Podcasts about vfx

A man keeps receiving strange phone calls from a supernatural presence whilst waiting at a bus stop. What motivated you to make this film? I took some time away from filmmaking, and when I decided to come back, I was very conscious about doing it in a sustainable, practical way. Instead of jumping into something ambitious, I wanted to make a contained, execution-focused short that I could bring from concept to completion. That's what motivated me to make Hello. It was also a chance to retrace my creative roots and reconnect with the kind of horror that first shaped my taste, particularly the influence of J-horror. In that sense, the film works both as a proof of concept and a creative reset. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? I wrote it around 2012–2013 under the title Boo. It sat with me for years, and in 2024 I found it was the right project to pull off the shelf and develop properly. From there, the actual production was very focused, efficient and smooth. We shot the film in three days, and post-production wrapped in September 2025. So while it took a while, the finished film came out better than I expected, so I'm proud of that. How would you describe your film in two words!? Oh fuck... What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Post-production was the biggest obstacle. I wasn't supposed to edit the film, but when our editor ran into hardware problems and funding fell through, I had to take over. Going from director to editor is challenging because you lose that outside perspective and start second-guessing the film in new ways. On top of that, the VFX compositing ran into some issues of its own which required bringing in compositors on Fiverr and finishing a good portion of the work myself. It was a very hands-on, problem-solving-heavy post workflow. —- Subscribe to the podcast: Tweets by wildsoundpod https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/ https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Visual effects supervisor Baneham and Wētā FX senior effects supervisor Eric Saindon talk to IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit podcast about working on James Cameron's 197-minute epic — that has only seven seconds with no visual effects. Hear which sequences were most challenging to pull off, and just how much of the Avatar world is built for real alongside VFX. Listen to the Screen Talk Podcast. Every Friday IndieWire editors Anne Thompson & Ryan Lattanzio break down insider news from Hollywood and debate the latest films and series. - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indiewire-screen-talk/id893977298 Subscribe to Top Of The Line - IndieWire's new newsletter about the craft of film and TV - https://cloud.email.indiewire.com/signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 108-Planning Halloween 26 Released 15 February 26 Hosts:  John Schelt, Keoni Hutton & Leslie Reed We hope you had a wonderful Valentines Day. We spent the time planning out the rest of the year developing a schedule for future podcast episodes and figuring out what we want to build this year.  Check it out now! Resources mentioned during this episode: Chamber of Haunters Website: https://chamberofhaunters.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chamberofhaunters/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chamberofhaunters ScaredU: https://scaredu.org/ January Lunch & Learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nt3mjl_97s Haunting U can be found at www.hauntingu.com. Sanguine Creek Estates: www.scehaunt.com Sound Effects: Music: Dance of Death http://www.purple-planet.com/ Thunder: Recorded by Mark DiAngelo Uploaded: 07.29.11 http://soundbible.com/1913-Thunder-... License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Modifications: Inserted over Dance of Death Music Evil Laughter: Recorded by Himan Uploaded: 03.13.13 License: Public Domain  http://soundbible.com/2054-Evil-Lau... AI Text to Speech Generator: https://www.hume.ai/ We couldn't continue to bring you awesome content without the support of our sponsors, particularly our Premium sponsors, the Chamber of Haunters, and VFX.  Learn more here: www.chamberofhaunters.com https://vfxcreates.com/ Haunting U is a production of Sanguine Creek Entertainment LLC published under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. All rights reserved.  

Send a textWhat do you call the dead who come back not to feast, but to finish what life wouldn't let them complete? We dive into We Bury The Dead and unravel a story that swaps infection rules for ritual, jump scares for the slow press of guilt, and tidy answers for unnerving questions.We start with the spark: an experimental U.S. blast off Tasmania that isn't nuclear but still shatters a city and scrambles what returns. From there, we track Ava's mission to find her missing husband, and how that search doubles as penance for an affair the film reveals in patient, telling details—the ring on a sink, a face on a badge, a line that lands harder once you think about it. Along the way, we wrestle with the creatures themselves. Are they zombies, ghouls, or something new? The film's language of “aggravated” rather than “aggressive” sends us down a rabbit hole on behavior, unfinished business, and why some bodies lunge while others just… resume. If Dawn of the Dead critiqued consumption, this story stares at closure, or the lack of it, and dares us to sit with the ache.Craft gets its due. We praise a visceral blast sequence that sells the wrongness in a single wave, while dinging the copy‑paste look of burning-city VFX. Sound becomes the stealth antagonist—teeth clacks and grinding that gnaw at your nerves and split our panel between admiration and absolute aversion. And yes, we talk performances. Daisy Ridley grounds Ava with a presence that never yanks us out of the frame, proving that “invisible acting” can be the strongest kind when a movie trades spectacle for slow-burn dread. The military thread teases cover‑ups without filing a report, the lore resists neat codex rules, and the ambiguity either invites you in or leaves you cold. We argue both sides, and that friction might be the point.If you crave clean zombie math, you may bristle. If you're open to a genre piece that retools the undead into mirrors for grief, guilt, and compulsion, you'll find ideas worth chewing on—no pun intended. Hit play, then tell us: zombie, ghoul, or a new breed entirely? Subscribe, share with a horror‑loving friend, and drop your take in a review so we can feature it next week.

Today's episode is a special one. I'm joined by John Kinnane, writer, and Brendan Kinnane, executive producer—two members of the Kinnane Brothers, an eight-sibling filmmaking family who are redefining what an independent film operation can look like.Their new feature, Solo Mio, is in theaters right now. Released by Angel Studios on 3,000 screens, the film opened in second place at the box office—an enormous achievement for a true micro-budget production. It's the kind of story exhibitors and indie filmmakers dream about: a scrappy, family-run production going toe-to-toe with studio titles and winning over audiences.If the Kinnane name sounds familiar, it might be from their viral “sound guy” shorts with Kevin James during the pandemic—videos that exploded online and put them on the industry's radar. From there, brothers Chuck and Dan directed Home Team for Adam Sandler, starring Kevin James, which debuted at number one on Netflix.Now with Solo Mio, all eight brothers are officially credited on a single feature for the first time—each one leading a different discipline, from writing and directing to editing, VFX, and music. They operate as a fully self-contained creative unit out of a charming old farmhouse in Little Compton—main floor as production headquarters, basement transformed into an Irish pub. It's part think tank, part film studio, part family legend in the making.Directed by Charles and Daniel Kinnane and co-written with Kevin James, Solo Mio follows a man who heads to Rome on his honeymoon alone after being left at the altar. It's romantic, funny, and set against a stunning Italian backdrop—but behind it is a uniquely American filmmaking story about family, hustle, and building something from the ground up.Today we're talking about how eight brothers divide creative roles without dividing each other, how you scale from viral shorts to a 3,000-screen theatrical release, and what it really takes to turn a micro-budget film into a box office hit.

Send a textWhat happens when you finish a labor-of-love sci‑fi thriller and the industry that's supposed to elevate it feels cold to the touch? We open the curtain on The Dresden Sun's release and share exactly how we took control: touring independent theaters, designing a smart digital window, and building momentum with creators who believed in the work. No middlemen manufacturing “marketing spend,” no vanishing receipts—just a focused plan to get a Christina Ricci–led indie in front of real audiences and actually see the upside.We break down why volume-based distributors rarely prioritize your film and how “binder syndrome” quietly buries new releases after the honeymoon ends. Then we map the DIY theatrical playbook you can steal: call independent cinemas, pitch the fit, prove demand with trailers and socials, show up for Q&As, and extend runs when weekends hit. From a Redding premiere to an LA screening with cast and industry friends, each date becomes a case study that opens the next door. We pair that with a controlled digital rollout—purchase and rental first, streaming later—to protect the film's value and keep attention flowing toward theaters.Audience building is the engine. Our trailer crossed 500k views, the original song and music video drew listeners, and strategic Twitch partnerships brought new eyes from vibrant communities. We talk about crafting human VFX without AI, staying resilient after festival passes, and why polarization can be healthier than indifference when your story swings big. If you're an independent filmmaker staring down distribution with a tight budget and tighter timeline, this is a practical, candid path to ownership, sustainability, and momentum.Subscribe, share with a filmmaker who needs a push, and leave a review telling us which tactic you'll try first.Support the showPlease consider following the podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube! HiD Artwork // Mark Vega - Instagram Theme Music // Wave Saver "Night Stalker" Try Epidemic Sound (This helps my channel if you sign up using this link) Thank you for listening; it means the world to me! LONG LIVE INDEPENDENT FILM!

In this episode of Pathmonk Presents, we welcome Benjamin Hoehn, VP of Marketing at MARZ (Monsters, Aliens, Robots, Zombies). Benjamin introduces us to MARZ, a traditional VFX studio that has worked on award-winning shows for Netflix, Disney, and Marvel. He discusses their latest product, Lipdub AI, which uses machine learning to automate the dubbing process for long-form content. Benjamin explains how Lipdub AI solves the challenge of converting high-quality video content into multiple languages efficiently, maintaining the original quality while reducing time and costs. He also shares insights on their target markets, marketing strategies, and his approach to scaling demand generation efforts for this innovative AI-powered dubbing solution.

Step into the makeup chair and behind the camera magic as Captains Quadrant sits down with Thomas Surprenant, the award‑winning visual effects and makeup artist whose work shaped some of sci‑fi and fantasy's most iconic worlds. From Star Trek to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie!) and countless genre favorites, Thomas brings decades of artistry, innovation, and unforgettable stories.WE SHARE A CALL TO ACTION Please help Thomas Out in his time of need. Click the GoFund Me link Belowhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/qfxe8a-sta...In this exclusive interview, we dive into:His groundbreaking work across multiple Star Trek erasBehind‑the‑scenes secrets from Buffy the Vampire SlayerThe evolution of practical makeup and prosthetics in HollywoodCareer‑defining moments, creative challenges, and fan‑favorite transformationsAdvice for aspiring VFX and makeup artistsWhether you're a Trekkie, a Buffy fan, or a lover of movie magic, this conversation goes warp factor 10 into the craft that brings characters to life.

In this week's episode, host Jen Van Horn speaks with Will Colón and Kathryn Taccone of Open Pixel Studios about navigating the current industry landscape, content strategy for 2026, and staying grounded as creative business owners.This episode covers:Two years of nomadic living: Will and Kathryn spent two years traveling the U.S. after their lease ended, bookending the journey between two Camp MoGraph events, and using the remote nature of their work to make it possible.Economic uncertainty and the pivot to climate work: The slow market of the past couple years prompted Open Pixel Studios to launch Evident Narrative Lab (ENL), a climate-focused branch of their company — but the loss of EPA funding forced a sharp pivot back to their core work. ENL continues to look internationally for opportunities, including an upcoming speaking engagement at the Okinawa Institute of Technology.Cautious optimism for 2026: Kathryn noted that while there's no "new normal," client activity is picking up and she's excited about evolving into more of a strategy consulting role rather than purely execution-based work.Managing the news cycle: Will and community members discussed the importance of intentionally limiting news consumption — not to disengage entirely, but to protect creative energy and focus efforts where they can actually make an impact.Short-form vs. long-form content strategy: Open Pixel Studios shifted from a traditional podcast to short, standalone video answers optimized for social platforms, using Adobe Express to schedule and batch posts. The approach has strengthened their voice, re-engaged past clients, and reduced the friction of getting to a discovery call.Tiered pricing and stylistic constraints on the website: Will shared how publishing a visual pricing page organized into 3 categories and 9 tiers has shifted early client conversations from "how do I do X?" to "I want to do X" — creating a better starting point for negotiation and reducing the sales lift.AI as a liability without proper guidance: Community members shared real-world examples of AI-generated work creating costly production problems — from packaging that couldn't be manufactured as designed, to AI video shots requiring extensive VFX fixes. The consensus: studios that educate clients on where AI helps vs. hurts position themselves as strategic partners, not just vendors.Finding community as a survival strategy: Kathryn emphasized the importance of building multiple community networks — professional, advocacy-based, and personal — as a way to stay grounded and resilient heading into an uncertain year.Upcoming Events/Schedule:Next week: Open discussion or themed discussion — details TBDGame night date TBD — Gartic Phone session being planned once scheduling alignsVisit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!SHOW NOTES:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter⁠Open Pixel StudiosEvident Narrative LabCamp MographSuper Bowl AdsStand Lee Documentary: Excelsior! The Life and Legacy of Stan Lee

John Gajdecki, the man behind some of Stargate's most amazing effects, returns to address the elephant in the room -- AI -- and explore how it will shape the VFX industry in the years to come.

The "good enough" era of streaming is hitting a wall, and a new rebellious streak in Hollywood is reclaiming the theater as the primal source of the cinematic experience. We are joined by two veterans navigating this shift: Rob Nederhorst, a VFX supervisor who has shaped the visceral worlds of John Wick 3 and The Conjuring, and Ben Hansford, a prolific commercial director now leading the charge in AI filmmaking at USC. They are not just talking about tech for tech's sake. They are discussing how to move past the "lens test" phase of AI, where everyone is just showing off what the tool can do, and getting back to the actual discipline of telling a story that makes an audience physically flinch. The conversation pivots from the "all-or-nothing" marketing hype of AGI to the practical, gritty reality of modern production budgets. As Netflix-style algorithms push for "dumbed down" content designed for second-screen scrolling, these creators are using tools like VidViz (being championed by Monstrous Moonshine) to fight back. We explore how AI is fundamentally altering the landscape of what is affordable and accessible, allowing independent filmmakers to compete with massive studio footprints. Ultimately, it is a breakdown of why a $35 million set and a toilet paper roll prop are both just tools, and why the only metric that matters at the end of the day is finishing a film that carries a human fingerprint. Monstrous Moonshine's VidViz for June July > "Another" by Dave Clark | AI Horror Film - Rob Nederhorst, Producer and VFX Supervisor > Ben Hansford's website > Rob Nederhorst's website >  Ben Hansford on IMDB > Rob Nederhorst on IMDB >   This episode is sponsored by: Center Grid Virtual Studio Kitbash 3D (Use promocode "cggarage" for 10% off)  

This week I'm talking to Steve Neill about his book 'But Something is There' and his youtube channel 'Breaking the silence'.But Something is There is Steve Neill's journey through a life time of dealing with the unknown. Some call the experience "The Visitors" some call it abduction by aliens. The truth is we don't know what it is, But Something is There.BioSteve Neill is a special effects makeup artist, filmmaker, puppeteer, model maker and visual effects (VFX) artist in film and television with a career spanning over 35 years.Steve started in the Industry at American Zoetrope just after high school where he produced his first film, Arthur. He was mentored by Francis Coppola and became good friends.Moving to Hollywood, Steve met Joe Blasco where he apprenticed for a short while before becoming friends with Rick Baker who gave him his start in Hollywood. Later he met Bob Schieffer who was head of Disney make-up and then became friends with Fred B. Phillips as a result of being friends with Bob Schieffer.Steve Neill first worked for Fred B. Phillips on Star Trek: The Motion Picture. His first assignment was to make Spock's ears. Additionally he designed and made the appliances of the dome headed alien on the bridge that was applied by Steve Neill.After working on Star Trek Steve went to work for John Chambers making prosthetics and puppet heads for National Lampoon's Class Reunion.Steve Neill has also worked on Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country for Richard Snell as a sculptor and prosthetic maker of numerous Klingon forehead pieces. Additionally he worked on the Star Trek: The Next Generation pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint".Steve Neill was also one of the Famous Hollywood Gorilla Men. Over the course of many years he made three gorilla suits and performed in many commercials, tv shows and movies. Additionally he created the McDonald's “Mac Tonight” moon character puppeteering it for many years. The head was worn by Doug Jones and puppeteered by Steve Neill, Gillian Neill and Bob Burns.He worked on Crater Lake Monster (1977) and Laser Blast (1978). Steve created, wrote and produced The Day Time Ended (1978). He worked on Ghost Busters (1984), Fright Night (1985), and many other sci-fi and horror films.Steve Neill is the author of “But Something is there” and is currently in production at SNG Studio for “But Something is There” produced by Steve Neill, Paul Gentry, Whitley Strieber and Mary Cacciapaglia.Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075BM67LGhttps://sngstudioventura.com/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCam8F83Eqqes5K9QKwoi99Qhttps://breaking-the-silence-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp/https://breakingthesilence001.substack.com/ https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/alienufopodcastMy book 'Verified Near Death Exeriences' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXKRGDFP Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stuart Ortiz is a film director, writer, producer and one of the founding members of The Vicious Brothers, the filmmaking duo behind Grave Encounters 1 and 2.Stuart's most recent feature is Strange Harvest, a true-crime–styled, found footage film he wrote and directed.Strange harvest is a serial-killer faux documentary that effectively weaponizes the aesthetics of Netflix true-crime docs by luring you into a false reality with a familiar documentary style then turning up the horror with deeply unsettling imagery that looks and most importantly, feels very real.It's certainly one of the most unflinching and innovative found footage movies in recent years and has earned plenty of special praise for its naturalistic performances, grisly practical effects and overall dread.In this conversation, Stuart and I get into his career history, the making of Strange Harvest and how to execute modern found footage with high impact and a low budget, on today's episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show.Without further ado, here is Strange Harvest Director, Stuart Ortiz.Key TakeawaysEmbrace CGI strategically as a problem solver. A lot of purist horror cinephiles grumble at the use of CGI, and I agree that it shouldn't be overused—but it also shouldn't be avoided, because it can solve colossal problems. The pool scene is a perfect case study: filling an Olympic-sized pool would have required roughly 35,000 gallons of water, which was both budget-killing and ethically questionable during a drought. Instead, Stuart used VFX to build the water and environment, and it wasn't even all that expensive. Use CGI where it's the cleanest solution to a real-world constraint, and save practical effects for what sells the tactile reality.Indie budgeting is often about where you don't spend. Stuart minimized spending on a large crew, expensive cameras, and elaborate lighting because the format called for rough, archival-style imagery and on-the-fly filmmaking. Instead, he spent heavily where failure would be fatal: special FX makeup, which made up about 15–20% of the budget. He knew horror audiences would be especially scrutinizing when it came to effects (and he was right), so he spent disproportionately in that area—and it clearly paid off. Budgeting a movie can be complicated, but Strange Harvest proves that it's important to spend where you'll get the highest return on your investment.Wear more hats than you're used to. Stuart states that it's unrealistic for directors to “just” direct nowadays, especially on micro-budgets. Strange Harvest exists largely because Stuart didn't just direct—he also wrote, edited, and produced the film. On top of that, much of the crew wore multiple hats across the board, which is ultimately how the movie was able to get made. It may not be glamorous, but it's how movies actually get finished.Show NotesMovies and Shows MentionedStrange HarvestGrave EncountersLake MungoThe Poughkeepsie TapesTiger KingThe Blair Witch ProjectGhostbustersGhostbusters 2

From Unreal previs to real flames: Oscar-nominated The Lost Bus demonstrates that sometimes the hardest VFX work is making reality feel honest.

Ian Failes from befores & afters chats to VFX supervisor Mohen Leo and VFX producer TJ Falls about the creation of 'Andor' season 2, including the opening TIE Avenger escape, bringing K2-SO to life again, and the Ghorman massacre.

Edward Saatchi has been building at the frontier of AI storytelling for a decade—from Oculus Story Studios to Fable (where his AI character Lucy made her own films at Sundance) to his current venture, Amazon-backed Showrunner. His thesis is provocative: AI-generated content is stuck in a four-year rut of short-form experiments with no commercial marketplace, no monetization path, and no artistic value. Creators are working solo, making 10-second clips that can't compete with Rick and Morty or Netflix originals. The solution? Band together, make features and TV shows, and build platforms where creators get paid every time someone remixes their work.Edward's most audacious project proves the point: reconstructing Orson Welles' lost masterpiece, The Magnificent Ambersons (44 minutes destroyed by studio cuts in 1942), using motion-capture actors and AI to seamlessly restore what was erased. The irony is intentional—it's a film about technology destroying beauty, restored by technology. Edward's approach isn't text-to-video slop. It's human performance driving AI synthesis: hire stage actors, capture their performances, use the original cutting continuity as a blueprint, and let AI fill the gaps. The result is cinema-quality work that would cost $100 million traditionally but costs $10 million with AI assistance.In AI XR News This Week: Amazon announces 16,000 layoffs (mostly middle management) while ramping robotics—replacing humans with machines in warehouses. Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores close after years of investment; the self-checkout convenience experiment dies. Snap spins off Spectacles AR glasses into a separate business, signaling lack of cash or confidence. Apple and OpenAI both developing AI wearables to launch in 2027, powered by Gemini and Google AI. Google launches Project Genie, a generative AI model that creates fully interactive 3D game worlds you can navigate and remix in real time. Walkabout Mini Golf (one of the 10 most popular Quest apps) lays off half its staff. Atlas V, the acclaimed French VR studio behind Spheres and Battle Scar, pivots to location-based entertainment. Darren Aronofsky launches an AI animated series on YouTube called On This Day.Key Moments Timestamps:[00:05:00] Amazon's 16,000 layoffs paired with robotics expansion; the canary in the coal mine for white-collar work[00:06:00] Amazon Go/Fresh failure: humans reject automated futures when given the choice[00:07:14] Snap spinning off Spectacles; Ted's thesis on AR glasses remaining "exotic," not mainstream[00:10:00] Apple wearables running Gemini + Google AI; the winning formula for wearable AI domination[00:12:48] Walkabout Mini Golf layoffs and Atlas V's pivot; VR right-sizing continues[00:15:25] Google Genie: generative 3D worlds, playable and remixable in real time; Epic should be scared[00:19:11] Edward Saatchi joins: the state of AI video and why there's no marketplace after 4 years[00:22:00] Edward's concern: AI content is "derivative but worse" with no commercial value[00:28:00] The marketplace problem: no buyers, no revenue, no sustainability for creators[00:34:00] Ted's thesis: AI is quietly disrupting VFX and screenwriting behind the scenes[00:44:00] Critters: the proof-of-concept for AI-assisted theatrical animation ($10M vs. $100M traditionally)[00:49:00] Showrunner's business model: creators earn money every time someone remixes their show[00:52:00] The Magnificent Ambersons project: restoring Orson Welles' lost masterpiece with AIEdward makes a case that reads like a manifesto: AI's killer app isn't making derivative work faster or cheaper. It's remix, interactivity, and personalization at scale—letting audiences co-create with AI while creators get paid. His challenge to the industry: hold yourself to "derivative but better" (can you make a better Simpsons episode than the last 15 seasons?) or "original and good" (something from a non-human intelligence's perspective). Until creators band together to make features and TV shows with commercial value, AI video will remain stuck in the trough of disillusionment.This episode is brought to you by Zappar, creators of Mattercraft—the leading visual development environment for building immersive 3D web experiences for mobile headsets and desktop. Mattercraft combines the power of a game engine with the flexibility of the web, and now features an AI assistant that helps you design, code, and debug in real time, right in your browser. Build smarter at mattercraft.io.Listen to the full episode and subscribe to the AI XR Podcast for weekly conversations at the intersection of AI, entertainment, and the future of interactive media. Watch on YouTube.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stephen Grootes spoke to Nosipho Maketo‑van den Bragt, founder of Chocolate Tribe, about her work in animation and VFX, the creative industry and how she makes her money while growing local talent, to Warren Ingram, co‑founder of Galileo Capital, about how South Africans can maximise their finances in the final month of the tax year, to Dr. Rutendo Hwindingwi of Tribe Africa Advisory about the top business news across the African continent, and to Consumer Ninja Wendy Knowler about how The Money Show helped a loyal listener navigate the challenges of buying their first home. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Grootes spoke to Nosipho Maketo‑van den Bragt, founder of Chocolate Tribe, about her work in animation and VFX, the creative industry and how she makes her money while growing local talent, to Warren Ingram, co‑founder of Galileo Capital, about how South Africans can maximise their finances in the final month of the tax year, to Dr. Rutendo Hwindingwi of Tribe Africa Advisory about the top business news across the African continent, and to Consumer Ninja Wendy Knowler about how The Money Show helped a loyal listener navigate the challenges of buying their first home. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Academy Award–nominated production designer Tamara Deverell joins the podcast following her Oscar-nominated work on Frankenstein, a visually operatic reimagining that stands as one of the most ambitious production design achievements in recent cinema. With a career spanning decades and long-standing collaborations with Guillermo del Toro, Tamara has helped shape richly textured worlds across film and television. In this conversation, she strips back the job title and explains what a production designer truly does, how the art department is structured, and why research, collaboration, and logistics are just as critical as imagination. The episode dives deep into the making of Frankenstein. Tamara breaks down the design philosophy behind the film, from constructing a full-scale Arctic ship and monumental laboratory towers to grounding fantastical elements in historical reality. She discusses colour motifs, architectural influences, practical builds versus VFX, and the constant dialogue between production design, camera, lighting, and special effects that allows a world like Frankenstein to feel both mythic and real. Powered by Sony Technology. Produced by Deb Van Dieren. Hosted and edited by Lucas Tomoana SOC.

Send us a textAs if the fourth in a horror film series, this week TGTPTU goes to space! In Season 16, Ep 4 of Gray Matter (working title), Ken, Thomas, and Ryan discuss writer-director James Gray's AD ASTRA (2019) as their unpatented pincer movement continues along the auteur's eight-movie filmography.   Cowritten with a television writer of meager IMDB credits, Gray's highest budget film to date sends astronaut and resting heart rate champion Roy Richard McBride (Brad Pitt) to the furthest reaches of the explored solar system in order to present him jump scares and (un)excusable homicides on his journey in a near future to retrieve his father played by Tommy Lee Jones who apparently can't get enough being in outer space (see Season 2, Ep 8 for our Space Cowboys coverage). Because this is a Gray joint, you know daddy and son are gonna have some emotional reckoning. What you might not be expecting are a moon car chase, falling from near orbit to Earth, or kickflipping a shuttle's flotsam while grinding a wicked rail of an asteroid belt (at least one of these happens, no further spoilers).   Like last week's ep, Gray did not have final cut (i.e., the film rights; he might have had the professional, high-performance video editing software designed by Apple for macOS and iPadOS, although there is a strong possibility he had neither), which allowed for surprise research revelations by Ken, Tom, and Ryan and a wish for a hard media release of the Director's Cut audio track.   Chris Nolan's late-career cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (listen back to Season 12 for more on the lenser so nice they named him twice) shoots this beautiful film. Ad Astra garnered Gray's first and to date only Academy nomination for Best Sound Mixing, which host Ken is in real time appalled by what films received Academy noms for Best Special Effects to the exclusion of this film's many practical VFX. Also, Ken struggles to name Robert McKee to really land a movie reference despite covering Adaptation in both the pod's Nicolas Cage (Season 3) and Meryl Streep (Season 8) coverage; Ryan has galaxy brain generational conflict ideas about the movie's themes; and Tom tries placing the flick among the good space movies of the past decade.   Factoid: The film was released in France under the tile “Ad Astra,” which means “to the stars” in Latin and in Finland as “Ad Astra,” which also means “to the stars” in Latin. THEME SONG BY: WEIRD A.I.Email: thegoodthepodandtheugly@gmail.comFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/TGTPTUInstagram: https://instagram.com/thegoodthepodandtheugly?igshid=um92md09kjg0Bluesky: @goodpodugly.bsky.socialYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6mI2plrgJu-TB95bbJCW-gLetterboxd (follow us!):Podcast: goodpoduglyKen: Ken KoralRyan: Ryan Tobias

Skwigly are proud to present the fourth panel from the second series of Visible In Visuals, an initiative pushing to make the animation and VFX industries more diverse and inclusive through honest, open conversation. In Animation we often work alone or for long hours- frequently without relevant wellbeing support and guidance of HR departments. So what support is on offer to help you through some of the challenges you may face? In this episode of Visible in Visuals, Tanya Scott is joined by Kate Atkinson and Justine Walton from the Film and Television Charity. They'll be discussing what services the FTVC have to offer and how they can support you through your career. They'll cover topics such as creating professional boundaries, maintaining and managing relationships and staying healthy and happy at work. The services and advice they offer are for individuals at any level, as well as companies. Please be aware that this episode was recorded in December 2025, so any reference to the New Year indicates January 2026.

In the midst of receiving Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for their work on Avatar: Fire and Ash, Wellington's own Wētā FX have been celebrating their work on the final season of global hit TV show Stranger Things. Martin Hill was Wētā FX's VFX supervisor for the show and joins Susana Lei'ataua to discuss the work that went into making paranormal places and creatures come to life.

The famous actor comes to Herman in a dream, convincing him to make his feature “Bear Naked Amazonians from Mars.” If he makes the deadline, the film will take Best Feature at South by Southwest, making Herman an international celebrity. What motivated you to make this film? I was inspired by No Wave film  –  a movement from  NYC 1976-1982. In this style, you shoot it now. Before you even have a complete understanding of the story. You blast your way into the production and trust instincts. I thought this would be a great departure from my first narrative film, in which I was much more careful. I think in the future I will return to a more traditional, methodical plan, having learned what I needed in the process of making a No Wave inspired film.  From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you  to make this film? 18 weeks and two days from the first day of writing to the last shot of principal photography, then 18 months of editing and graphics, VFX, etc.  How would you describe your film in two words!? Hope High What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Other than time and money? Personalities. If even one cast member is not doing an indie film for the love of it, but rather from the money or career advancement it might bring, the whole cast and crew gets infected with negativity.  —— Subscribe to the podcast: Tweets by wildsoundpod https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/ https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Stephen Grootes talks to Nosipho Maketo‑van den Bragt, Founder of Chocolate Tribe about the work she does, the industry, and how she makes her money. Nosipho co-founded Chocolate Tribe, a leading South African animation and VFX studio creating high-end content for clients like Netflix, Disney, and the BBC. She earns her income by delivering premium visual effects and digital content while also growing local talent through initiatives like AVIJOZI, mentoring young creatives and helping position South Africa as a hub for world-class storytelling. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We spoke with Emma Kolasinska (Executive VFX Producer) and Tav Flett (Compositing Supervisor) to discuss how they used invisible VFX to support the unscripted television series without breaking emotional or visual authenticity.

The 2013 movie Her, written and directed by Spike Jonze, stars Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, and Rooney Mara. We see Phoenix as Theodore living an isolated life, occasionally recalling his marriage to Catherine played by Mara. The movie explores loneliness, love, and divorce, as well as technology. When Theodore acquires a new, advanced operating system that is able to relate to him and communicate with him, the Samantha artificial intelligence changes his life. Weber Wong joins the show to talk about the 2013 movie, and we also discuss FLORA, a professional creative tool with all the best text, image, and video AI models on one infinite canvas. Weber started building FLORA to help him make his own art projects at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, a graduate program focused on using technology to make art. -Weber Wong is the Founder and CEO of FLORA, a professional creative tool with all the best text, image and video AI models on one infinite canvas, which you can connect these together to concept rapidly and build scalable generative media workflows to accelerate your creative workflows. FLORA's aim is to build a creative operating system for the creative team of the future. Since FLORA launched their product, it has been used by hundreds of world-class creative teams (such as Pentagram, Publicis, Denstu, Lionsgate) to accelerate their creative workflows for branding, marketing, and VFX. Weber started building FLORA to help him make his own art projects at NYU ITP, a graduate program focused on using technology to make art. Weber has also been an investor at Menlo Ventures before his forays into creative technology.https://flora.ai/https://weberwong.cargo.site/https://x.com/weberwongwonghttps://www.linkedin.com/in/weberwong/-Her (2013)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709https://www.facebook.com/herthemovie-Other movies and shows discussed:Blade Runner (1982)

Director Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels) joins Giles Alderson and Dom Lenoir to discuss directing the massive horror sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. In this deep-dive interview, Nia breaks down the incredible pressure and privilege of taking the baton from Danny Boyle for Part 2 of the new trilogy. She reveals her journey from the Sundance Labs with Little Woods to managing massive VFX budgets, and now returning to practical, visceral horror. We discuss working with legends like Cillian Murphy and Ralph Fiennes, the "social thriller" genre. Topics discussed: Directing 28 Years Later: Part 2 immediately after Danny Boyle. Scripting and outlining. What she does when she gets stuck on a script or as a director. Advice for directors on handling "imposter syndrome" on big sets. Dealing with disappointment and feeling like a failure. Rehearsals and locations and why all directors are different. For more interviews and filmmaking chat head to www.thefilmmakerspodcast.com where our main podcast chats are. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is OUT NOW Links FOOD FOR THOUGHT documentary out NOW | Watch it FREE HERE. A documentary exploring the rapid growth and uptake of the veganlifestyle around the world. – And if you enjoyed the film, please take amoment to share & rate it on your favourite platforms. Every review& every comment helps us share the film's important message withmore people. Your support makes a difference! Help us out and Subscribe, listen and review us on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts but more importantly, tell your pals about this podcast. Thank you! PODCAST MERCH Get your very own Tees, Hoodies, on-set water bottles, mugs and more MERCH. https://my-store-11604768.creator-spring.com/   COURSES Want to learn how to finish your film? Take our POST PRODUCTION COURSE https://cuttingroom.info/post-production-demystified/   PATREON Big thank you to: Serena Gardner Mark Hammett Lee Hutchings Marli J Monroe Karen Newman Want your name in the show notes or some great bonus material on filmmaking? Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, industry survival guides, and feedback on your film projects!   SUPPORT THE PODCAST Check out our full episode archive on how to make films at TheFilmmakersPodcast.com   CREDITS The Filmmakers Podcast is written, produced and edited by Giles Alderson @gilesalderson Logo and Banner Art by Lois Creative  Theme Music by John J. Harvey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when someone who grew up in the Lucasfilm Games golden era decides that today's AI tools are failing creatives? Mike Levine has spent more than 30 years building at the intersection of games, XR, VFX, and interactive storytelling—and his verdict is clear: the current AI stack is a fragmented, overcomplicated mess that turns directors into prompt engineers.Mike started as a tester at Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts), working his way into the art department on titles like Sam & Max and The Dig before helping ship live-action Star Wars games such as Rebel Assault and Jedi Knight II. He later built rotoscoping tools used across the VFX industry, collaborated with ILM and Pixar, experimented with mobile AR games for Hasbro and HoloLens, and dipped into crypto gaming—before finally co-founding MovieFlow (now FilmSpark), an AI-native production platform designed so that filmmakers, agencies, and showrunners can move from script to screen without needing a computer science degree.The AI XR news you should know: Apple taps Google Gemini to power Siri, acknowledging that building world-class LLMs in-house makes little financial sense. Meta cuts 10% of Reality Labs, right-sizing its VR bets while pivoting toward wearables. Xreal raises another $100M amid questions about Chinese state influence and data flows. Higgs Field lands $80M at a $1.3B valuation for AI cinematography tools that many filmmakers still find unreliable. Wikipedia signs licensing deals with major AI companies after years of being scraped for free. OpenAI invests $252M in Sam Altman–backed Merge Labs, raising fresh conflict-of-interest questions.Key Moments Timestamps:[00:23:02] From Boston journalist-to-be to accidental hire at Lucasfilm Games[00:26:24] The “test pit” culture at Lucas and how Nintendo experience got Mike in the door[00:28:45] Moving into the art department, learning Photoshop from early legends, and shipping Sam & Max[00:31:15] Live-action Star Wars games: Rebel Assault, Jedi Knight II, and convincing George Lucas[00:34:38] Visiting Pixar with new VFX tools and recognizing the same creative “magic” as LucasArts[00:36:24] Doug Trumbull's influence on Mike's sense of cinematic possibility and immersion[00:43:27] The urinal meeting at Magic Leap and what early spatial computing got right (and wrong)[00:49:00] Why most AI tools are “dark ages” for filmmakers: node graphs, 10+ subscriptions, no story view[00:51:00] Building MovieFlow/FilmSpark: story-first, timeline-based AI production for long-form and vertical shows[00:53:00] The Neighborhood Podcast: a 90-second vertical murder mystery as proof-of-concept for AI-native seriesWhen humans can generate shots, scenes, and even entire episodes in minutes, the bottleneck shifts from production to vision. Mike argues that the winning AI tools will be the ones that let directors see their whole story, maintain continuity, and iterate fast—without ever feeling like they left the edit bay for a dev console. His vertical drama collaboration with Charlie, The Neighborhood Podcast, is an early look at what happens when narrative craft meets AI-native pipelines instead of fighting them.This episode is brought to you by Zapar creators of Mattercraft—the leading visual development environment for building immersive 3D web experiences. Build smarter at mattercraft.io.Watch the full episode on YouTube and subscribe to the AI XR Podcast for weekly conversations with the people building the future of AI, XR, and interactive media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Editor - Michael P. Shawver Sinners editor Michael Shawver has enjoyed a long and productive relationship with his former USC classmate, director Ryan Coogler.  Together the two have collaborated on Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and now Sinners.  Their past experience on both VFX-heavy films like Black Panther, as well as socio-political dramas like Fruitvale Station, would prove invaluable as they worked to blend the real horror of racial injustice with the fantastical horror of a vampire onslaught. Taking place in 1932, Sinners follows identical twins, and World War I veterans, Elijah "Smoke" and Elias "Stack" Moore as they return to Clarksdale, Mississippi after spending seven years in Chicago. Using money stolen from criminal syndicates, they purchase a sawmill from a landowner to start a juke joint for the local Black community. Their younger cousin Sammie, a singer and guitarist, joins them despite his pastor father's warnings about the sins of blues music.  His warnings would prove prophetic, as the twins and their friends face foes both familiar and supernatural. MICHAEL P. SHAWVER Originally from Rhode Island, Sinners editor Michael Shawver developed an early working relationship with director Ryan Coogler during their time together at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Shawver initially edited Coogler's short film, Fig, and later went on to cut his feature debut, Fruitvale Station, starring Michael B. Jordan. The film garnered two of the Sundance Film Festival's top prizes, the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize, and went on to receive numerous awards and nominations at film festivals worldwide. Shawver also edited All Summers End, a debut feature film by director Kyle Wilamowski; Warren, by director Alex Beh; Tell, for director J.M.R. Luna; and Fourth Man Out, for Andrew Nackman. Shawver's next collaboration with Coogler and Jordan was Creed, for which he received a nomination for Best Editing in the Independent Critics Poll. Michael then reunited with Coogler and Jordan on Black Panther, a box office smash, which was nominated an outstanding 43 times, including for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and Best Motion Picture Drama at the Golden Globes. His work on this project also earned him a Saturn Award Nomination for Best Editing and an Alliance of Women Film Journalists Nomination for the Best Editing EDA Award. In addition, the film won Movie of the Year at the AFI Awards. Following Black Panther, Shawver edited A Quiet Place: Part II, directed by John Krasinski. He later returned to the Marvel universe for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, again collaborating with Coogler and Jordan. Shawver's recent work includes Abigail, a genre-bending thriller directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. He is currently editing The Thomas Crown Affair directed by and starring Michael B. Jordan. The Credits Visit Extreme Music for the new Extreme Music panel for Avid Media Composer See which Avid Media Composer is right for you Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Josh Safdie's Marty Supreme transports audiences to a vibrant 1950s world of professional ping pong, yet many viewers remain unaware that the film contains over 500 visual effects shots. Eran Dinur, the film's VFX Supervisor, reveals how his team meticulously recreated period accurate crowds in Tokyo and Wembley while keeping the digital work entirely "invisible." He views his role as a bridge between the filmmaker's vision and the technical reality on set, ensuring that every digital element supports the story without drawing attention to itself. For Eran, the ultimate compliment is a viewer who walks out of the theater believing every single frame was captured in camera. The transition into high end visual effects was an unlikely one for Eran, who spent fifteen years as a classical music composer before a random software download steered him toward ILM and eventually the Safdie Brothers. This musical background provides a unique perspective on the rhythm and "choreography" of effects, whether he is timing CG ping pong balls to Timothée Chalamet's performance or animating the surreal openings of Uncut Gems. Beyond the technical craft, he addresses the current industry backlash against CGI and the marketing trends that prioritize "practical only" narratives. He also offers a practical look at the future of AI in cinema, arguing that tools are only as good as the control an artist has over them. Eran Dinur on IMDB > Eran Dinur's website >  Marty Supreme Trailer > Marty Supreme Wikipedia > The Filmmaker's Guide to Visual Effects: The Art and Technique of VFX for Directors, Producers, Editors and Cinematographers by Eran Dinur > The Complete Guide to Photorealism for Visual Effects, Visualization and Games: For Visual Effects, Visualization and Games by Eran Dinur >   This episode is sponsored by: Center Grid Virtual Studio Kitbash 3D (Use promocode "cggarage" for 10% off)  

Claude Cowork brings AI desktop control to non-coders, while real-time AI video generation advances toward potential gaming applications. This week on Denoised, Addy and Joey break down the latest AI creative tools reshaping media workflows — from Black Forest Labs' FLUX.2 [klein] model and Qwen's camera-angle control tech, to Apple's new Creator Studio subscription challenging Adobe, plus why ComfyUI's node updates matter for VFX artists building sustainable pipelines.--The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of the hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their respective employers or organizations. This show is independently produced by VP Land without the use of any outside company resources, confidential information, or affiliations.

What do great visual effects actually look like? Hint: you're not supposed to notice them. In this episode, we sit down with Eran Dinur, VFX Supervisor on MARTY SUPREME, to break down how modern visual effects are designed to disappear into story, performance, and cinematography. From subtle enhancements to large-scale problem solving, Eran reveals how VFX can elevate a film without ever calling attention to itself. We dive into the creative and technical challenges of supervising VFX and how to collaborate with directors and cinematographers. Whether you're an indie filmmaker, editor, or director working with limited resources, this conversation will change how you think about visual effects. If you think VFX is only about spectacle, this episode will prove why restraint, planning, and storytelling matter more than explosions.

Ever see a trailer and wonder how the look holds together when the film isn't even finished? We sit down with senior colorist Lynette Duensing to unpack the craft of grading trailers before the final DI is locked, where creative intent, marketing needs, and incomplete VFX all collide under intense timelines. From Spider-Verse to Anaconda, Lynette walks us through the on-the-ground decisions that turn chaos into a cohesive, sellable story.We dig into the real workflow: building node trees around show LUTs and set CDLs, using ACES so filmmakers recognize what they see, and designing parallel structures for embedded mattes to control faces, skies, and complex CG elements. Lynette explains how live VFX reviews work, grading temp comps in the room so notes to vendors are grounded in the final presentation. When a matte is missing, she splits what's available, adds power windows, or taps AI tools to move fast without locking in mistakes. It's part technical precision, part triage, and all driven by trust.The human side matters just as much. Trailers stitch shots that never touch in the feature, so consistency becomes a storytelling tool rather than a constraint. Lynette shares how she communicates with filmmakers and studio creatives to protect intent while ensuring every one-second beat reads with impact. Organization is the quiet hero - conform, version control, and a rock-solid offline reference prevent the misalignments that can sink a session. And yes, we talk about unfinished VFX: how to gently add depth, soften edges, and keep believability intact, knowing studios continue updating shots even after theatrical release.If you care about color grading, trailers, ACES workflows, and the art of running the room, this conversation opens the door to what really happens between editorial and the final DI. Subscribe, share with a fellow color nerd, and leave a review. What part of the color process do you want us to unpack next?Guest Links:IG - https://www.instagram.com/lynette.duensing/Website - https://lynetteduensing.com/IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0240255/Facility Website - https://instinctual.la/Send us a textFlanders Scientific Inc. (FSI)High-Quality Reference Displays for Editors, Colorists and DITSDeMystify ColorColor Training and Color Grading ToolsPixelToolsModern Color Grading Tools and Presets for DaVinci Resolve Support the showSend us a textPixelToolsModern Color Grading Tools and Presets for DaVinci Resolve  Support the showLike the show? Leave a review!This episode is brought to you by FSI, DeMystify Color, and PixelToolsFollow Us on Social: Instagram @colorandcoffeepodcast YouTube @ColorandCoffee Produced by Bowdacious Media LLC

Episode 107-Happy New Year with Kimberley Grant Released 11 January 2026 Hosts:  Keoni Hutton & Leslie Reed Happy New Year! We welcome back Ms. Kimberley Grant, President of the Chamber of Haunters to talk about the exciting new plans the Chamber has in store for 2026.  From education to new programs, a simplified membership program and the reintroduction of the Magazine and the Chamber Bowl, 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year! Resources mentioned during this episode: Chamber of Haunters Website: https://chamberofhaunters.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chamberofhaunters/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chamberofhaunters ScaredU: https://scaredu.org/ Haunting U can be found at www.hauntingu.com. Sanguine Creek Estates: www.scehaunt.com Sound Effects: Music: Dance of Death http://www.purple-planet.com/ Thunder: Recorded by Mark DiAngelo Uploaded: 07.29.11 http://soundbible.com/1913-Thunder-... License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Modifications: Inserted over Dance of Death Music Evil Laughter: Recorded by Himan Uploaded: 03.13.13 License: Public Domain  http://soundbible.com/2054-Evil-Lau... AI Text to Speech Generator: https://www.hume.ai/ We couldn't continue to bring you awesome content without the support of our sponsors, particularly our Premium sponsors, the Chamber of Haunters, and VFX.  Learn more here: www.chamberofhaunters.com https://vfxcreates.com/ Haunting U is a production of Sanguine Creek Entertainment LLC published under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. All rights reserved.  

How do you hand-craft costumes for a nine-foot-tall alien—and then rebuild them digitally? Listen in to this episode about Avatar: Fire and Ash to hear how it's done. In this deep-dive conversation, legendary costume designer Deborah L. Scott (Avatar, Titanic, Back to the Future, E.T.) joins Catherine Baumgardner to unpack the astonishing creative process behind Avatar: Fire and Ash. Scott reveals how every Na'vi costume begins with story, environment, and research—then moves through hands-on workshops, material experimentation, and ultimately into the virtual world of VFX. They explore how Weta Workshop artisans, illustrators, and visual-effects teams collaborate to translate handcrafted garments—made from organic textures, carved elements, feathers, bone-like structures, and woven fibers—into believable digital performances. Scott explains why 3D printing is used sparingly, how movement in wind and water dictates material choices, and why tactile realism often beats high-tech shortcuts. The discussion expands into the design of new Na'vi clans, including the Wind Traders and the volcanic Fire/Ash clan, highlighting how climate, culture, color palettes, body art, hair design, and symbolism shape identity and storytelling. Scott also reflects on collaboration with James Cameron, creative intuition, trusting process over perfection, and why costume designers rarely receive royalties despite defining iconic characters. This episode is a masterclass in world-building, costume design, filmmaking collaboration, VFX integration, and creative resilience, offering invaluable insight for filmmakers, designers, and storytellers alike.  The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner. Audio available wherever you get podcasts. https://voiceofcostume.com/    

Addy and Joey dive into their tech predictions for 2026, categorizing forecasts from "super confident" to "long shots." They explore the future of AI tools like Comfy UI, real-time video generation, and VFX-focused models. Will we see feature-length AI-generated cinema or neural renderers integrated into major production tools? --The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of the hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their respective employers or organizations. This show is independently produced by VP Land without the use of any outside company resources, confidential information, or affiliations.

It's that time of year again—the School of Motion End of Year Podcast is here, and this one is our longest yet... by a lot. Buckle up for an in-depth look at everything that shaped motion design in 2025, and a look ahead to 2026!

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 339: Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC was first introduced to director Ryan Coogler through fellow DPs Bradford Young and Rachel Morrison. After their successful collaboration on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Coogler sent her the script for Sinners, a supernatural horror-action film. The film tells the story of twin brothers who return home in the 1930's to open a juke joint, only to encounter the ancient evil of the undead. Autumn's epic cinematic camerawork on Sinners integrates the vampire story with the spiritual power of Black American rhythm and blues music.  Though Coogler initially envisioned shooting in 16mm, the team realized a larger format would better facilitate the complex "twinning" effects required for Michael B. Jordan's dual roles. After rigorous testing, they landed on a historic combination of 70mm and IMAX. “I think one thing with Ryan, when you're standing next to someone that's a brave filmmaker, you feel like you can do anything.” Autumn says. “He's open to anything. He's excited about doing things for the first time. He creates an environment where people have power and the collaboration is at the highest level.” The production was a logistical marathon. The massive IMAX cameras were frequently rigged to cranes or mounted on Steadicams, all while the crew battled the volatile Mississippi summer. Between the oppressive heat, sudden rain, and thick mud, the physical act of filming became an exercise in endurance. “We've seen those movies like Lawrence of Arabia, and everybody out there with big cameras trying to tell a story with scope,” notes Autumn. “You know, you're in the land. You then become a person that's a part of the structure of the land. And you have to be able to work in it, with the elements to get the most beautiful images. It's not easy.” Perhaps the film's greatest technical feat is the juke joint sequence set to the song “I Lied To You.” What appears as a seamless “oner” is actually several complex shots threaded together. The sequence required months of storyboarding, pre-visualization and camera rehearsals in the space to execute. By placing the heavy IMAX rig on a Steadicam, the team rehearsed every beat to ensure the emotional momentum remained unbroken as the camera moved from an interior stage setup to an exterior shot of a burning mill. The final roof collapse was a practical plate shot on the final day of principal photography, later enhanced by VFX. Seeing that scene still makes Autumn feel emotional. “I get very teary-eyed when I watch that because I'm proud of everybody, and you can really feel the music in the theater.” See Sinners in select theaters and streaming on HBO Max. Find Autumn Durald Arkapaw: Instagram @addp Hear our previous interview with Autumn Durald Arkapaw. https://www.camnoir.com/ep193/ SHOW RUNDOWN: 00:00 Intro 01:38 Autumn Durald Arkapaw interview 52:08 Credits The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast Facebook: @cinepod Instagram: @thecinepod Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

In this episode, host Charles Haine sits down with cinematographer Oren Soffer to dive deep into the groundbreaking and much-discussed visual style of The Creator. As the co-DP alongside Greig Fraser, Soffer shares how they achieved the film's unique aesthetic using a prosumer Sony FX3 camera, a single vintage lens, and a minimalist, indie-inspired production model. This discussion covers everything from lighting choices and VFX collaboration to gear workflows and lens testing, offering an in-depth look at how one of the year's most visually striking sci-fi films was crafted. In this episode, No Film School's Charles Haine and guest Oren Soffer discuss... How Oren Soffer became co-DP on The Creator alongside Greig Fraser The decision to shoot 95% of the film on one vintage 75mm Kowa anamorphic lens Using the Sony FX3 with an Atomos Ninja for ProRes RAW capture The benefits of designing visual effects around photography rather than the reverse Lighting choices inspired by naturalism and a small-footprint, indie ethos The influence of films like Baraka and Rogue One on the visual approach Operating with a nimble crew and custom-built gimbal rigs Remote collaboration between Soffer, Fraser, and director Gareth Edwards The impact of location shooting across Southeast Asia Memorable Quotes: "We shot 95 percent of the movie on a single focal length, which is the Kowa Cine Prominar... you're baking the look into the image." "The way to make visual effects feel more real is to let the photography lead." "We wanted to shoot this big movie as if it's this tiny road movie." "It was an indie film with a 90-day shoot schedule and a full stunt team... but the filmmaking process itself felt really scrappy in the best way possible." Guest: Oren Soffer Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram

Episode 106-Athens Scream Park Post‑Mortem Released 21 December 2025 Hosts:  Keoni Hutton & Leslie Reed Happy Hannukah and Merry Christmas! We invited back Breck and Eli from Athens Scream Park and they brought along a few of their friends.  Join the Haunting U Hosts along with special guests Breck, Eli, Daveah, Rea, and Tori as they discuss their 2025 haunt season. Resources mentioned during this episode: Athens Scream Park: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athensscreampark/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575626467563 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@athens.scream.park Website: https://www.athensscreampark.com/ Haunting U can be found at www.hauntingu.com. Sanguine Creek Estates: www.scehaunt.com Chamber of Haunters Website: https://chamberofhaunters.com/ Sound Effects: Music: Dance of Death http://www.purple-planet.com/ Thunder: Recorded by Mark DiAngelo Uploaded: 07.29.11 http://soundbible.com/1913-Thunder-... License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Modifications: Inserted over Dance of Death Music Evil Laughter: Recorded by Himan Uploaded: 03.13.13 License: Public Domain  http://soundbible.com/2054-Evil-Lau... AI Text to Speech Generator: https://www.hume.ai/ We couldn't continue to bring you awesome content without the support of our sponsors, particularly our Premium sponsors, the Chamber of Haunters, and VFX.  Learn more here: www.chamberofhaunters.com https://vfxcreates.com/ Haunting U is a production of Sanguine Creek Entertainment LLC published under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. All rights reserved.  

We breakdown the snubs & surprises from the 98th Oscar Shortlists in all the feature film categories including Best International Feature, Documentary, Score, Song, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, VFX, Cinematography and Casting. Which films had the best day? Which struggled? Which held serve?? International Feature - 2:19 Documentary Feature - 6:54 Original Score - 12:40 Original Song - 15:40 Makeup and Hairstyling - 18:39 Sound - 23:16 Visual Effects - 24:35 Cinematography - 27:03 Casting & then we close with the Tallies - 28:53 OUTRO: We discuss the Spielberg movie - Disclosure Day trailer a bit during the Outro, and we mention a few potential upcoming episodes. So if you enjoy our work, please support our show by liking, subscribing, rating, reviewing and by telling people about our show. We appreciate it. https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

#AvatarFireAndAsh #Avatar #JamesCameron  Here we are at the 3rd Avatar film and surprisingly this is a step up from the 2nd film top to bottom. Yes this is a movie that is all about James Cameron flexing his chops at VFX and the movie looks good as hell but same time we get a pretty engaging story with plot points thats been done before. New locations, new characters, and revisiting even old characters from the first film. End of the day, you have a film that is pretty damn entertaining from start to finish.

From disrupting the print industry with the original Macintosh to building bespoke tech for Premier League teams, Ivan Reel has always lived at the bleeding edge of media. Now the Head of Studio Technology at StradaXR, Reel traces his evolution from graphic designer to virtual production leader, sharing insights from his time managing Sony's pivot to digital workflows and his inspiring choice to return to film school later in life to master modern VFX. This convergence of deep technical experience and fresh artistic training has placed him at the forefront of optimizing LED stages for the next generation of filmmaking. The discussion digs into the technical and economic forces reshaping the industry, drawing parallels between the current AI explosion and the democratization of digital video. Ivan details how StradaXR utilizes Chaos Vantage to introduce real-time ray tracing to the volume , offering a superior alternative to standard game engine pipelines. The episode wraps with a compelling argument for the future of indie film, suggesting that the true power of virtual production lies not in big budgets, but in its ability to empower efficient, high-quality genre storytelling. Ivan Reel on LinkedIn > StradaXR > Ivan Reel's website > Chaos Arena > Hammer Film Productions >   This episode is sponsored by: Center Grid Virtual Studio Kitbash 3D (Use promocode "cggarage" for 10% off)  

Brandon Christensen is a Canadian filmmaker and VFX artist whose directorial work includes Night of the Reaper, Superhost, Puppet Man, and VFX work on multiple films with a particularly close collaboration with Joe Begos on VFW, Bliss, Jimmy and Stiggs, and Christmas Bloody Christmas.In this conversation, Brandon walks through the making of Night of the Reaper, his latest film, which is a nostalgic 80's style slasher with very heavy Halloween vibes. Brandon also gets into how to consistently make films with limited resources, why he takes on editing and VFX himself, and how to achieve compelling period production design on a budget.Key TakeawaysDesign period detail around what exists.To create an authentic 1980s vibe without a big period budget, Brandon's team scouted unchanged locations, bought used furniture and TVs, and leaned on production people who could find pockets of the past. When money is limited, good location scouting and clever prop reuse do most of the heavy lifting.Wearing many hats saves money and shapes the film.Brandon edits and does VFX on his films because it keeps the money on screen and lets him really control everything from tone to pacing. This equation means lower overhead and a highly personal imprint on every frame, but be cautious because it also makes criticism sting even more because much more of the work has been done by you. So if you take on multiple roles, expect both the creative control and the emotional cost.Make the movie you can actually make.Brandon survived multiple financing setbacks by refusing to let the project die. When previous investors walked, he scaled down the project according to the money that existed. The result was a finished film rather than a stalled ambition. Practical lesson: prioritize completion over perfection because careers are contingent on forward momentum and experience. His repeated, practical advice to creators: do not overcomplicate your first projects. Shoot small, fail quietly, learn fast. The path deepens by doing, not by waiting for the perfect package or deal.Show NotesMovies MentionedNight of the ReaperSuperhostPuppet ManStillbornIt Stains the Sands RedVFWBlissJimmy and STIGsChristmas Bloody ChristmasHouse of the DevilStranger ThingsWhen a Stranger CallsScreamRosemary's BabyDonnie DarkoPulp FictionAvengers: Infinity WarWeaponsFollow Brandon Christensen at:IMBd: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3417134/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebrandonchristensen/X (Twitter): https://x.com/thebrandonc85Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandonchristensendirector/Website: http://thebrandonchristensen.com/

VFX supervisor Scott Stokdyk unpacks the visual effects of the latest Fantastic Four film, including how the team approached the film as three huge challenges.

In this episode of Decorating Pages, Emmy-winning set decorator Kim Wannop sits down with Production Designer Cara Brower to talk about designing Hedda, Amazon MGM Studios' new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler—now streaming on Prime Video. Brower—whose credits include Candyman, The Marvels, Twin Peaks: The Return, Us, and Hail, Caesar!—explains how she found and transformed a single English country estate into Hedda's entire universe: grand staircase, dark entry hall, sensual bedroom, secret telephone nook, glass conservatory with a deadly chandelier, and a lakeside bonfire that bookends the story. The conversation digs into:How Ibsen's original themes of power, boredom, control, and societal constraints on women informed the design choicesLayering Victorian architecture with Art Deco curves, 1960s-inspired pattern, and bold modern art so Hedda's home feels like a socialite's act of rebellionDesigning Hedda's bedroom as a cold, sensual, almost Hollywood-boudoir space that belongs entirely to herThe engineering and cross-department chaos behind the film's glass chandelier set pieceWhy shooting mostly on location—with minimal VFX—makes the film feel more immediate and theatricalPerfect listening if you love period drama, literary history, and extremely opinionated wallpaper.

Why does the superhero spinoff Gen V often look more visceral and grounded than its blockbuster feature film counterparts? The answer lies in the unique philosophy of Visual Effects Supervisor Karen Heston, who joins Chris and Daniel to reveal the analog soul beating beneath the show's digital surface. Heston traces her journey from the chemical smells of a black-and-white darkroom to the high-pressure world of "Flame" compositing in New York, where she learned to be a "finisher" capable of managing clients and pixels simultaneously, a skill set that eventually propelled her to lead major projects like Arthur Christmas and Beasts of No Nation. The conversation pulls back the curtain on the gory, creative success of Gen V. Heston explains that the show's secret isn't an over-reliance on CGI, but a fierce commitment to practical filmmaking, using giant props for shrinking characters and silicone "blood darts" to anchor the digital effects in reality. She discusses the intense collaboration required between stunts, prosthetics, and VFX to pull off "blood powers" that feel weighty rather than cartoony, and concludes with a forward-looking discussion on how AI might reshape the industry by bringing back the era of the "generalist" artist. Karen Heston on IMDB > Karen Heston on LinkedIn > Gen V on Prime >   This episode is sponsored by: Center Grid Virtual Studio Kitbash 3D (Use promocode "cggarage" for 10% off)  

A Note from James:Tye Sheridan is one of my favorite actors. You might know him as Cyclops in the X-Men movies (Apocalypse, etc.) or as the lead in Ready Player One—which is not only a great movie but also one of my favorite sci-fi books. One of his first films was Mud with Matthew McConaughey.What I didn't realize: since 2016, while still acting, Tye has also been a serious AI entrepreneur. He and Nikola Todorovic co-founded AI-powered VFX/CGI company, Wonder Dynamics, now an Autodesk company, that built AI tools to make visual effects more accessible.I wanted them both on to talk about how AI will change filmmaking—potentially letting someone like me make a movie that would normally cost hundreds of millions because of VFX—and, just as important, how Tye balanced being a movie star and an entrepreneur at the same time. I also wanted Nikola's take on where AI is going and whether it will take jobs. Fascinating conversation ahead—here are Tye Sheridan and Nikola Todorovic.Episode Description:James sits down with actor–founder Tye Sheridan and VFX director Nikola Todorovic to unpack how their company's AI tools (now part of Autodesk) are changing what small teams can pull off—and what that means for studios, budgets, and actual stories. They trace the path from stitching 360° GoPro rigs and a VR proof-of-concept… to a first demo for Steven Spielberg… to a platform that lets indies do big-look work without big-studio burn. You'll hear clear, non-hyped answers on where text-to-video fits, why they focus on editable 3D over black-box 2D, and a candid take on the only moat that still matters: writing something people care about.What You'll Learn:A workable cost model for VFX-heavy projects: where 10× savings can come from—and where they can't.How to run “lean” on real productions: recruiting cross-disciplinary talent and sequencing funding without chasing hype cycles.3D pipelines vs. text-to-video: why pros need full control of lighting, camera, and performance—and how Sora-style tools can still complement the workflow.Story first, always: the audience forgives limited budgets—not lazy scripts.A pragmatic future for studios and indies: expanding voices without erasing human actors or craft.Timestamped Chapters:[00:02:00] “Hollywood is nervous”: James frames the AI anxiety he's hearing in studio rooms.[00:03:01] A note from James: why Tye's career (from Mud to Ready Player One) made him the right guest—plus Nikola's VFX roots.[00:06:03] Tree of Life to tech startup: meeting on set, Chivo's influence, and early curiosity about tools.[00:13:46] DIY 360° & the Spielberg audition: the VR demo, a $10k experiment, and a first product pitch to Steven.[00:20:12] The question everyone asks: will AI erase studio jobs—or expand what smaller teams can make?[00:24:00] Distribution changed—financing didn't: presales, streaming, strikes, and why a bigger shift is still coming.[00:27:12] Reality check on budgets: VFX vs. SFX, and how a $100M effects bill could land near $10M.[00:36:02] Running lean + real backers: Founders Fund, MaC VC, Horizons; hiring for overlap (CV/ML/VFX/eng).[00:37:44] From waitlist to workflows: who used the platform first, and a TV case where weeks became days.[00:42:12] Sora vs. 3D pipelines: where text-to-video fits—and why pros avoid black-box 2D for final shots.[01:00:45] “A decade of procrastination”: the founders joke about building a company to avoid writing their own film—then set sights on making it.Additional Resources:Tye Sheridan — filmography and roles (Ready Player One, X-Men). WikipediaNikola Todorovic — Co-founder, Wonder Dynamics (Autodesk company). linkedin.comAutodesk acquires Wonder Dynamics — press release (May 21, 2024). Autodesk NewsAutodesk Flow Studio (formerly Wonder Studio) — product page & docs. AutodeskReady Player One (2018). WikipediaThe Card Counter (2021). WikipediaThe Tree of Life (2011) & Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki. IMDbSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We open by tracking our video money and mocking the chef who quit Elon's "epic" bacon diner, before diving into the IN THE NEWS segment where plummeting crypto and Nvidia stocks confirm everything is a sham; we cover Bezos's new $6.2 billion AI flop, a sleeping Tesla Robotaxi driver, and why OpenAI's new school tools are a Recipe for Idiocracy with students who can't read; in MEDIA CANDY, we tear apart Disney's lazy Moana remake; THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE we discuss Zork going open source and why movies just don't feel real anymore before CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS where we are mourning Mani from the Stone Roses, and wishing Bjork a very metal 60th.We start with a FOLLOW UP on our channel's performance, wading through the garbage pile of Monetization questions and Stats, including the scourge of Shorts—because apparently, that's what we do now. Speaking of people running from trouble, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers is ditching his OpenAI board seat after a fresh batch of cringey Jeffrey Epstein emails surfaced. Meanwhile, the financial world is having a meltdown: Nvidia's Stock is Falling Again after its earnings report, exposing the fact that almost Yet Another Study Shows That Most Companies Aren't Making Any Money Off AI, and Bitcoin is Getting Absolutely Crushed Right Now, which we happily remind you will Trigger the Next Financial Crisis. Don't worry, Jeff Bezos will head a new engineering-focused AI startup because the world clearly needs more tech billionaires throwing money at things they don't understand, while Apple is reportedly getting ready to replace Tim Cook.The tech-bro corruption parade continues as a former DOJ official points out that Trump's Crypto Pardon of the Binance co-founder is exactly what it looks like, and Elon's pet AI, Grok Insists That Elon Musk Is More Physically Fit Than LeBron James and better at everything else, proving the bot has been sampling its boss's Adderall. Even though ChatGPT Achieves a New Level of Intelligence by finally letting you disable its em-dash addiction, companies like Intuit are integrating its tax and accounting products with ChatGPT—because who doesn't want an AI-powered tax audit? This all dovetails nicely with the news that OpenAI is launching ChatGPT for Teachers' right as students' math skills hit a low, leading to a literal Recipe for Idiocracy where elite college students Can't Read Books. The whole thing is broken, including Tesla's so-called Robotaxi, where a Passenger Alarmed When Tesla Robotaxi “Safety” Driver Falls Completely Asleep at the Wheel. On a lighter note, we check out the new trailers for The Witcher S4, Frankenstein, and Project Hail Mary in MEDIA CANDY, and tear apart the absolutely unnecessary live-action Moana teaser, before mentioning the biggest drama launch on Apple TV, Pluribus.Next up is THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE, where our tireless security guru Dave Bittner throws in some random facts, like Microsoft making Zork I, II, and III open source and videos on why the iOS Keyboard is Broken and Why Movies Just Don't Feel "Real” Anymore, and we discuss Thanksgiving plans. Finally, in CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS, we end with a shout-out to our generous PATREON supporters and PAYPAL/STRIPE donors, mourn the passing of Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist Mani, and wish the incomparable Bjork a milestone 60th birthday.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tWM83ra7Qp8Sponsors:Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/723FOLLOW UPTesla Diner Chef and Co-Operator Quits to Open a Jewish DeliLarry Summers leaves OpenAI board, Harvard instructor role as scrutiny over Epstein emails intensifiesIN THE NEWSOops! Nvidia's Stock Is Falling Again After Its “Blowout” Earnings ReportBitcoin Is Getting Absolutely Crushed Right NowHow Crypto Could Trigger the Next Financial CrisisJeff Bezos will head a new engineering-focused AI startup called Project PrometheusYet Another Study Shows That Most Companies Aren't Making Any Money Off AIPassenger Alarmed When Tesla Robotaxi “Safety” Driver Falls Completely Asleep at the WheelMeta wins antitrust trial as judge denies that it's a monopolyApple is reportedly getting ready to replace Tim Cook as early as next yearFormer DOJ Official: Trump's Crypto Pardon Is Unprecedented CorruptionChatGPT Achieves a New Level of Intelligence: Not Using the Em DashGrok Insists That Elon Musk Is More Physically Fit Than LeBron James11 Things Grok Says Elon Musk Does Better Than AnyoneIntuit is integrating its tax and accounting products with ChatGPTOpenAI Introduces ‘ChatGPT for Teachers' to Further Destroy the Minds of Our Youth‘A Recipe for Idiocracy'The Elite College Students Who Can't Read BooksPornhub Begs Tech Giants to Verify User Ages on Their Device: ReportLondon thieves gave stolen phones back when they weren't iPhonesMEDIA CANDYThe Witcher S4FrankensteinPluribus is Apple TV's biggest drama series launch everSquid Game: The Challenge Season 2Mr. ScorseseThe American RevolutionMoana | Official TeaserProject Hail Mary | Official Trailer 2Goo Goo Dolls: NPR Tiny Desk ConcertTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingRIHC: Disney's Legacy, with Bob IgerMicrosoft makes Zork I, II, and III open source under MIT LicenseIt's Not Just You - The iOS Keyboard is BrokenWhy Movies Just Don't Feel "Real" AnymoreThe greatest space battle in Cinema history, and my personal favorite VFX shot. @ 7:07CLOSING SHOUT-OUTSStone Roses and Primal Scream bassist Mani dies at 63See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When his filmmaking career stalled during the pandemic, Toby Lockerbie turned to the one place that had never stopped inspiring him: the Universe. With no background in visual effects, he taught himself the tools needed to transform complex space science into cinematic stories using everyday objects and beautifully crafted visuals to make the Cosmos feel human. His channel, Epic Spaceman, now reaches millions and has earned multiple Webby Awards for its innovative approach to visualizing scale, awe, and accessible science. This week on Planetary Radio, Toby joins host Sarah Al-Ahmed to discuss the creation of Epic Spaceman, how visual metaphors can change how we understand the Universe, and why awe remains one of the most powerful tools for science communication. Then we welcome Bruce Betts back for What’s Up, where we reflect on the end of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Akatsuki mission to Venus. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-epic-spacemanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.