The VFX Process

TVP Podcast #34 | Jamie chats with Shane Spence about creating his Unreal Engine short cinematic, 'The View'—an emotional story of love, loss, and closure.Shane is a freelance CG artist specialising in product design, but he has recently started experimenting with Unreal Engine, not only to add another tool to his arsenal but to create something more cinematic.We delve into the process behind 'The View,' which began with Shane following an Unreal Engine tutorial but ended up developing it into an emotional cinematic love story, all set against a mountain view backdrop.This episode is a unique window into filmmaking, perfecting realism and learning Unreal Engine to create cinematics.Accompanying media:Watch 'The View' click hereFor the video podcast click here

TVP Podcast #33 | Jamie sits down with award-winning filmmaker Gökalp Gönen to chat about his unique animated filmmaking process and his vision for a transformative future.Based in Turkey, Gökalp Gönen has made a name for himself with acclaimed short films such as 'Golden Shot,' 'Avarya,' and 'Lal.'He takes us behind the scenes of his latest masterpiece, 'Lal,' unravelling the process of bringing his short films to life. As a dedicated user of Maya software, he opens up about the challenges that come with managing a large animation team and why he finds fulfilment in working with a smaller, more agile group.Interestingly, Gökalp envisions a future where he can embrace solo filmmaking aided by AI, addressing the downsides of prolonged computer use. This episode is a unique window into directing animation, filmmaking, the impact of technology on health, and the possibilities that lie ahead in the world of solo filmmaking enhanced by AI.Accompanying media:Watch 'LAL' click hereFor the video podcast click here

Jamie chats with Jack Hyde about how his unique stop-motion animations have carved a niche in skateboarding culture.Jack reveals that his career took off overnight after Thrasher Magazine picked up his first skateboarding stop-motion post. This recognition led to high demand from skateboarding brands such as DC Shoes, Vans, Volcom, Primitive, and many more.Jamie and Jack delve into the process of his passion project, Pen Pals, which showcases how collaboration with people globally can still result in producing amazing art. Pen Pals is a joint effort with Chris Ray, the founder of Motion Clubhouse and a legendary skateboarding videographer from California who works for DC Shoes. Chris provides the footage, and Jack works his magic with animation, along with a handful of guest artists, including Poppy Starr Olson, a professional skateboarder and Australia.Jack also touches on the subjects of social media, plagiarism, and burnout.The VFX ProcessGetting Intimate With Your Industry!Accompanying media:Watch 'Pen Pals' click hereJacks Website click hereFor the video podcast click here

Jamie sits down with Arthur Baum as he candidly shares the highs and lows of transitioning to Unreal Engine from the perspective of a Director of Photography (DoP), highlighting how this shift has finally granted him the freedom to tell the stories he is passionate about. Arthur, a seasoned DoP, has ascended the ranks on film sets, embracing any role that came his way.We delve into Arthur's Unreal Engine film, 'Voyage' – a short that takes you on a daydreaming adventure with visuals that are truly out of this world. We also get a glimpse of Arthur's upcoming Unreal Engine series, 'How To Kill a God,' in which he is using AI tools in the workflow to help bring it to life.The VFX ProcessGetting Intimate With Your Industry!Accompanying media:Arthurs Website click hereFor the video podcast click here

Jamie chats with Jim Geduldick about how Virtual Production and AI technologies are transforming the VFX and Film industry. Jim is a visionary Virtual Production and VFX supervisor whose curiosity for technology has catapulted him from an action sports cinematographer to the forefront of cutting-edge cinema techniques.As a self-confessed tech nerd and even a consultant for AI software, Jim shares his predictions for the future of VFX and Filmmaking. Together, they explore Virtual Production technology, Unreal Engine, how to be a good VFX supervisor, the controversial topic of AI, and even a little bit of skateboarding!The VFX ProcessGetting Intimate With Your Industry!Accompanying media:Jim's Work click hereorFor the video podcast click here

Jamie sits down with Sam Balcomb to discuss the virtual production process that breathed life into his remarkable short films, 'Evenveil' and 'Metroid: The Sky Calls.''Evenveil' is a fantasy short film that takes place in a vast world but was cleverly shot in a confined space on a small green screen, showcasing the true power of virtual production. 'Metroid: The Sky Calls' is a fan film inspired by an iconic 80s video game that garnered 3 million views on YouTube.Sam is a writer, director, and one of the co-founders of Rainfall Films, a VFX powerhouse based in Burbank, California. He reflects on the challenges of launching his own company back in the early 2000s and reveals the crucial adaptations they had to make to remain relevant in the ever-evolving industry.The VFX ProcessGetting Intimate With Your Industry!Accompanying media:Sam's Work click hereorFor the video podcast click here

Jamie speaks with Ewald Vorster, a talented video editor from South Africa now based in Portland, Oregon, who made a daring career change into the world of Unreal Engine! Ewald's journey from Red Bull Motorsports video editor to CG Spectrum and ultimately to the creation of his thrilling short film, "Menace," is nothing short of inspirational.We delve into the creative process behind "Menace," an Unreal Engine short film that features a heart-pounding chase scene involving a motorbike and two police cars. Ewald takes us behind the scenes and reveals how he utilised the Unreal Engine take recorder to create this adrenaline-pumping cinematic experience.He shares the challenges he faced and discusses the creative freedom that Unreal Engine offers to artists like him. He also shares how he became a teaching assistant for CG Spectrum while studying there.The VFX ProcessGetting Intimate With Your Industry!Accompanying media:Ewalds Work click hereorFor the video podcast click here

Rik Schutte, known for 'Spider-Verse,' dives into Blender's 'WING IT!' project. Learn about the 2D animation style, challenges faced, and the innovative team behind it. Explore Blender's creative process, optimizing animation in Blender, and Schutte's journey from 3ds Max to directing. Gain insights on directing a short film with a small team and embracing the joy of animation.

Jamie Bakewell speaks with Kayu Leung, a remarkable animator hailing from Hong Kong who ventured to Paris to study fine arts but was inspired to switch to animation after volunteering at Annecy Animation Festival. Not only did Kayu graduate with flying colors, but she also clinched the prestigious Student Oscar with her enchanting short film, "Loui's Shoes." In this insightful conversation, we dive deep into the creative mind of Kayu Leung as she unveils the the process behind her latest animated masterpiece, "Mao's Mango Cult," a story of a dark Chinese history specially crafted for TED Talks' TED-Ed series. Kayu speaks passionately about animation and cinema and has some great advice for anyone wanting to get into the industry so join us as we explore Kayu Leung's artistic journey and the captivating world of "Mao's Mango Cult."  The VFX ProcessGetting Intimate With Your Industry!Accompanying media:Kayu's Work click hereorFor the video podcast click here

Jamie Bakewell speaks with Shad Bradbury, a seasoned animation professional who is currently working at Pixar. Shad has a vast list of credits that include titles such as Coco, Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur & Finding Dory.In this episode Shad dives deep into directing his first animated short 'Run Totti Run' which was brought to life with the help of 300 volunteer artists from 5 countries. He also shared his wild stories of climbing the ranks in the animation industry and answers the biggest question of all, how to land a job at Pixar.The VFX ProcessGetting Intimate With Your Industry!Accompanying media:Shad's Work click hereorFor the video podcast click here