In this episode, Allan McKay sits down with Gavan Gravesen and Matteo Giuberti, the co-founders of RADiCAL, to explore the groundbreaking advancements in AI-powered motion capture and the future of accessible 3D animation technology.

They discuss Gavan and Matteo’s journey from their diverse backgrounds—Gavan from law and AI, and Matteo from biomechanics and motion capture—into building RADiCAL, an innovative platform that uses a single camera and AI to capture human body motion. They dive into the development of RADiCAL's tools, including RADiCAL Canvas, a browser-based, real-time 3D environment for collaboration and creation, and how their platform democratizes motion capture for filmmakers, game developers, and 3D enthusiasts alike.

The conversation touches on the challenges of developing AI that can work with any consumer-grade camera, the importance of scalability and accessibility, and how RADiCAL is poised to transform the way digital creators work. Gavan and Matteo offer key insights into the future of motion capture, real-time collaboration in 3D spaces, and how RADiCAL’s platform can inspire the next generation of creators.

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of motion capture, 3D collaboration, and how AI is revolutionizing the digital content landscape.

Topics Covered:

• Gavan Gravesen’s transition from law and AI to co-founding RADiCAL
• Matteo Giuberti’s background in biomechanics and motion capture
• The development and impact of RADiCAL's AI-powered, single-camera motion capture technology
• The creation and evolution of RADiCAL Canvas as a collaborative 3D platform
• The challenges of developing scalable motion capture for all devices
• Insights into the future of AI in digital content creation

Quotes:

“Motion capture doesn’t need to be confined to expensive hardware anymore—it can be democratized.” “Our AI learns human motion to fill in the gaps, allowing anyone to animate their ideas.” “Creating a scalable, easy-to-use platform was key for us—it’s about giving everyone access to this magic.”

Resources:

• RADiCAL website
• RADiCAL Canvas

In this episode, Allan McKay sits down with Philip Cramer, VFX Supervisor at Digital Domain, to explore the groundbreaking world of character-based visual effects and the innovative tools shaping the future of the industry.

They discuss Philip’s journey from animation to supervising some of the most iconic visual effects projects, including Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Philip dives into the creation of Thanos and the challenges of delivering photorealistic CG characters with extensive screen time. He also covers the evolution of Digital Domain's facial capture technology, Masquerade, and its role in major projects like She-Hulk and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

The conversation touches on the importance of flexibility in a technical pipeline, the advantages of working with both technical and artistic teams, and how to lead by example as a supervisor. Philip offers key insights on problem-solving in high-pressure environments and shares valuable advice for artists on how to stand out in the competitive world of visual effects.

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in character animation, performance capture, and the future of VFX technology, especially as studios transition to more real-time solutions and advanced facial capture techniques.

Topics Covered:

• Philip Cramer’s background and transition from animation to VFX supervision
• The creation and performance capture of Thanos for Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame
• The development and impact of Digital Domain’s markerless facial capture system, Masquerade
• The challenges of delivering a fully CG character for She-Hulk
• Leadership and team collaboration in high-pressure environments
• Advice for artists on standing out in a competitive industry

Quotes:

• “Never say no. Say yes, but explain the trade-offs.”
• “Leading a team is about working longer, working harder, and being there to support your crew.”
• “We needed to mass-produce She-Hulk’s performance in a way we had never done before, which pushed us to innovate Masquerade.”

Resources:

• Digital Domain website
• Masquerade facial capture technology

EPISODE 450 - THE SYMPATHIZER - CHAD WANSTREET - VFX SUPERVISOR

In this episode, Allan McKay interviews VFX Supervisor Chad Wanstreet about:

• His role as VFX Supervisor on the highly anticipated series The Sympathizer, an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel;
• Collaborating closely with visionary director Park Chan-wook to bring his unique vision to life;
• The extensive previs and planning process that went into executing the show's complex VFX sequences;
• Overcoming the challenges of creating digital doubles and face replacements for Robert Downey Jr.'s multiple characters;
• Ensuring geographical and historical accuracy while shooting on location in Thailand and Vietnam;
• Making confident, split-second VFX decisions on set to keep production moving forward;
• Lessons learned from his experience on other shows like S.W.A.T., Dollface, and Sweet Tooth;
• Practical advice for up-and-coming VFX artists looking to break into the industry;
• And so much more!

If you enjoyed this episode, Allan would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to share it with others who might find it valuable. Your support means the world to him!

Listeners are invited to dive into this fascinating conversation with Chad Wanstreet and discover the behind-the-scenes secrets of creating high-end VFX for a prestige series like The Sympathizer.

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/.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

In this episode of the podcast, Allan McKay sits down with Olivio Sarikas, a renowned AI expert and YouTuber, to dive deep into the world of AI image generation. Olivio shares his extensive knowledge and experience working with various AI tools, providing valuable insights for both beginners and advanced users. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, from getting started with AI image generation to exploring the latest advancements in the field. Olivio offers practical advice on navigating the learning curve, finding the right tools, and unleashing your creativity with AI. He also discusses the potential career opportunities in the AI industry and shares his thoughts on the future of AI in art and media production. Whether you're an artist, a content creator, or simply curious about AI, this episode is packed with actionable tips and inspiring ideas to help you stay ahead of the curve.

Key Takeaways:

1. AI image generation tools offer a wide range of possibilities for artists, content creators, and businesses.
2. Experimenting with different AI tools and techniques can help you find your unique style and unleash your creativity.
3. Joining AI communities on Discord and Reddit is a great way to learn, get support, and stay up-to-date with the latest advancements.
4. Custom training models and datasets can open up new opportunities for creating specific styles and assets.
5. Embracing the fluidity and randomness of AI can lead to unexpected and inspiring results.
6. AI is becoming an essential tool in various industries, and developing AI skills can enhance your employability and career prospects.

Follow Olivio

• Olivio's Twitter
• Olivio's YouTube
• Olivio's Instagram

Mentioned Tools, Websites, and Resources:

• Midjourney
• Stable Diffusion
• DALL-E
• Krita
• ControlNet
• Automatic1111
• ComfyUI
• InvokeAI
• OpenArt
• Civitai
• Hugging Face
• GitHub
• DreamShaper
• Juggernaut
• Chilloutmix
• RealViz
• RevAnimated
• Patreon

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

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/.

The more we see the result of the success people are having, the more we can get inspired and model our goals after that success. Which is why I think it’s important to follow other successful people: to see what their habits are and if you can apply those habits to get similar results. I also believe you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with. I want to be surrounded by better people because it inspires me. I want to learn from them. 

But the problem is that a lot of us want to blame external forces, rather than put in the work that it takes to get better. You’ve got to be in it to win it! You’ve got to be willing to try. But you can’t do any of this if you’re just blaming everyone else. 

Nothing is instant! You’ve got to work on it. You’ve got to put in the hard yards! If you run away from your fears, then you’re held captive by them. How will you grow then? But what if you turn the fear into excitement, and it becomes non-negotiable and you lean into it. And that is everything!

In this Podcast, Allan tackles the topic of negativity, resistance and fear -- the things that get in the way of your growth -- and how to use them as fuel for your success!

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/331/.

In the latest episode, I'm excited to spotlight David Wahlberg, an esteemed 2D Pipeline Supervisor and Comp Supervisor at Important Looking Pirates VFX in Stockholm, Sweden. With an expansive career of over 17 years, David has traversed the globe, contributing his vast skills to studios in Stockholm, Oslo, London, Sydney and Wellington. His work encompasses roles as a comp supervisor, senior compositor, and a pioneer in developing tools and plugins for Nuke, leveraging his programming expertise in C++ and Python to advance the VFX industry.

David's portfolio boasts participation in major productions such as "The Book of Boba Fett", "The Mandalorian", "Star Wars" sequels, "The Hobbit" series, and more. He is also the founder of Pixelmania, a company at the forefront of AI-powered VFX tools, showcasing his passion for merging technology with visual effects. For insights into David's influential work and Pixelmania's innovative tools, visit www.pixelmania.se.

Join us as we dive into the world of visual effects with David Wahlberg, exploring the blend of art and technology that defines his career and contributions to some of the most iconic visuals in film and television.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1996338/

https://pixelmania.se/

https://www.ilpvfx.com/

Eran Dinur is VFX Supervisor, Composer and published author. His career in visual effects began with a fascination for creating 3D natural scenery. Through his early years, he became well known as a VUE expert and innovator. When he joined ILM Singapore, he created visual effects for films such as Iron Man, Star Trek, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Terminator Salvation.

After moving to New York, Eran worked at Framestore on Salt and Clash of the Titans. He joined Brainstorm Digital and became a VFX Supervisor in 2011. In this capacity, Eran won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Effects for Boardwalk Empire and two VES Awards for Outstanding Compositing and Outstanding Modeling (for Boardwalk Empire as well). Eran has been leading Brainstorm Digital on numerous films and tv projects, including The Wolf of Wall Street, The Greatest Showman, The Lost City of Z, Hereditary, Boy Erased and many more.

In April 2017, Eran published The Filmmaker’s Guide to Visual Effects, a practical guide to VFX for directors, producers, editors, cinematographers and other film professionals, as well as film students. He has also been teaching at the School of Visual Arts and online courses at FXPhD.

In this Podcast, Eran talks about his latest book The Complete Guide to Photorealism and the topic of photorealism in VFX and other artforms.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/330/.

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 being one of the first artists to join ILM -- to work on the 1977 film Star Wars -- his work on Return of the Jedi and Ghostbusters, as well as gives some insight on being a pioneer in the visual effects industry.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/329/.

David Adan is an FT TD Lead at Cinesite whose list of credits include Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, American Gods, Mindhunter, Godzilla: King of Monsters, Terminator: Dark Fate, Lost in Space and many more.

David’s journey began in 1994 in Cuernavaca, Mexico, when at the age of 16, he started working as an intern at a local PR film. There, he discovered one of the first 3D softwares for PC and immediately started teaching himself how to use it. The local college didn’t offer any studies in visual effects or animation. There were no internet tutorials either. So while studying Photoshop, editing and illustration in class, David learned animation on his own. Every night after school, he poured over any possible books or manuals he could find.

Three years later, David decided to go seek training in the U.S. He found himself studying at Digital Hollywood in Santa Monica. He came back to Mexico City with a different perspective and began producing for television. In 2004, he sought his AutoDesk certification; and that same year, opened his own studio -- Studio 3D -- where he began teaching. Right around that time, David came in contact with Allan McKay, at the CG Workshop.

In 2010, David decided to take his family abroad by accepting a contract with an architectural firm in Qatar. In the meanwhile, David started taking the FXTD Mentorship with Allan McKay. During this time, David had a chance to work on a couple of films: an Austrian student film called Herbst and a German low-budget production Timebreakers. It gave him an opportunity to utilize all the techniques he was learning in the Mentorship. 

In 2014, David decided to make a change in his career by moving back to Mexico and pursuing visual effects. It took a few months of struggle and a dozen job interviews, including with Sony, before he was offered a full-time position at Flipbook Studio where he would finally get to create visual effects for films and television. In just 3 months at this new job, he’s been involved in 6 television shows. 

Most recently, David accepted a position at Cinesite, in Vancouver, where he became an FX TD Lead.

In this Podcast, David talks about his journey as an artist, business owner and a family man; the career changes that took courage -- yet led him to his dream job; the skills he gained in other fields but ultimately used as a VFX artist; and the importance of following your passion.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/328/.

In the beginning of your career as junior artists, it’s fight or flight. You will either leave the industry because it’s too hard or you’ll work hard on as many jobs as you can. You need that exit strategy, however, otherwise you will burn out. 

It’s the fear that keeps you small. You are afraid of losing jobs if you raise your rates. A lot of the time, you also undervalue yourself. If you put your brand out there and it’s cheap -- even if it’s great quality work -- the clients will still view you as a cheap brand. It’s just pricing psychology. It’s all about the perceived value. 

In this Podcast, Allan talks about how and when in your career to raise your rates, pricing psychology and creating a premium brand.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/327/.

There is nothing worse than burnout. As artists, we work hard, we work long hours, chase tight deadlines. As the expression goes in Blade Runner, “The candle that burns twice as bright, burns for half as long.”  So how do you avoid hitting rock bottom?

A lot of the time, burnout is that invisible pressure that comes in a form of stress. It’s not about if you’re going to crash. It’s about when you’re going to crash. There needs to be a break to rest and catch up. 

This Podcast was recorded for one purpose: to help you understand the importance of mental health and help you manage yourself when you experience a burnout from time to time. Some of the pointers you’ll find here address:

• Why it’s important to stay in tune with yourself and know when it’s time to take a break.
• How to come back from it by taking breaks or doing things that ignite your passion.
• Why it’s important to identify the light at the end of the tunnel. 

In this Podcast, Allan McKay discusses a highly important and timely subject of artistic burnout: how to detect it, how to maintain the symptoms, how to recover from it -- and most importantly, how to avoid it in the future.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/326/.

Sam Wickert is a director and VFX supervisor who has worked closely with many clients such as Epic Games, Google Daydream, AMD, BlackMagic Design, Universal Orlando Resorts, Redbull, and Discover. 

The most exciting projects he has enjoyed working on is the content featured on his YouTube Channel, SOKRISPYMEDIA, which has accumulated over 1.6 Million subscribers and 400+ million views - most notably recognized from its web series, Chalk Warfare.

In this Episode, Allan and Sam talk about the journey of being a content creator, imposter syndrome and cycles of creativity, taking pride in your work, the importance of relationships and having your own creative community. 

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/325/.

Erika Burton brings over 25 years of senior-level experience to her role at DNEG. Most recently, she led as EVP, Global Features & Streaming VFX at Method Studios. Prior to that, she held senior leadership positions at major studios, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, PDI / DreamWorks Animation, Digital Domain and Rhythm & Hues. 

Erika Burton is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, the Producers Guild of America and the Visual Effects Society.

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, Erika Burton speaks about her career, her experience and her role as the President of Global VFX Production at DNEG, as well as the importance of paying your dues and the path to becoming a supervisor.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/324/.

Paul Lambert is a Visual Effects Supervisor. He is also the inventor of IBK Keyer in Nuke.  Over the course of his over-two-decade long career, he’s worked on such titles as Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, TRON: Legacy, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, I, Robot, Mission Impossible II, Lost in Space and many, many others.

Paul has won two consecutive wins for Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects: one for the 2017 film Blade Runner 2049 at the 90th Academy Awards, and one for the 2018 film First Man at the 91st Academy Awards.

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 was the lead vendor on Denis Villeneuve's Dune, along with Rodeo (https://www.rodeofx.com/) and Wylie Co (https://wylie.co/.)

In this Podcast, Paul talks about Dune -- from its conception to completion -- the value and advancement of AI and virtual production and importance of creating authentic relationships for creatives.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/323/.

A lot of the time, artists feel like clients do them a favor by hiring them. The more you understand the ecosystem, the more you start seeing this as a service-based industry: You’re delivering value to your client, they’re delivering value to theirs -- and it goes up the latter. Each step in that latter is a much bigger profit margin. They need their problems solved. They need you as much as you need them. 

It’s not just about raising your rates. It’s also about what it is that you’re doing that’s aligning with the client’s needs. How do you give them value? That’s always the trick to communicate. You need to be self-aware about what services you provide.

This is the big thing we need to get over: the money friction.  A lot of us get resistance in the beginning. We’re afraid that if we raise our prices too high, we’ll lose our clients. “Raise your rates and scare away your clients” is an absurd idea. Instead, you can raise your rates and if the clients get alienated, they’ve identified themselves as cheap. It’s okay for them to go! 

In this Podcast, Allan McKay talks about how to raise your value, both as a brand and a business, and how to communicate it to those premium clients that will meet your worth.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/322/.

The Harmon Brothers is a marketing firm based in Provo, Utah, that has a history of making viral advertising videos. Founded by brothers Daniel, Neil, Jeffrey and Theron Harmon and CEO Benton Crane, the company creates marketing campaigns that are usually the length of an infomercial — but with a distinct sense of humor. Their campaigns for Squatty Potty and the Purple have more than 100 million views. They have also created campaigns for Poo-Pourri, FiberFix, Camp Chef and several others.

Since then, the company launched the Harmon Brothers University where through online courses, Daniel Harmon and Lead Writer Dave Vance share their insight on how to create successful marketing videos. With writer Chris Jones, they also co-wrote the book From Poop to Gold: The Marketing Magic of Harmon Brothers that “reveals the behind-the-scenes magic including their innovative business model [and] one of the biggest secrets behind their success”.

In this Podcast, Daniel Harmon the CCO of Harmon Brothers and CEO Benton Crane talk about their company’s creative process, pipeline, how to meet and relate to clients, the impact of COVID-19 on businesses; and the content they teach at Harmon University.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/321/.

Quick updates on many things happening in 2024 and on the Podcast! Resuming back to the normal Podcast starting next week but thought I would share views on AI, the industry as it is right now in Q1 of 2024 and more!

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/320/.

Peter Chiang is co-founder of DNEG and a prolific and critically acclaimed Visual Effects Supervisor. He is one of the leaders in his field with over 30 years experience in the industry.

Starting out as a graphic artist, animator and later visual effects art director, he moved quickly into visual effects supervision on films including Pitch Black (DNEG’s first project), Chronicles of Riddick, Flyboys, The Bourne Ultimatum, Green Zone, John Carter, Total Recall, Pacific Rim: Uprising, as well as Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings and Justin Lin’s Star Trek: Beyond.

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, Allan and Peter talk about the beginning of DNEG, the projects the studio has worked on, the rate of technological innovation, adapting to the challenges of COVID-19 and their most recent work on F9: The Fast Saga.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/319/.

Knowing when to raise your rates is really critical. A lot of us get the resistance in the beginning. We’re afraid that if we raise our prices too high, we’ll lose our clients. But that’s kind of the idea! 

A brand is our position in the market: How people perceive us and whether our clients are willing to pay higher rates. In the beginning, we’ll be taking on lower-paying clients because we’re desperate to get a job after job, after job. But to be profitable in that situation, we’ll have to take on a lot more work. The worst part about it is that cheaper clients are the ones that try to squeeze us for everything or to micromanage us.

That goal changes over time, later in our career. The difference between being a successful artist versus an unsuccessful artist is that the artists without a brand are frustrated because they aren’t getting the result they want. 

In this Podcast, Allan McKay talks about stages of an artist’s career: from the initial goal when starting out -- to creating a successful brand that eventually attracts better paying clients and the type of work you already enjoy doing.

For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/318/.