? Scenario: It’s an addictive concept for all of us. What if you give up on a career before you ever got started? Fear is just your mind trying to prevent you from change because change is unknown. It doesn’t want you to risk safety for something new. But the big growths and breakthroughs are on the other side of that fear. 

If you aren’t willing to put in the extra work and see what it would lead to next, if you weren’t willing to leverage one experience to the next, none of that would be easy. We always get tested! It’s easier to take the lesser path. But we get to choose that Sliding Doors moment -- or we get to choose to have it all.

In this Podcast, Allan reflects on the choices he’s made throughout his career that lead him to face his fears, take huge risks and to have his dream job (which would eventually lead to his night at the Oscars).

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/371.



Direct download: 371_crushing_your_bigger_goals_UPDATED.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Scott Rosekrans is a VFX Supervisor and Virtual Production Supervisor for the Real Time Group at Zoic Studios. He's been working to integrate Unreal Engine into every facet of the facilities post production workflow, from previz and on-set virtual production to final renders. He is also Unreal Authorized Instructor Partner for Epic Games.

Scott graduated in 2005 from Savannah College of Art and Design, with a degree in Computer Arts. He was trained as a generalist and chose to pursue my focus of rigging. He joined Zoic Studios in 2007 as an intern; and within two years, he was handling all rigging work for the entire studio. 

 In this interview with Allan McKay, VFX Supervisor and Virtual Production Supervisor for the Real Time Group at Zoic Studios Scott Rosekrans talks about his journey from being an artist, to joining Zoic Studios, to becoming Unreal Authorized Instructor Partner for Epic Games. He also talks about working in Unreal, incorporating realtime into Zoic’s pipeline and the future of virtual production.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/370.

Direct download: SCOTT_R_370_Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

DI4D the world’s leading 4D facial performance capture service that specializes in animation for digital doubles. Their proprietary technology is derived from over 30 years of cutting edge research and development dating back to their own PhD research. Since then, the company has consistently innovated at the cutting edge of what is technically possible in the field. 

With bases in the UK and US, they work globally with partners across the entertainment and research sectors to develop and deliver high resolution 3D facial image capture, 4D facial performance capture systems, ground-breaking digital double creation software and services. Some of the titles that DI4D has worked on, both in film and games, are: Blade Runner 2049, Morbius, The Matrix: Resurrections, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Free Guy, Call of Duty, F1 2021, and many more!

In this Podcast, Allan McKay speaks to Co-Founders of DI4D Colin Urquhart and Douglas Green about the DI4D technology for facial capture, the innovative thinking behind the process, digital doubles, uncanny valley, the facial capture rig and other behind-the-scenes of the motion capture process. 

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/369.

Direct download: EP369_DI4D_Final-.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Eloi Andaluz Fullà is a visual artist with over 18 years of experience in 3D. He’s worked in architecture, motion graphics, advertising, mappings, interactive installations and movies. He is specialized in particles and dynamics simulations. He has worked as a freelancer for different VFX studios, providing tools and workflows for specific shots. 

For the last 7+ years, he’s been working for Scanline VFX. As part of the Scanline VFX team, he won an Emmy for Outstanding VFX for their work on the last Episodes of Game of Thrones.

Eloi is also a Co-Founder of Effective TD’s, a community of Technical Directors and a specialized store for VFX solutions. On his YouTube Channel – which has over 30K subscribers – you will find tutorials, tips and tricks.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews YouTuber and VFX Artist Eloi Andaluz Fullà about transitioning careers from architecture to 3D, working for Scanline VFX; realtime, TyFlow and other upcoming technology; and why simplicity is always key.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/368.

Direct download: EP368_Eloi_final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Oscar-winning Visual Effects Specialist Ben Grossmann has been paving the way for the new immersive web for nearly 20 years. As a Co-Founder of Magnopus, he’s long had a vision of bringing physical and digital worlds together through connected spaces. His passion for immersive technologies has made him a prominent voice on the subject.

Over the years, Ben has used his experience in films to lead augmented and virtual reality projects for brands like Sony, Disney, Meta, and NASA. He led the creation of a virtual live-action world for the makers of Disney’s The Lion King. And most recently, directed Expo Dubai Xplorer, bringing the world’s largest social digital twin to life for tens of millions of visitors globally. 

Prior to Magnopus, Ben supervised visual effects on more than a dozen feature films including the Oscar-nominated Star Trek Into Darkness, and Martin Scorsese’s Hugo — earning him the Oscar for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in 2012. His work continues to transform the way movies are made today. Ben has also directed award-winning commercial campaigns and worked on iconic projects like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park.

He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the Visual Effects Society. 

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews the Co-Founder of Magnopus Ben Grossmann about his journey in VFX, taking initiative as a young Artist, the state of VFX versus the promise of VR, visual fidelity versus interactivity, the power of communication and persuasion, how Artists pigeonhole themselves, the power of “WE” and how and when to say NO.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/367.

Direct download: EP_367_Ben_Grossmann_PODCAST.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Sally Slade worked for eight years in the VFX Industry, supporting visionary creators at Oscar award-winning studios, before pivoting to the XR Industry in 2016. 

Sally was nominated as “Reality Mixer of the Year” by Microsoft for her HoloLens product, Muralize, and further decorated by the AWE for her contributions to back-to-back Auggie award-winning XR experiences: Meow Wolf’s The Navigator, and the Virtual Production System used by Disney’s The Lion King

Most recently, Sally served as a Senior Technical Designer at Magnopus. She is currently the CTO at VOLTAKU

Her hobbies include illustration and VTubing. She has released a “virtual production for anime” app called Vodcasto.

In this Episode, Allan McKay talks to the CTO of VOLTAKU, AR/VR Developer Sally Slade about her work in VR, AR, MR, XR; launching VOLTAKU, developing her own app, upcoming technology and the importance of programming skills for artists.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/366.

Direct download: EP366_SallySlad.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Orion Tait is a Director and Partner at Buck, leading its New York studio in creating commercials and content for major brands from all over the world. With a background in filmmaking, fine arts and graphic design, his varied body of work is rooted in visual storytelling and continues to push the boundaries of innovation and quality in the commercial realm. 

A champion and steward of Buck’s well regarded culture of collaboration, Orion has led teams large and small, developing campaigns and directing work for Google, Nike, IBM, Mastercard, Umbro, Oreo, and Sherwin Williams. As a respected leader in his industry, Orion has lectured at numerous schools and festivals across the globe and served or chaired on several awards juries, including YCN, AICP and the Art Directors Club.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Orion Tait, Director and Partner at Buck, about making creative choices as a company, people and relationships as the most important asset, innovation and technological disruption, effects of COVID-10 of creative businesses – and collaborating with Tim Miller on Love Death + Robots Season 3.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/365.

Direct download: vEP_365_Orion_Tate_PODCAST.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Aaron Sims, the visual creator behind some of this generation’s most unforgettable cinema creatures, began his career over two decades ago as a special effects makeup artist. His pioneering techniques in the world of visual effects influenced the face of character and creature design in Film, Television, Games, Previs, and VFX early on in their application.

Aaron Sims Creative [ASC] was formed in order to bring together a wide range of the world’s most talented concept and visual effects artists and create memorable characters, creatures, VFX, costumes, and key scenes. Aaron’s unparalleled skill and dedication to consistently creating stunning content for all platforms of visual entertainment has made ASC a premiere entertainment studio. Since its founding, ASC has worked on feature films like It, Wonder Woman, Logan, Wrath and Clash of the Titans, War for the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Amazing Spider-Manand many, many more.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Visual Creator and Director Aaron Sims about creating in Unreal Engine, his journey working on short film THE EYE: CALANTHEK; working against creative constraints, perfectionism and knowing when to let the project go.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/364.

Direct download: -EP_364_arron_Sims_PODCAST.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Carlos Stevens is an Animation Director, Writer and Executive Producer. He’s a former Student Academy Awards nominee for his animated short film Toumai. This achievement kick-started Carlos's career working on a variety of Cannes Gold Lion award-winning commercial campaigns, notably for Sprint and Sony. Additionally, he has directed and designed campaigns for X-Box, Netflix, Marvel, EA, Lexus, SyFy, UFC, Target and many others.

His short film titled The Alchemist's Letter, narrated by John Hurt, received critical acclaim and festival recognition worldwide. Carlos previously held directorships at Laika Animation Studios, design powerhouse Elastic, and animation studios Logan and Superfad. He recently directed an episode for season 3 of the acclaimed series Love Death + Robots on Netflix. He also has films in development at Warner Animation Group and is currently EP / Showrunner on an animated series at Nickelodeon / Paramount +.

In this Podcast, Animation Director, Writer and Executive Producer Carlos Stevens talks about his experience directing Love Death + Robots, his earlier short films The Alchemist’s Letter and the Student Academy Award nominated Toumai; consequences of rejection, importance of relationships and other lessons he’s learned throughout his filmmaking career.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/363.

Direct download: 363-Carlos_Stevens_PODCAST.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Henrique Reginato is a VFX Supervisor and the Founder of NOX Visual Effects. After working in VFX for over 13 years, Henrique launched NOX Visual Effects during COVID-19 by purchasing the Nuke Indie license and working from home.

Born in Brazil, Henrique first studied at Centro Universitario Senac, in Sao Paolo. He then pursued 3D Animation and VFX training from Vancouver Film School. He’s worked at a number of studios, including Pixomondo. His credits include: Star Trek: Discovery, For All Mankind, The Orville, The OA, Gotham and so many more!

In this Episode, Henrique shares his journey as an artist, the benefits of working for smaller studios, how to become a VFX Supervisor and gain experience on set, how to start your own studio, the importance of relationships and gaining a business mindset for artists.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/362.

Direct download: ep362_-_Henrique_Reginato_-_NOX_Visual_Effects.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

David Vickery is a VFX Supervisor at ILM, well known for his work on films such as Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1 and 2, Fast & Furious 6 and Jupiter Ascending. His work has been recognized with an Academy Award® nomination and the 2012 BAFTA Award for Special Visual Effects for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in addition to numerous Visual Effects Society Award nominations and wins.

Vickery joined ILM having spent the past 13 years at London effects house Double Negative where he worked his way up from CG Artist to Lead 3D artist then CG Supervisor on such films as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Bourne Ultimatum, Cloverfield and The Dark Knight.

Having strong ties to the visual effects community in London, Vickery formerly sat as Co-Chair on the UK board of the Visual Effects Society and is a member of BAFTA. After completing a Degree in Industrial Design at De-Montfort University, Vickery went on to receive an MA in Digital Moving Image from London Metropolitan University.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews ILM’s VFX Supervisor David Vickery about his journey from a VFX Artist to supervising on set, dealing with rejection, working at ILM, working on projects like Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Cloverfield, Die Another Day; communicating with creatives and the importance of mentoring younger artists.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/361.

Direct download: ep361_-_ILM_-_David_Vickery_Interview_3_corrected.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Fred Ruff is the founder of Refuge FX, a Portland based visual effects studio responsible for projects like For All Mankind, Helstrom, Queen of the South, Runaways, Grimm, Last Knight

Fred has over two decades of experience in computer graphics, visual effects and software development. He’s worked as a Lead Product Designer at Autodesk. He currently serves on the advisory board for Turbosquid, the world’s leading 3D model marketplace. Fred launched Refuge FX in 2013.

In this Episode, Allan McKay interviews Fred Ruff, VFX Supervisor and Owner of Portland-based VFX studio Refuge VFX, about a day in the life of a studio owner, the phases of growing a business, the importance of relationships, the positive impact of COVID-19 on the industry, how to avoid the race to the bottom dollar and get better quality work.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/360/.

Direct download: Ep360_-_Fred_Ruff_-_Running_a_VFX_Studio.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Bilali Mack is a VFX Supervisor Based in NYC. Born in Accra, Ghana and based in Brooklyn, Bilali has spent the better part of the last decade honing his craft at visual effects at studios such as Brickyard VFX, Smoke and Mirrors, MPC and Alkemy X.

Bilali has supervised and executed on visual effects for commercials, tv and film for a number of high profile clients such as Adidas, Google, BMW, Starz, HBO, and Focus Features; as well as working with notable directors such as Dave Myers, The Russo Brothers, Lance Acord, and Thomas Bezucha.

In his spare time, he produces the Legends of VFX podcast, directs short films and is very passionate about street photography and food.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews VFX Supervisor Bilali Mack about his journey from a VFX Artist to a VFX Supervisor, qualities of the most effective leaders, the importance of diverse storytelling, NFT’s and Bilali’s Podcast Legends of VFX.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/359.

Direct download: ep359_-_VFX_Supervisor_Bilali_Mack.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Tim Miller is a Film Director, Animator, Creative Director and VFX Artist. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the work on his short film Gopher Broke. He made his directing debut with Deadpool. He is also known for creating opening sequences for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Thor: The Dark World.

In 1995, Tim co-founded Blur Studio with David Stinnett and Cat Chapman. Blur is where animators and artists can collaborate and be in control of their creative destinities. Since then, the Studio has evolved into an award-winning production company with work spanning the realms of game cinematics, commercials, feature films and more. Committed to their clients, artists and to the telling of great stories, Blur continues to grow not only as a high-end animation studio, but also as original content creators, having recently helmed Netflix’s first animated anthology Love Death + Robots.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Tim Miller, Film Director, Animator, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Blur Studio, about the history of launching Blur, its legacy; his ongoing collaboration with David Fincher, directing Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate – and creating Love Death + Robots.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/358.

Direct download: ep358_-_Tim_Miller__Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Janga FX was founded in 2016 by Nick Seavert, an entrepreneur who is well versed in both startups and real-time VFX. Janga FX was initially bootstrapped with credit cards, software sales, and many thousands of man hours instead of outside investments. The company’s core motive is to provide real-time VFX tools to artists and designers who work in video game or film industries. 

The first tool by Jang FX called VectorayGen was released in 2017. EmberGen is a standalone real-time volumetric fluid simulation tool built for generating flipbooks, image sequences, and VDB files.

In this Part 2 of Allan McKay’s interview with Nick Seavert, the Founder of Janga FX, Nick talks about his first job in the industry, the beginnings of Janga FX, its first software VectorayGen and the launch of Ember Gen.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/357.

Direct download: Ep357_EmbergenBizTalk_Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

When Nate Black decided to start a YouTube channel, he had a significant advantage: As an actor, he’d been in thousands of live stage performances and knew how to play to an audience. After leaving the stage, he moved through various jobs until he found a passion for teaching.  

When he launched Channel Makers, a YouTube Channel that tackles the question “How to succeed on YouTube”, the number of subscribers grew from 0 to 25,000 in its first year. He creates original, data-focused informational videos using real-life tests and case studies. Nate helps a wide range of YouTubers, from beginners to established channels. Currently, the number of his followers is over 120K.

In this Podcast, Nate Black, Creator of a highly successful YouTube Channel called Channel Makers, shares his experience and gives advice on how to create and grow your YouTube, discusses YouTube shorts and lives, and the importance of market research.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/356.

Direct download: EP_356_NateBlack_Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Clinton Jones is a Director, Content Creator, VFX Artist and Photographer. He has worked at Rocket Jump and at Corridor Digital. On his YouTube Channel, where he is known as Pwnisher, he launches challenges for his community, as well as creates tutorials. His YouTube Channel has a massive following of over 557K subscribers, while his Instagram has 110K followers.

Currently, Clinton is working on co-writing his first feature film, creating content and making art.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay and Clinton discuss the habits of successful people, productivity hacks, the importance of soft skills and how NFT’s are empowering contemporary artists.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/355.

Direct download: EP_355_clinton_jones__Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Ian Spriggs is a 3D Digital Artist and a VFX Artist. He completed his first 3D portrait in 2014. His work has become widely known for being photorealistic because they seem to represent the subjects’ inner selves. 

As a Lead Character Modeler, he has worked for studios like Unity Technologies, Scanline VFX, ILM, Mr. X. His projects include The Mandalorian, Mulan, Bloodshot

He is also the author of A Portrait of the Digital Age, a book on creating his meticulous character studies.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews 3D Digital Artist and Lead Character Modeler Ian Spriggs about creativity, importance of innovation and authenticity, how to niche yourself as an artist, difference between commercial and personal work, artistic freedom – and so much more!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/354/.

Direct download: Ep354_-_Ian_Spriggs-.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Since 1975, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the forefront of the digital revolution, ILM continues to break new ground in the field not only in visual effects but now virtual reality, augmented reality, immersive entertainment, and virtual production. Founded by George Lucas, ILM is the leading effects facility in the world, with studios located in San Francisco, Singapore, Vancouver, London, and Sydney. The company serves the motion picture, television, streaming, commercial production, and attraction industries. ILM has created visual effects for over 350 feature films.

With so many technical and creative innovations, ILM has been a constant force propelling the evolution of visual effects. Beginning with a mastery of the traditional arts of blue-screen photography, matte painting and model and miniature construction, ILM advanced the art of optical compositing and pioneered the development of motion control photography, digital compositing, and numerous other advances in effects technology. Since the 1980s, ILM has led the way in the use of computer graphics and digital imaging in feature films, developing breakthrough techniques such as morphing, enveloping and film input scanning technology. Most recently ILM unveiled its StageCraft realtime virtual production platform and StageCraft LED Stages which allow storytellers the ultimate flexibility in how they plan, develop and capture their vision.

Today, ILM features one the most comprehensive and advanced digital effects production pipelines in the entertainment industry, from the earliest creation of wholly computer-generated characters in The Abyss, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Jurassic Park to the startling digital breakthroughs in films such as Twister, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace and The Perfect Storm. ILM’s ability to merge photo-realistic digital images with live-action footage is renowned throughout the industry. Critical to ILM’s success are its Visual Effects Supervisors, who combine technical expertise with creative vision. They are joined by a global team of some 1,200 employees that includes producers, art directors, computer graphics artists, software engineers, editors, and technicians. This effects team works within ILM’s proven production management system, known for producing superlative results on time and on budget.

Industrial Light & Magic is a Lucasfilm Ltd. company serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual effects. ILM has been awarded 3 Emmy Awards, 15 Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, and received 33 Academy Awards for Scientific and Technical Achievements that have had an indelible impact on the art of filmmaking.

In this Podcast, Manager of Emerging Talent at ILM Kim Paris talks about her experience recruiting talent, the importance of cover letters, the power of humility, the myth of film not being a stable career; as well as gives advice on outreach emails, reels and job interviews. 

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/353/.

Direct download: Ep353_-_ILM_-_Kim_Paris.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

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 others. Activision Blizzard Esports also operates Tespa™, the leader in collegiate esports.

In this Episode, Activision Blizzard King’s Executive Principal Recruiter for Art in Animation and Creative Robin Alan Linn talks about the importance of niching down, how to stand out in the age of social media, how to ace the most difficult interview question, the importance of empathy, vulnerability and imperfection – and so much more!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/352/.

Direct download: Ep352___Robin_Alan_Linn.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

When Oscar®-nominated, Emmy® award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay teams with some of cinema’s most noted directors in the new HBO Max original docuseries One Perfect Shot, movie lovers will see dazzling, unprecedented views inside memorable shots from film history. The series provides a never-before-possible perspective on filmmaking, allowing directors to step into their favorite shots and take viewers on amazing 360º views of their visions. DuVernay and her production company, ARRAY Filmworks, selected CBS VFX (www.CBS-VFX.com) to produce these visually breathtaking moments.

Created for television by DuVernay and inspired by a popular Twitter account of the same name, each episode of One Perfect Shot arms one acclaimed director with an arsenal of visual tools to pull back the curtain on their most iconic shots. Filmmakers share their obstacles, challenges, lessons and triumphs as they detail the road to their one perfect shot. The series features prolific filmmakers Patty Jenkins, Aaron Sorkin, Kasi Lemmons, Jon M. Chu, Malcolm D. Lee and Michael Mann, as well as blockbuster films including Wonder Woman, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Harriet, Crazy Rich Asians, Girls Trip and Heat.

Making the incredible images in One Perfect Shot required CBS VFX to use more than 25 years of visual effects innovation. Much of the work integrates the visual effects company’s proprietary Parallax virtual production system, which brings three-dimensional technology and an intricate level of detail to virtual locations. Combining Parallax with new tools in the Unreal Engine from Epic Games – including real-time rendering and ray tracing – led to remarkable production flexibility.

The digital production techniques from CBS VFX incorporated into One Perfect Shot represent an evolution of the work the visual-effects studio has done to replicate real-world locations in virtual sets and improve virtual production – which has been particularly important during the challenges of the pandemic.

CBS VFX has developed groundbreaking technology and created visual effects for multiple series across many networks, including Apple TV’s upcoming Roar, The Offer for Paramount+, This Is Us on NBC, Netflix’s Dead to Me, and Big Shot on Disney+. CBS VFX maintains a dedicated virtual production soundstage, and its team is available to television production professionals for live demonstrations of virtual production, digital set extension and realtime pre-viz technologies.

In this Episode, Allan McKay interviews Craig Weiss, Executive Creative Director at CBS VFX and Jim Berndt, Head Virtual Production at CBS VFX about their work on One Perfect Shot created for HBO Max by Ava DuVernay, the creative process and challenges of short deadlines, the promise of virtual production and realtime — and the future of VR; as well as their work on some technologically innovative projects.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/351/.

Direct download: EP351_CBS_VFX.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Mike Price is a Writers Guild Award and three-time Emmy Award-winning Writer and Producer. He is the Executive Producer and Showrunner of the acclaimed Netflix animated comedy series F is for Family, which he co-created with series star Bill Burr. 

He is also a Writer and Co-Executive Producer on The Simpsons, having written over 20 episodes of the show – and served as a script consultant on The Simpsons Movie.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Emmy Award-winning Writer, Producer and Showrunner Mike Price about his work on The Simpsons and F is for Family, the influence of improv on his work, the dread of the blank page and how COVID-19 has changed the writers’ room.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/350/.

Direct download: Ep_350_-_F_is_for_Family_-Mike_Price.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Kemer Stevenson is the Character Effects Supervisor at Blur Studio in Los Angeles, California. With more than 15 years of experience in feature film, marketing and communications, he has previously worked for DreamWorks Animation, Rhythm & Hues, Republic Studios. His credits include: Trolls, Penguins of Madagascar, How to Train Your Dragon franchise; Monsters vs. Aliens, The Incredible Hulk.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay and Blur Studio’s Head of Character Effects Kemer Stevenson talk about the importance of learning, the humility of not knowing; the outcomes of COVID-19 and working remotely.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/349/.

Direct download: Ep349_-_Blur_Studio_-_Kemer_Stevenson.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai).

DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Dune (October 2021), No Time To Die (October 2021), Ron’s Gone Wrong (October 2021), Last Night In Soho (October 2021), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (November 2021), The Matrix 4 (December 2021), Uncharted (2022), Borderlands (2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2022), The Flash (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).

Chris Keller is a Filmmaker and Visual Effects supervisor with VFX credits that include Pacific Rim Uprising, Assassin’s Creed, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Man of Steel, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and Netflix’ Triple Frontier. Most recently, he supervised Foundation for Apple TV+.

Chris has written and directed several award-winning short films. His new horror short Father was released in October 2018 after more than 40 screenings. The Last Dance, a touching Sci-Fi love story which was produced with support by DNEG, has recently completed its festival run. It is his most ambitious film to date.

In 2015, Chris released his horror short 20 HZ which has been praised for its atmosphere and assured direction. His film Life External won 3rd prize out of 217 submissions at the renowned Sci-Fi London 48hr Film Challenge 2014. The year before, his romantic short Valse garnered numerous awards, most notably Grand Prize at the 2013 Movie Machine Digital Cinema Festival. In 2012, he won the “Million Hits Viral Competition” with a spec beer commercial.

In 2016, Chris published a series of carefully designed viral videos showing a giant sea monster in the river Thames that received dozens of millions of views and generated massive hype in the UK’s capital.

At present, Chris is in post production with his next short (a live action / animation hybrid), and is developing more short, TV and feature scripts to direct in the future.

In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Chris Keller DNEG’s VFX Supervisor and Filmmaker about his work on Foundation, his own short films, the importance of making your own work, the imposter syndrome and how to get out of a creative rut.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/348/.

Direct download: Ep_348_-_Foundation_VFX_Sup_Chris_Keller_-_DNEG-.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Perfection is our inability to balance out our priorities or see the big picture. We get so fixated on everything being perfect, we fall behind our responsibilities, eventually failing to deliver anything at all. This is a huge problem for a lot of junior artists who make this mistake which stops them from succeeding.

Borrowing from what Allan McKay has learned as a VFX Supervisor, Producer in film, as well as a Studio Owner, he talks about:

  • How to manage projects successfully and how to grow as a creative;
  • How to complete projects faster and become a better artist;
  • How to think bigger and where to put your time;
  • How to know how to make the biggest impact and earn a reputation for nailing projects.

Perfectionism is not the pride in our work – it’s the downfall of us! The faster we iterate, the faster we improve. Once we release a product, we can always do a postmortem: what worked, what didn’t and where you can improve the next time. Meanwhile, with perfectionism, nothing is good enough. And because of that – nothing is ever done!

In this Podcast, Allan talks about the danger of perfectionism, how to not find yourself stuck in the cycle of endless iterations and move forward to becoming a better artist – and gives actionable tools to avoid the dangerous space in which nothing is good enough and nothing gets done.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/347/.

Direct download: Ep347_-_Duke_Nukem_-_Perfectionism_is_the_Enemy.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai).

DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Dune (October 2021), No Time To Die (October 2021), Ron’s Gone Wrong (October 2021), Last Night In Soho (October 2021), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (November 2021), The Matrix 4 (December 2021), Uncharted (2022), Borderlands (2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2022), The Flash (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).

DNEG’s VFX Supervisor Tom Proctor talks about leadership and relationships skills, fine arts versus craftsmanship in VFX, the impact of virtual production on pipelines – and discusses his work on iconic titles like The Matrix, Justice League, as well as most recently, Last Night in Soho. For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/346/.

Direct download: Ep_346_-_Tom_Proctor_-_DNEGs_VFX_Sup_V02.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

TEHMINA BEG is a New-York based VFX supervisor currently working at Molecule VFX. She has previously worked at Zoic Studios, The Mill, MPC. Tehmina’s credits include Homeland, Quantifco, The Blacklist, And Just Like That, Modern Love and many more. She is a self-taught artist and photographer.

MAGGIE OH is currently a Sr. Technical Program Manager for Machine Learning and Computer Vision on Google's Project Starline. Her previous roles include TL, Lighting TD, Lead Technical Artist, and programmer on projects such as Stadia, Mandalorian, #LiveCGX (AR Fashion Show at London Fashion Week 2018), Hololens, Halo 4, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, and Cars. She holds a Masters from Harvard and a BSci from MIT.

ERIN RAMOS is Head of Effects Animation at Walt Disney Animation Studios. As an award-winning VFX Supervisor she’s also worked for Weta, Rhythm & Hues. Her credits include Moana, Frozen II, Ralph Breaks the Internet, The Hobbit and many more.

CONNIE SIU is a Virtual Production Manager at Eyeline Studio (Scanline VFX / Netflix). Her credits include How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Rise of the Guardians.  She is also a Writer and Director of short film Jeffrey which was shot using virtual production in 2020 (www.allanmckay.com/277). 

In this Podcast, Women Leaders and VFX Artists discuss the importance of representation, business mindset in artists, give advice on how to find mentors and provide resources to women starting out in visual effects.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/345/.

Direct download: EP345_Women_in_VFX_final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 4:05am EDT

JINKO GOTOH is an Animation Producer and Consultant whose credits include The Little Prince; the Academy Award nominated The Illusionist; the Academy Award winning Finding Nemo. Jinko also serves as Vice-President of Women in Animation dedicated to advancing women in the field of animation.

NELL LLOYD-MALCOLM is the Founding CEO of Xydrobe, a new luxury NFT platform. Previously, Nell has worked as a VFX Producer and Coordinator at Framestore, Double Negative, ILM, Sony, Untold Studios; on titles like Aladdin, Mowgli, Bohemian Rhapsody, Ready Player One, Star Wars, as well as The Crown on Netflix.

KAITLYN YANG is the CEO of Alpha Studios, the first Woman-owned visual effects company in the U.S. She is a VFX Artist turned Supervisor whose titles include The Shrink Next Door, The Good Doctor, Absentia, Modern Family, Robot Chicken, Gangster Squad, and many more. Kaitlyn is a list maker for Forbes 30 Under 30 in Hollywood & Entertainment — and a Founder of 1IN4, an intersectional coalition of disabled creatives currently working in Hollywood.

In this Podcast, Women Leaders in VFX discuss the statistics of representation, talk about the impact of #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, give advice and provide resources to women starting out in visual effects.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/344/.

 

Direct download: EP_344_women_in_leadership_final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 4:05am EDT

Tehmina Beg is a New-York based VFX Supervisor currently working at Molecule VFX. She has previously worked at Zoic Studios, The Mill, MPC. Tehmina’s credits include Homeland, Quantico, The Defenders, The Blacklist, Modern Love and most recently And Just Like That. She is a self-taught artist and photographer.

In this Podcast, Allan and Tehmina talk about balancing creative and technical skills, courage to learn and ask questions, benefits of gaining experience as a generalist and a freelancer – and why 2022 is the best time to be a VFX artist!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/343/.

Direct download: EP_343_Tehmina_Beg_final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 4:05am EDT

DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai).

DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Dune (October 2021), No Time To Die (October 2021), Ron’s Gone Wrong (October 2021), Last Night In Soho (October 2021), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (November 2021), The Matrix 4 (December 2021), Uncharted (2022), Borderlands (2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2022), The Flash (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).

Dan Glass is an acclaimed VFX Supervisor with numerous accolades over the course of his 25-year career, including a BAFTA nomination and two Visual Effects Society awards. He is a long-time collaborator of the Wachowskis and Terrence Malick, and production VFX Supervisor on films such as Jupiter Ascending, Cloud Atlas, Tree of Life, Batman Begins, The Matrix sequels, Deadpool 2, and many more.

In addition to his impressive list of film credits, Dan also served as VFX Supervisor on two seasons of Netflix’s sci-fi cult hit Sense8, while directing two episodes himself; and previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer for Method Studios.

In this Podcast, the acclaimed VFX Supervisor for The Matrix: Resurrections Dan Glass talks about the underlying message of the film, shares some behind-the-scenes, and discusses technological innovations throughout the franchise’s history.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/342/.

Direct download: Ep342_-_THE_MATRIX_RESURRECTION_1.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 4:06am EDT

The WHAT IF? Scenario: It’s an addictive concept for all of us. What if you give up on a career before you ever got started? Fear is just your mind trying to prevent you from change because change is unknown. It doesn’t want you to risk safety for something new. But the big growths and breakthroughs are on the other side of that fear. 

If you aren’t willing to put in the extra work and see what it would lead to next, if you weren’t willing to leverage one experience to the next, none of that would be easy. We always get tested! It’s easier to take the lesser path. But we get to choose that Sliding Doors moment -- or we get to choose to have it all.

In this Podcast, Allan reflects on the choices he’s made throughout his career that lead him to face his fears, take huge risks and to have his dream job (which would eventually lead to his night at the Oscars).

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/341/.



Direct download: Ep._341_-CRUSHING_Your_Bigger_Goals.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:05am EDT

Zoic Studios is a VFX company of accomplished artists and producers with a deep understanding of story, process and relationships. With offices in Los Angeles, New York and Vancouver, the company has prided itself in partnership, integrity and enthusiasm as the key founding principles. Their projects are born in think tanks, where every idea has value and potential. Dynamic ideas are fleshed out, and a plan for crafting a visual representation of the idea is set early in the creative process. 

Since 2002, Zoic’s team has a proven track record of success. They are masters in their fields of 3D, Compositing and Production Management. Their reputations, in turn, attract additional talent and foster a strong work ethic.

They built a robust digital infrastructure, which is flexible and strong to support the staff. It is a “liquid” pipeline, designed by their team for rapid expansion and contraction. This custom pipeline is resolution-independent and changeable based on project needs. Leading visual technology firms provide additional support and insight to the latest methods. 

Zoic has worked on a variety of high-end productions, both in film and television: Many Saints of New York, Judas and the Black Messiah, Mother!, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Legends of Tomorrow, Breaking Bad, Homeland, See, The Underground Railroad, The Boys, Fargo, and multiple more.

In this Podcast, Andrew Orloff, Executive Creative Director / Co-Founder of Zoic Studios, talks about the change in the industry with introduction of streaming content and virtual production, how Zoic has incorporated Unreal Engine into their pipeline – as well as gives tips to up-and-coming artists and VFX supervisors alike!


For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/340/.

Direct download: EP_340_-_Andrew_Orloff_-_Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Perception is an Emmy nominated design lab pioneering the visionary process of Science Fiction Thinking to architect the future. They divide their time equally between the parallel worlds of science-fiction—working with trailblazing filmmakers and science-fact—collaborating with the world’s most innovative technology brands.

Drawing upon their vast experience of conceptualizing and developing future tech for the biggest sci fi blockbusters of the last decade, they’re able to inspire and guide the most cutting edge tech leaders across the globe. Using Science Fiction Prototyping, they create futuristic, forward looking experiences that look and feel as authentic as possible in order to open the minds of corporate leadership and stakeholders to the wondrous potential of what their technology is truly capable of.

The list of titles that Perception (http://experienceperception.com/) has worked on includes: Black Widow, Spider-Man: Far from Home, Black Panther, Thor Ragnarok, Captain America, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, and many more.

In this Podcast, Perception Co-Founders Jeremy Lasky and Danny Gonzalez talk about their growth from a startup (21 years ago) to becoming a frequent collaborator of Marvel, as well as the influence of their concepts on today’s technology.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/339/.

Direct download: EP_339_-_Perception_-_Final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Louis Castle is a prolific American video games designer. He is known for co-founding Westwood Studios and for his work on the Command & Conquer real-time strategy series. In 2017, he became the Head of Amazon Game Studios Seattle. 

Most recently, Louis joined GreenPark Sports as Chief Product Officer.

As the co-founder of Westwood Studios, Louis was instrumental in the launch of the C&C series, one of the leaders in the 1990s RTS boom. He co-founded Westwood Studios in 1985. After its purchase by EA in 1998, he held various senior positions at that company. In 2008, he collaborated with Steven Spielberg on the Boom Blox and Boom Blox Bash Party video games for the Nintendo Wii console, based on Spielberg’s design ideas. Since 2010, Louis held a number of roles, including at GarageGames and Zynga.

Louis Castle is a BAFTA and GDC Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

In this Podcast, Louis shares valuable insights on how to start a business, how and when to sell your business; the importance of risk and lessons of failure; how to look for new opportunities, negotiate your salary and raises, give and receive criticism and so much more!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/338/.

Direct download: EP_338_Louis_Castle_final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

There's such a shortage of visual effects people right now. It's insane how many projects have been greenlit. And even for a 3D artist, there's so much stuff out there – and that's a good thing! Visual effects in general is such a healthy industry, but it's also about where there’s room to grow. There's always going to be new territory to cover. 

It's about training your brain to know what you want and then to see the opportunities to connect the dots. So, look for your opportunities! And when you start to pick up on it, you start to see that there are opportunities everywhere. It might simply be someone you meet and they mention that they're doing a certain thing. But if you were just to mention what you do and what you're interested in – or ask more questions about what they're doing – that could be your next gig. That could be your next way to break into the industry. 

You never know what opportunities are around the corner, but you've got to be aware that they exist. And the best way to do that – is to start figuring out what you want. Be more observant in identifying those opportunities, those omens that are hiding just around the corner.

In this Podcast, Allan shares his personal experience of looking for a recent staff position, how to determine what lifestyle you want and how to train your mind to look for opportunities that are meant for you.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/337/.

Direct download: ep337_-_My_Experience_staff_job_-final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

Cinecom is a YouTube channel and a media organization from Belgium founded in 2014 by Jordy Vandeput. The goal of the channel is to provide educational content for filmmakers and video editors around the world.

Jordy Vandeput graduated from a film school in Brussels, Belgium in 2012. Right after, he started working as an independent freelancer for various video-productions. One of his clients at the time was Envato for whom he made online courses about various aspects of filmmaking and video editing.

After founding the Cinecom in 2014, Jordy expanded his team. By December 2018, the YouTube channel reached 1 million subscribers. By the summer of 2019, the team started their second channel Premiere Basics.

In this Podcast, Jordy talks about starting Cinecom Belgium, the secret to going viral, how and when to grow your team, the importances of deadlines — as well as some of his projects as a filmmaker. 

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/336/.

Direct download: EP336_Cinecom_updated.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Richard Edlund is a four-time Academy Award visual effects winner for Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. He is VFX Supervisor, Producer and Cinematographer. Richard was also nominated for Poltergeist, 2010, Ghostbusters, Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Die Hard and Alien 3. He’s won three Academy Technical Awards, the British Academy Award for Poltergeist and Return of the Jedi. He earned an Emmy for creating the visual effects for the original television miniseries Battlestar Galactica and another nomination for Mike Nichols’ Angels in America. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored him with their John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation in recognition of his contributions to the Academy. And the ASC (American Society of Cinematographers) presented him with their esteemed Presidents Award in 2008. He has also received top accolades from the Visual Effects Society, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, and numerous other organizations.

In 1975, Richard was one of the first visual effects artists to join fellow VFX enthusiast, John Dykstra for a startup he called Industrial Light and Magic (ILM). This team of filmmakers began their work on a movie called Star Wars. When the new technology and Star Wars franchise clicked, Richard moved to Marin County to supervise visual effects for the next two episodes of Star Wars, as well as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark and Poltergeist

In 1984, he took over the equipment amassed by Doug Trumbull’s Entertainment Effects Group and retooled the 65mm visual effects company, renaming it Boss Film Studios. Boss Films became a star in the visual effects world, when company simultaneously produced the comedic visual effects for Ghostbusters, created a hybrid technology integrating NASA’s digital images of Jupiter into a key sequence in 2010. Boss’s pioneering VFX technology went on to create stunning imagery for over 40 features, including Die Hard, Ghost, Poltergeist 2, Alien3, Species, Multiplicity, Air Force One. Masters of the Universe, Cliffhanger, Batman Returns, The Last Action Hero, Waterworld, Heat, Starship Troopers and a slew of other high profile projects, including pioneering Bud Light Superbowl spots. The company achieved ten Academy Award nominations over a fourteen-year period.

Richard is a twenty-two year Governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, founding member of the AMPAS visual effects branch and is chair of the Branch Executive Committee, also chairman of the Academy’s Science and Technology Council. He also serves as a board member of the VES and on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Cinematographers. 

Richard is a frequent lecturer at industry organizations and universities across the world including USC and Chapman film schools. His 1977 Oscar for Star Wars is currently on display at the newly opened Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.

In this Episode, legendary Oscar-winning VFX Supervisor, Producer and Cinematographer Richard Edlund talks about his work on some of the most influential films and their groundbreaking VFX sequences: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ghostbusters and Die Hard.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/335/.

Direct download: Ep335_RichardEdlund_Part_02.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

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 others. Activision Blizzard Esports also operates Tespa™, the leader in collegiate esports.

In this Episode, Activision Blizzard’s Senior Director of Creative Talent Acquisition Robin Alan Linn discusses his three decades of experience in VFX, from starting out as a maquette sculptor at Hanna-Barbera Cartoons to working at Sony Picture Imageworks, Third Floor, Riot Games, Netflix; shares his expertise on building a successful reel and talks about the importance of following your dreams.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/334/.

Direct download: EP334_Robin_Alan_Linn.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai).

DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Dune (October 2021), No Time To Die (October 2021), Ron’s Gone Wrong (October 2021), Last Night In Soho (October 2021), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (November 2021), The Matrix 4 (December 2021), Uncharted (2022), Borderlands (2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2022), The Flash (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).

In this Podcast, No Time to Die VFX Sup Charlie Noble and Special Effects Sup Chris Corbould talk about some of the most memorable sequences in the film, usage of virtual environments and digi doubles and the balance of achieving invisible visual effects in the James Bond franchise.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/333/.

Direct download: EP333_No_time_to_die.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Founded in 1996, Foundry is a visual effects software development company headquartered in London, with over 300 employees and a presence in the US, China, Japan, Australia and Europe. 

They have been developing creative software for the Digital Design, Media and Entertainment industries for over 20 years. Their products -- like Nuke, Mari, Katana, Flix, Hiero, Modo -- are used to create breathtaking visual effects sequences on a wide range of feature films, video-on-demand, television and commercials. 

Their clients and partners include major feature film studios and post-production houses such as Pixar, ILM, MPC, Walt Disney Animation, Weta Digital, DNEG, and Framestore as well as automotive, footwear, apparel and technology companies such as Mercedes, New Balance, Adidas and Google. They partner with these companies to solve complex visualization challenges to turn incredible ideas into reality. This is why our software has been integral in the making of every VFX Oscar-winning film, award-winning TV shows and commercials for more than a decade.

In 2019, the London Stock Exchange named Foundry one of the “1000 Companies to Inspire Britain.” They’re regularly featured in The Sunday Times’ Tech Track as one of Britain’s fastest-growing private technology companies.

In this Podcast, Jen Goldfinch, Senior Director of Industry Marketing at Foundry, shares her 20-years of experience, talks about the company’s history, tools and learning resources, as well as its investment in diversity and inclusion.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/332/.



Direct download: EP_332_Jen_Goldfinch_final.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

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