Podcasts about vfx

Today on The Gist, guest host Charlie introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with comedian Vic Michaelis, host of Very Important People on Dropout TV. Michaelis discusses the show's chaotic premise, where comedians are transformed by high-end VFX makeup and prosthetics without knowing what they look like until a live mirror reveal, forcing them to build an improvised character from scratch. They also explore the evolution of improv for online video formats, Michaelis's character arc as an ambitious yet deeply frustrated public access news anchor, and the comedic blend of East Coast punchlines and big Canadian character work. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@amplitudemediapartners.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back to the Following Films Podcast.On today's episode, I'm talking with VFX supervisors Paul Lambert and Mag Sarnowska about their work on Project Hail Mary. The film just hit home video, so you can pick it up right now on 4K Blu-ray, DVD, or digital. Honestly, it's easily one of the best movies to come out all year, so if you haven't seen it yet, you need to change that.For those unfamiliar, the movie follows Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship with zero memory of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly comes back, he realizes he's humanity's last hope to stop an extinction-level threat that's consuming the sun. He has to rely on pure science, trial and error, and an unexpected partnership with an alien engineer named Rocky to figure out a way to save Earth. What makes the film work so well—and why talking to Paul and Mag was so great—is how it grounds all this massive visual scale in practical problem-solving and a genuinely compelling friendship.Before we get into that conversation, today's episode is sponsored by Universal Pictures and their new release, Disclosure Day. That one is also out now on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD. The movie drops you right into the fallout of humanity discovering we aren't alone, focusing less on grand sci-fi spectacle and more on the chaotic, paranoid scramble of government cover-ups, media frenzy, and how ordinary people handle the rug being pulled out from under reality.The team over at Universal sent over a copy of Disclosure Day on 4K Blu-ray for me to give away to one lucky listener. If you want to win it, just send an email over to editor@followingfilms.com. Make sure you include your full mailing address in the email so I actually know where to ship the disc if your name gets pulled.Also, a quick heads-up for anyone in Arizona. I'll be out at Tucson Comic Con over Labor Day weekend, running from September 4th through September 6th. I'm hosting 13 different panels across the weekend, so if you're planning on attending, check out the schedule, come hang out, and say hello.If you enjoy what we're doing here, take a quick second to leave us a review on whatever app you're listening on, hit that subscribe button, and send this episode to a friend who loves movies.Now, let's jump into my chat with Paul Lambert and Mag Sarnowska.

In this episode, we welcome co-directors Christian Hurley and Ben Oliphint, and producer Matt Wassong—the filmmakers behind the horror feature A Most Atrocious Thing, made for just $8,000 and ultimately landing distribution on Roku and other platforms. In our conversation, the team shares the inspiration behind the film, writing it during the pandemic, shooting the feature on a shoestring budget, and navigating its evolving post-production process. They also demystify indie film distribution—sharing their experiences on the festival circuit, making a key connection at Tubi, and other secrets behind the film's success.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:Futureproofing with IP videoAs production workflows rapidly evolve, IP video is key to building more scalable, future-ready pipelines. To get up to speed on the IP fundamentals and gain insights into the various IP paths – like ST 2110, NDI, Dante AV, and SRT – download AJA's free IP video white paper today.Screamfest 2026October 6-15 | Los Angeles, CAReady for a thrill? Screamfest returns October 6–15 with ten nights of spine-chilling world premieres, terrifying shorts, and exclusive filmmaker Q&As and panels. Catch the newest discoveries in horror on the big screen before anyone else. Don't wait—secure your festival passes and tickets today before they sell out! Learn more hereA Solution Built Around Your WorkflowThe OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Explore hereZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology PlatformZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more hereElgato Prompter XLThe Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6” removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it's ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more.Explore herePodcast Rewind:July 2026 - Ep. 146.Partner with The Making Of:Reach 275K film production industry, broadcast pros, and content creators reading this newsletter. To explore advertising, please email mvalinsky@me.com Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

Spider-Man just posted the biggest opening weekend in box office history, and Chris, Daniel, and returning panelist Todd Perry dig into why, right after a year of everyone insisting the superhero genre was dead. From there the panel tackles Kitbash3D's surprise acquisition of ArtStation and Sketchfab from Epic Games, the strange history of ArtStation's own anti-AI protest era, a visibly shrinking Siggraph 2026 show floor that still delivered on the research side, and the growing push to label AI-generated video content on social media, including where the EU's regulatory reach is headed and the murky line between VFX and deepfakes. In the second half, Todd Perry, VFX supervisor on For All Mankind, pulls back the curtain on the unwritten rules of working on a film set. He's spent seasons quietly compiling a running list of roughly forty five lessons on surviving the day to day chaos of a shoot, from managing the assistant director relationship to knowing exactly when to call for balls and charts. He walks Chris and Daniel through the ones that matter most for anyone stepping onto a set as a VFX supervisor for the first time. Links & mentions: Todd Perry on IMDB > Todd Perry on LinkedIn > ArtStation >  The EU AI Act is Here > Siggraph > Sponsors: Center Grid Virtual Studio: https://cgvirtualstudio.com/

Tentacles, social media influencers, and John Rhys-Davies, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to talk about Bone Keeper, an indie horror film written and directed by Howard J. Ford! Together, they tackle the film’s controversial use of AI, its approach to storytelling and character, the so-called “science” of the creature, and more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Bone Keeper (IMDb) Statement from Howard J. Ford on AI Use: “Bone Keeper was a huge passion project and a labour of love, with the team hugely committed to making the film just as films have always been made, with real actors in real locations instead of a green-screen studio, the creatures were designed by human hand and mind (VFX artist Giordano Aita) and they also used traditional VFX. There was however, some movement of the creatures which were done in/with AI. There are no ‘full AI sequences' in Bone Keeper at all, just the new technology used to create movement of the designed creatures that would otherwise have cost over six figures to do, which was beyond the budget. It was a tool to keep the film truly indie and the team are hugely proud of what they've achieved.“ Video versions of our episodes appear on our handy YouTube channel! Sub and watch! Don’t forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

In this episode, we welcome the creative team behind the 19-time Emmy-nominated Apple TV series Widow's Bay—cinematographer Christian Sprenger ASC, editor Isaac Hagy ACE, and production sound mixer Kevin S. Parker. In our conversation, Christian, Isaac, and Kevin take us behind the scenes of the series, sharing how they helped create its distinctive blend of horror, comedy, mystery, and character. They break down the elements that shape the world of Widow's Bay, while exploring their collaboration, and the tools and techniques behind some of the series' most memorable moments. They also offer advice for students and filmmakers looking to improve their craft and grow their careers.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:Futureproofing with IP videoAs production workflows rapidly evolve, IP video is key to building more scalable, future-ready pipelines. To get up to speed on the IP fundamentals and gain insights into the various IP paths – like ST 2110, NDI, Dante AV, and SRT – download AJA's free IP video white paper today.A Solution Built Around Your WorkflowThe OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more hereElgato Prompter XLThe Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6” removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it's ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more. Explore hereZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology PlatformZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more herePodcast Rewind:July 2026 - Ep. 145.Advertise with The Making Of:Reach 270K film production industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this newsletter. To explore advertising, please email mvalinsky@me.com Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

Steven Spielberg doesn't want you to know his aliens aren't real. That's the standard Matthew Butler had to hit on Disclosure Day: total photographic believability, zero tolerance for anything that reads as fantasy, even when the story is about a supposed decades-long government cover-up of extraterrestrial contact. Butler has been Spielberg's go-to VFX supervisor for grounded, "make it real" work since Ready Player One, and before that, he was Chris's first VFX supervisor ever, on The Day After Tomorrow. Back in Episode 557, Chris and Daniel broke down Disclosure Day as fans, tracing its DNA back through Close Encounters and Sugarland Express. This time they bring on the person who actually built it, for a conversation about matching digitally-replaced train sequences to real-world reference plates, a shot count that came in smaller than planned going in, and why the biggest emotional gut-punch in the movie has almost nothing to do with visual effects at all. Butler walks through how Spielberg directs VFX without ever really discussing VFX, and the two of them dig into what makes his process so different: a shot list that shrank instead of ballooning, something Butler says has never happened on any other project in his career, a director who wants to solve problems himself rather than have them solved for him, and a 30-year veteran realizing mid-conversation that the AI moment VFX is living through right now feels exactly like the unsolved chaos of the 1990s. A conversation about restraint, trust, and knowing when the effects work is actually done when nobody notices it. Mentioned in this episode: Digital Domain, James Cameron, Titanic, Poltergeist, Tobe Hooper, Eric Barba, Doug Roble, Janusz Kamiński, Chris Columbus, Gremlins reboot, The Odyssey, Dune Guest links: Mattew Butler on IMDB > Matthew Butler on LinkedIn > Special thanks to our sponsor: Center Grid Virtual Studio: https://cgvirtualstudio.com/

Lidia Scarlat is a Moldova-born producer who has built a career spanning animation, motion, VFX and live events — from stage visuals for the Swan Lake Ballet to screen visuals for Jurassic World theme park, often in the very same week. ~ Raised in a family of artists during Moldova's turbulent post-Soviet transition, she talks with Radim about how "everything is temporary and it will be fine" became a defining philosophy, why producing means jumping off the cliff before the artist ever can, and how showing up — not waiting to be discovered — built her entire career. They also get into AI's growing role in creative pipelines and why taste, direction and storytelling remain the parts no machine can touch.TAKEAWAYSGrowing up in post-Soviet Moldova, Lidia's family shielded her from real instability while instilling the belief that everything is temporary and will be fineShe comes from generations of artists — a polymath great-grandfather, actor grandparents, ballet-dancer parents — yet chose producing as her own way into the artsProducing means saying yes before anything exists — no team, no roadmap, just the intuition that you'll figure it outNobody gets discovered by waiting; showing up to conferences and communities, starting with Motionographer and later OFFF, built her entire network and careerShe deliberately gives opportunities to artists without polished portfolios, because desire and hunger can't be faked or boughtLearning to ask "stupid" questions early, instead of pretending to understand, became one of her most valuable production skillsEvery project is treated as its own "mutant" — pipeline and pace are built around the people and personalities involved, not a fixed processOn AI: she's watched teams move from fear to curiosity, using it to iterate concepts faster, while believing taste and storytelling remain irreplaceableHer real measure of a good project isn't the outcome alone, but whether she'll love looking back on the process of making it Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinicdaringcreativity.com |  desk@daringcreativity.comBooks by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFcFree audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobookBook bundles  https://novemberuniverse.co.ukLux Coffee Co. https://luxcoffee.co.uk/  (Use: PODCAST for 15% off)November Universe https://novemberuniverse.co.uk (Use: PODCAST for 10% off)

Episode 119-Texas Haunters Convention 2026 Recap Released 08 August 2026 Hosts: Keoni Hutton & Leslie Reed Keoni and Leslie had an amazing time at Texas Haunters Convention and met a ton of cool people.  Listen now to hear interviews with many of the attendees we met. From Haunt owners and actors, or bloggers, podcasters and of course, home haunters, Texas Haunters came out in force! Resources mentioned during this episode: Texas Haunters Convention: https://www.texashauntersconvention.com/ Chamber of Haunters Website: https://chamberofhaunters.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chamberofhaunters/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chamberofhaunters ScaredU: https://scaredu.org/ July Lunch & Learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXEU0EfJDbc 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.  

In partnership with RENDR Festival and supported by the National Talent Academy for VFX, we are delighted to present this very special speaker series. Recorded live at RENDR 2026 in Banana Block, Belfast, we spoke with actor, producer and co-founder of practical effects company Pro Machina, Camille Balsamo-Gillis.In this conversation, Camille chats about growing up on sets as the daughter of Oscar-nominated creature effects artist Alec Gillis, creating films for themselves at Pro Machina, working as a multi-hyphenate filmmaker, and continuing the family legacy of practical filmmaking through her work on blockbuster productions including Alien: Romulus and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.https://www.filmireland.net/camille-balsamo-gillis-actor-producer-co-founder-of-pro-machina-practical-effects-companyThis series of talks was recorded in The Spinners Mill Studio, a podcast and DJ studio based in Banana Block offering tailored solutions for DJ sessions, small-scale events and podcasting from concept to final distribution. Follow them on Insta / Facebook / TikTokCamille Balsamo-GillisAs the eldest daughter of Oscar nominated creature effects artist Alec Gillis, it was inevitable Camille Balsamo-Gillis would follow in her father's footsteps with a career in practical effects. As co-founder of practical fx production company Pro Machina, her team builds and shoots miniatures for blockbuster films like The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Alien: Romulus, but she hasn't stopped there: Pro Machina's mission is to create unique films that celebrate practical effects as a powerful filmmaking tool. To date, she has produced two features under the banner, with two more in development this year.RENDR FestivalThis is a unique event celebrating creative craft and artistry in a fully immersive two-day festival exploring the space between Creativity and Technology. Ignite your imagination with inspiring speakers from the worlds of Film, Gaming, Animation, Immersive, and more! Learn from the best, with 30+ creatives from the likes of Netflix, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios, and Epic Games among others.Witness creative uses of new technology, explore the gallery of digital art, chow down at the food village or play in the arcade. You will be transported to the future, and provide you with unforgettable and inspirational nights. Like nothing you have experienced before, our unique combination is guaranteed to provide two nights you can't miss. Come for the talks, stay for the experience!National Talent Academy for Visual EffectsAs the newest of the Academies, the National Talent Academy for VFX provides support and opportunities for anyone interested in a career in VFX. Launched in 2024, the National Talent Academy for VFX is an initiative of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, managed by Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet. Their mission is to transform aspiring VFX artists into industry-ready professionals while providing ongoing upskilling opportunities for current talent.Through comprehensive courses and programmess, we introduce participants to best practices both locally and globally, creating clear pathways and solidifying Ireland's reputation as a premier destination for VFX. The National Talent Academy for VFX is dedicated to attracting individuals from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, fostering greater awareness of VFX as a viable and exciting career choice. Learn more about the work they do here.Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.So make sure to subscribe and listen back! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The question of whether or not we are alone in the universe has been answered. A new month! A new theme! Awesome August! Huge '90s sci-fi blockbusters. The flavor of blockbuster nonsense you just don't get anymore.  Erach week we will answer the question: AWESOME or AWFUL? First up:INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996). When mysterious extraterrestrial visitors arrive and take up positions across the globe, humanity's sense of security is shattered. People from very different backgrounds find their lives intertwined as they search for a way to confront the crisis. And that's not all! This week we are joined by filmmaker and VFX artist Jamie Chalmers! Also this week: Lance goes to court, missing miniatures in movies, and remembering Fruitopia. All this--and a whole lot more--on this week's episode of NEON BRAINIACS!! "Welcome to Earth!" ----- Check out our Patreon for tons of bonus content, exclusive goodies, and access to our Discord server! ----- Independence Day (1996) Directed by Roland Emmerich Written by Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich Starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Robert Loggia, Vivica A. Fox, Margaret Colin, and Randy Quaid ----- 00:00 - Intro & Opening Banter 37:36 - "The Shpiel" 01:04:25 - Film Breakdown 02:37:50 - 90s Nugget & Outro

In this episode, we welcome Lowell A. Meyer, cinematographer of Other Mommy, Tuner, Knock at the Cabin, Thunder Road, and the Apple TV+ series Servant. In our conversation, Lowell shares his early inspirations, his journey to becoming a feature film cinematographer, and about the making of Tuner and Other Mommy. He also breaks down the tools and techniques used on Tuner, offering behind-the-scenes insights into his creative process, as well as invaluable advice for the next generation of filmmakers.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:Futureproofing with IP videoAs production workflows rapidly evolve, IP video is key to building more scalable, future-ready pipelines. To get up to speed on the IP fundamentals and gain insights into the various IP paths – like ST 2110, NDI, Dante AV, and SRT – download AJA's free IP video white paper today.A Solution Built Around Your WorkflowThe OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more hereCost Effective Sports Video Production GuideHosted by Key Code MediaThursday, August 6 | 1-2PM EDTMid-tier sports programs, college athletics departments, and K-12 media teams are being asked to produce more live content for traditional and emerging sports with less time, fewer staff, and tighter budgets. The challenge is not just finding the right gear. It is building a production workflow that looks professional, is easy to operate, and can be used consistently by staff, students, and volunteers without requiring a large technical team.In this Broadcast2Post Live Podcast, host Michael Kammes will be joined by Dennis Trapani, Associate Athletics Director for Broadcast and Video Production at the University of Wyoming. Together, they will explore how schools and organizations are creating broadcast-quality sports productions using cost-effective tools, practical system design, and streamlined workflows. Register hereZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology PlatformZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more hereElgato Prompter XLThe Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6” removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it's ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more. Explore herePodcast Rewind:July 2026 - Ep. 144.Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:Reach 270,000 film production industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this weekly newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

In partnership with RENDR Festival and supported by the National Talent Academy for VFX, we are delighted to present this very special speaker series. Recorded live at RENDR 2026 in Banana Block, Belfast, we spoke with Belfast-born stand up, director, animator, and Associate Creative Director at BUCK, Jennifer Zheng. Her BAFTA-nominated short film Tough – exploring the complexities of her and her mother's cultural identities – has screened at over 80 international festivals, including Sundance and SXSW, and received 17 awards. Alongside her directorial work, Zheng has collaborated with global clients such as Netflix, Google DeepMind, Headspace, and The White Stripes. Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-director-designer-animator-jennifer-zhengThis series of talks was recorded in The Spinners Mill Studio, a podcast and DJ studio based in Banana Block offering tailored solutions for DJ sessions, small-scale events and podcasting from concept to final distribution. Follow them on Insta / Facebook / TikTokJennifer ZhengJen learned to draw the normal way: by drawing the same boiled egg for a month because her dad told her 'Da Vinci started that way' – he didn't*. After eggs, she drew exclusively Hollywood A-lister headshots with the grid method: Her Angelina Jolie was spectacular. Now Jen has found a career where drawing the same thing over and over isn't considered crazy: animation.She grew up Chinese in the rolling concrete flats of Belfast, Northern Ireland where it was so white she would sometimes forget that she was Asian ... so the other girls at school would complain that their fake tan kept rubbing off, and she'd say back 'I dunno what's wrong with you girls, because mine never comes off.' The prejudices she experienced growing up taught her the importance of empathy, which is a theme that permeates her work. Her short film Tough on her and her mother's conflicting cultural identities was nominated for a BAFTA, won 17 awards, and screened at over 80 international film festivals including Sundance and SXSW. She is currently Associate Creative Director at BUCK and has worked with clients like The White Stripes, Netflix, Headspace & Google Deepmind. Notably, she's led the design of genitals & illustrations for OMGYes, co-wrote & creative directed a short for GitHub starring Phil Wang, and recently directed the animated portion of David Wilson's music video for Mabel ‘Look At My Body pt.II' – a psychedelic feminist retelling of the original sin. On the side, she is an award-winning stand-up comedian, Playgrounds In Motion London host, erotica zine publisher, and t-shirt tiedyer.*Da Vinci never repeatedly drew eggs, this seems to be a China-specific conspiracy.Website / InstagramRENDR FestivalThis is a unique event celebrating creative craft and artistry in a fully immersive two-day festival exploring the space between Creativity and Technology. Ignite your imagination with inspiring speakers from the worlds of Film, Gaming, Animation, Immersive, and more! Learn from the best, with 30+ creatives from the likes of Netflix, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios, and Epic Games among others.Witness creative uses of new technology, explore the gallery of digital art, chow down at the food village or play in the arcade. You will be transported to the future, and provide you with unforgettable and inspirational nights.National Talent Academy for Visual EffectsAs the newest of the Academies, the National Talent Academy for VFX provides support and opportunities for anyone interested in a career in VFX. Launched in 2024, the National Talent Academy for VFX is an initiative of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, managed by Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet. Their mission is to transform aspiring VFX artists into industry-ready professionals while providing ongoing upskilling opportunities for current talent.Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.So make sure to subscribe and listen back! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[School of Movies 2026] I did not expect to be proudest of this third show on the Pirates Trilogy. While the first was spent delving into the rich details of the many factors that made it a classic as well as an instant success (the two are not always the same thing) and the second was spent finding where the good movie was, hidden between the hindrances of pacing and focus issues. But this third one was revalatory. At World's End always frustrated me deeply, by amplifying all of the problems of the previous two, delivering convolution and dropped threads at the point when things need to be at their most emotionally clear, and drowning the climax in a maelstrom of crowd-pleasing VFX. But through this episode and talking with Sharon, Maya and Brendan I was able to actually find the meaning in this ending that the filmmakers either through lack of preparation or lack of courage to deliver a tragedy with the most expensive film ever (hey, it worked out for Titanic) told a story about the passing of an age without an ending. There is no end to a world where there's always more booty to be had. Alex's Audiodrama: Panther Soul on Bandcamp Maya's Book: Realm of Kings on Amazon Guests: Hollywoo Actress  Maya Souris @Mayasantandrea Brenden Agnew @BLCAgnew of Make Me Watch It This week's After School Club: The Lone Ranger Next week: Predator Badlands

STREET FIGHTER & RAMAYANA TRAILER REACTIONS!! Jason Momoa's Blanka brings electric chaos before Ranbir Kapoor and Yash face off in an epic IMAX take on the Ramayana! Aaron Alexander & Andrew Gordon react to new footage from Street Fighter and the official Ramayana: Part 1 trailer. Street Fighter, directed by Kitao Sakurai, stars Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Jason Momoa as Blanka, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, and Roman Reigns as Akuma. The footage highlights Blanka's electric powers, claws, and a brutal arena fight with Ryu. Ramayana: Part 1, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. With music by Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman and VFX by DNEG, the trailer showcases massive battles, mythic creatures, emotional stakes, and stunning IMAX visuals. After Street Fighter, Aaron and Andrew break down the creative direction of Blanka's design and how the film balances darker, more intense elements with a lighter, more playful tone. They discuss Momoa's portrayal, the energy of the action, the visual effects, and how characters like M. Bison and Ryu are being adapted for the big screen, along with speculation about iconic moves and overall tone. Ramayana, on the other hand, stands out for its scale and cinematic ambition. Both highlight its emotional storytelling, sweeping visuals, and mythic scope, with comparisons to other large-scale fantasy epics and interest in the central conflict between Rama and Ravana. The trailer's music, action, and IMAX presentation are also key talking points, along with how effectively it introduces the story to a wider audience. Follow Aaron On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealaaronalexander/?hl=en Follow Andrew Gordon on Socials:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieSource Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/agor711/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Agor711 Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mandalorian and Grogu movie is still in some theaters and now available in your home! In August, you'll be able to own a hard copy. Starfighter's writer, director, and lead actor will colaborate again soon, but for Marvel instead of Lucasfilm. VFX workers UNITE! SWZC is a thing and it's almost here. SDCC 2026 is a thing, and it just happened. Wait until you hear about all the new collectibles! Feel free to take part in contributing ideas and commenting on our podcasts on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, on Facebook, through Amazon's podcast portal, or even on Discord. May the Force be with us!

In this episode of the CG Pro podcast, host Edd D-T engages with Gary Mundell and Remko Noteboom, industry veterans in VFX and technology. They share their journeys into computer graphics, discussing the challenges and innovations in the field, particularly around data management and the integration of AI in filmmaking. The conversation highlights the evolution of VFX workflows, the impact of software like Maya, and the founding of Loft Apps, which aims to address ongoing challenges in the industry. In this conversation, the speakers discuss the transformative impact of AI on creative processes, particularly in visual effects and filmmaking. They explore how AI tools are evolving to enhance creativity, streamline workflows, and enable real-time collaboration. The discussion also touches on the implications of AI in software engineering, the changing nature of asset management, and the ongoing challenges of achieving photorealism in digital art. They reflect on the balance between technology and human creativity, emphasizing the need for collaboration between AI and human artists.They emphasize the importance of collaboration between artists and scientists, the necessity of organization in creative processes, and the development of tools for effective asset management. The conversation also touches on the legal aspects of AI, the introduction of the Loft AI platform, and offers advice for aspiring creatives in a rapidly changing landscape!

Brenda Ximena Roldan Romero and Ethan Francis are the Co-Directors of the CG101 conference (https://www.cg101.co.uk/) and join us to talk about this incredible endeavour! We dive into how their maiden event last year connected pros, studios, and students across the VFX and CG industry and how they are balancing everything from building and nurturing a community, event and their own careers! Brenda is an Animator and Ethan a CG Generalist, and they shed a light on their own skillsets and how they broke into the industry. Check out the full episode to hear how Brenda (Animator) and Ethan (CG Generalist) broke into the industry, why nurturing this community is so important, and how they balance organizing a major event alongside their own busy careers. - FOLLOW CG101 https://www.youtube.com/@CG101Conference https://www.instagram.com/cg_101_event https://open.spotify.com/show/1EPbumYHX39n8u6XGGbov9 https://www.linkedin.com/company/cg-101/ FOLLOW BRENDA & ETHAN Brenda Ximena Roldan Romero https://www.brendaximenaroldan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/brendaximenaroldan https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-ximena-roldan-romero/ Ethan Francis https://www.instagram.com/ethan.frcs/ https://www.artstation.com/etfr - FOLLOW LEARN SQUARED (ALL First Lessons are FREE!) https://www.learnsquared.com https://www.instagram.com/patreon https://www.instagram.com/learnsquared https://www.twitter.com/learnsquared https://www.linkedin.com/school/learnsquared - YOUR HOST https://www.artstation.com/dhanda https://www.instagram.com/dhandatron https://bsky.app/profile/dhandatron.bsky.social https://cara.app/dhandatron

Wonder Dynamics co-founders Tye Sheridan and Nikola Todorovic join GG Hawkins to explain how their filmmaking backgrounds shaped the development of AI-powered production tools for artists. They trace the company's evolution from an interactive storytelling startup to Autodesk Flow Studio, a tool designed to transfer live-action performances to CG characters while preserving creative control and compatibility with established VFX pipelines. The conversation covers Hollywood's changing relationship with artificial intelligence, the potential for lower-cost sci-fi filmmaking, Autodesk's acquisition of Wonder Dynamics, the continuing importance of marketing and distribution, and how emerging filmmakers can prepare for an AI-integrated industry. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests Tye Sheridan and Nikola Todorovic discuss... How Sheridan and Todorovic met while working on Last Days in the Desert and bonded over their interest in making independent science-fiction films Why the expense of CG and visual effects inspired them to pursue a lower-budget, “Blumhouse model” for sci-fi and animation Wonder Dynamics' pivot from interactive narratives to AI tools focused on film production Why AI filmmaking technology should be developed by people who understand professional production and post-production workflows The differences between tools made for social media content and tools made for long-form narrative filmmaking Why editability, control, and compatibility with established VFX pipelines became central to Autodesk Flow Studio How Autodesk Flow Studio captures a performance from single-camera footage and transfers it to a CG character without a traditional motion-capture stage Why Sheridan and Todorovic do not believe an actor's performance should be generated entirely through prompts Hollywood's pushback against AI during the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes and the industry's gradual shift toward discussing responsible use How filmmakers can evaluate AI tools according to their ethics, usefulness, and respect for artistic control The potential for AI to lower production costs and help independent filmmakers create ambitious sci-fi and VFX-heavy projects Why cheaper production does not eliminate the challenges of marketing, distribution, and audience discovery How short films, YouTube projects, commercials, and music videos can serve as testing grounds for new filmmaking technology The opportunity to create visually ambitious genre films that remain grounded in original ideas and character-driven storytelling What Autodesk's acquisition of Wonder Dynamics provides in terms of 3D expertise, scale, resources, and integration How small production teams have used Autodesk Flow Studio to revive scripts they previously could not afford to produce Why future filmmakers may see AI as an ordinary part of every creative tool rather than a separate category Sheridan's advice to practice whenever an opportunity appears and learn from every film set Todorovic's advice to persistently seek mentors and approach experienced professionals with genuine curiosity Memorable Quotes: “For us, that became our core theme, is just building something for artists that leaves them in control.” “AI is like the Internet. You can't just say AI is bad or AI is good. It means so many different things. It really depends on how you're using it and whether or not you're maintaining the integrity of the artist process.” “We're kind of allowing distribution to everybody, we're going to allow the production to everybody, but now it's a matter of being discovered.” “Be stubborn, be persistent, and try to find the best mentor you can possibly think of, someone you admire, and then just bother them with emails for six months. You'd be surprised.” Guests: Tye Sheridan Nikola Todorovic Resources: Autodesk Flow Studio 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

Doug Hogan is a VFX Supervisor, Senior Compositor and Creative Technologist with nearly two decades of experience across feature films, animation, advertising, theme parks and immersive media. His credits include Space Jam: A New Legacy, G-Force, Scoob! and Free Birds. Doug currently works as a Senior Creative Technologist at Groove Jones and advises the ComfyUI team on studio-focused features. He specializes in bridging traditional visual effects pipelines with emerging AI technology, developing practical workflows that combine tools such as ComfyUI and Nuke for professional production. In this Podcast, Allan McKay speaks with Doug Hogan about the rapidly evolving role of AI in visual effects, integrating ComfyUI into traditional production pipelines, and separating practical, production-ready workflows from the hype surrounding generative AI. They discuss how artists can approach these tools without abandoning the fundamentals, the changing role of the compositor and creative technologist, and what VFX professionals need to understand as AI becomes a larger part of real-world production. Doug's Website: www.DougHogan.com Fix It In Prompt Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/033DTyXeBnJ62xPeeQGZ98 Doug's ComfyUI Course: https://www.actionvfx.com/academy/introduction-to-comfyui-for-vfx Free Action VFX Course: https://www.actionvfx.com/academy/the-new-vfx-career-playbook  

In this episode, we welcome Natasha Braier ASC, ADF, the cinematographer behind acclaimed films such as She Said, Honey Boy, The Neon Demon, Gloria Bell, and I Love Boosters. In our conversation, Natasha shares her journey from her roots in Argentina to building a career in Los Angeles, along with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of I Love Boosters, directed by Boots Riley. She also discusses DeepLight, the cinematography community she founded, and offers thoughtful advice for the next generation of filmmakers.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:Futureproofing with IP videoAs production workflows rapidly evolve, IP video is key to building more scalable, future-ready pipelines. To get up to speed on the IP fundamentals and gain insights into the various IP paths – like ST 2110, NDI, Dante AV, and SRT – download AJA's free IP video white paper today.A Solution Built Around Your WorkflowThe OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more hereIntelligent Production HubNew this summer from the Intelligent Production Hub: hands-on training in the AI and real-time tools working productions run on.Intro to NVIDIA NvRTX (Jul 29), AI Video Creators Workshop (Aug 7), AI Creativity with Comfy (Aug 12), plus role-based AI sessions for editing, VFX, sound, and design.See the full schedule hereZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology PlatformZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more hereElgato Prompter XLThe Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6” removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it's ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more.Explore herePodcast Rewind:July 2026 - Ep. 143.Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:Reach over 270,000 film production industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

What happens when a comic book artist becomes a visual effects supervisor at the forefront of filmmaking technology? In this episode, Marc Rienzo shares his journey from drawing comic book panels to creating cinematic worlds through visual effects. Along the way, we explore how the VFX industry has evolved, what AI means for the future of filmmaking, and why great storytelling will always matter more than the tools we use.

[School of Movies 2026] The original trio of Gore Verbinski Pirates films have become sacred cows to millennial movie commentators on YouTube, spoken of in hushed tones alongside the likes of The Prequel Trilogy and Shrek. Back when I was in my twenties, I absolutely loved that first one and had a great time at the second, it was only the third (one of the first films we reviewed in the early days of Digital Cowboys) that threw me for a loop. What we've done here, following our effusive 2025 show on Curse of the Black Pearl is reconvene with Maya and Brendan, and in some cases go back for only a second viewing of that second movie, to watch with contemporary eyes that have seen a thousand VFX extravaganzas in the two decades since. This was a mammoth undertaking for the filmmakers, and in this week's show and next week's we zero in on where the film's strengths are still seaworthy, and where they sink like a stone. Alex's Audiodrama: Panther Soul on Bandcamp Maya's Book: Realm of Kings on Amazon Guests: Hollywoo Actress  Maya Souris @Mayasantandrea Brenden Agnew @BLCAgnew of Make Me Watch It This week's After School Club: Cutthroat Island Next week: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

In the 80's and 90's in the movie business it wasn't music or people that made the world go around, it was rubber....In advance of the film's world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal we got the opportunity to dive into the life and times of the masters of the practical VFX game.  It's time for 'Rubberhead: The Life & Monsters of Steve Johnson'.Steve Johnson was a child of the movies whose journey led to creature shop of Rick Baker all the way to big budget classics like 'Ghostbusters' and the indie gore darlings like "Night of the Demons'.  As the 90's came around he built his own  groundbreaking FX studio that would work with the likes of Steven Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro.However when the studios started to favour digital effects over practical ones, his success started to wain which led to being a man out of time, as divorce and the non-stop party like it's the 1980's started to see an actual end..While 'Rubberhead' doesn't skimp on the fan service which is well deserved and plentiful it's also a really interesting story of a mad creative genius being undone by his demons like many before him have gone through.  That being said, with Johnson serving as narrator he gives this time period the unabashed rock star treatment that it so richly deserved.  He created on a level like no other, and played in is excesses without regret.  Iconic geniuses never seem to fit anywhere, and that's exactly what Steve Johnson.A film seven years in the making, we had the pleasure of sitting down with director Nick Taylor about following this immensely interesting life,  paying homage to the time period and acknowledging unhinged brilliance when it stares us in the face.

In this episode, we welcome cinematographer Nik Summerer ASC, best known for his work on the critically acclaimed series Dark, as well as 1899 and the feature film Color Book, now streaming on Netflix. In our conversation, Nik shares his journey into cinematography, reflecting on his influences and the path that led him behind the camera. We take a deep dive into the making of Color Book, exploring his visual storytelling approach, the techniques he employed, and the tools he used to bring this striking black-and-white drama to life. Nik also offers real-world advice for students and emerging filmmakers looking to build a career in the industry.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:AJA introduces high-performance Thunderbolt™ 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassisMeet Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5 expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid I/O cards. Io Xpand lets video professionals integrate the performance of AJA PCIe I/O cards on Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs for an incredibly powerful, fast, and portable I/O solution for on set, remote production, and live switching. Visit hereIntelligent Production HubNew this summer from the Intelligent Production Hub: hands-on training in the AI and real-time tools working productions run on.Intro to NVIDIA NvRTX (Jul 29), AI Video Creators Workshop (Aug 7), AI Creativity with Comfy (Aug 12), plus role-based AI sessions for editing, VFX, sound, and design.See the full schedule hereA Solution Built Around Your WorkflowThe OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more hereZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology PlatformZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more hereElgato Prompter XLThe Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6" removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it's ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more.Explore herePodcast Rewind:July 2026 - Ep. 142.Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:Reach over 275,000 film production industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Tony sits down with Chris MacLean, the Overall Visual Effects Supervisor for Foundation, for a sweeping conversation about how the show's visual language continues to evolve in scale, sophistication, and emotional depth. From hybrid location/virtual sequences to metaphysical constructs like the Tree of Time, Chris breaks down how the VFX team expands the universe each season while keeping the story's humanity at the center. Chris MacLean — Overall Visual Effects Supervisor, Foundation A guiding force behind the series' most ambitious visuals, Chris oversees the expanding workload across studios, continents, and timelines. His insights reveal how the show's VFX pipeline blends cutting‑edge technology with grounded storytelling. Covered Are: The Photobike Sequence Holograms & The Tree of Time Clarion Station Cloning Facility Destruction The Sacrifice of Demerzel The Mule's Eye Power SAVE 17% ON PLUS

Infinity Ward just had its biggest Modern Warfare 4 reveal week yet — and the community immediately found the flaws. We break down everything shown at the MW4 creator event and Fanatics Fest: the Kill Block modular map with 500+ configurations, the gunplay reveal and the instant visual recoil backlash, VFX masking, no-bloom hipfire, doors, takedowns, proximity chat, and the Aston Martin Dreadnought that quietly confirmed Warzone isn't dead yet. Then the real question: MW4 looks like MW19 2.0 — but is a well-executed return to form enough in 2026? We get into why the arcade shooter can't hold anyone's attention all year anymore, why the "third game mode" is the entire Call of Duty paradigm now, and why everything — the game, the year, maybe the franchise's momentum — is riding on DMZ2. Plus: why you should treat beta weekend two as the final verdict, because beta tests aren't beta tests anymore. Also announced: monthly Patreon hangouts are BACK starting in August — hot take open mics, trivia, and more. patreon.com/thedropshot One of us is buying in. One of us has seen this movie before. You know how this goes. 0:00 - Intro 1:18 - MW4 reveal week: how we got here 3:30 - Patreon hangouts are BACK (August) 8:31 - Topic of the week: the MW4 reveal 9:07 - Kill Block: the shapeshifting map 15:01 - Was Kill Block worth the dev time? 20:00 - Kill Block in a BR? The bigger idea 25:15 - The gunplay reveal & firing range video 27:56 - Realism vs. fun: the two camps 30:06 - The visual recoil backlash 34:08 - Jake: I'll take Infinity Ward's flaws 35:48 - Raz: "Wouldn't it be nice?" 42:22 - VFX masking & visual noise 43:51 - The feedback honeypot pattern 48:43 - Bullets punch holes through smoke 51:09 - Underhand grenade throws 53:15 - "MW2 with improvements?" debate 57:27 - Raz: it's just more CoD slop 1:01:10 - Is a return to form enough in 2026? 1:07:49 - The third-game-mode paradigm 1:15:23 - Did Aston Martin just confirm Warzone? 1:16:31 - The Warzone fan's dilemma 1:19:10 - Doors, takedowns & prox chat 1:21:39 - No-bloom hipfire & the Tarkov skill gap 1:27:44 - The Aston Martin Dreadnought 1:31:51 - Combined-arms big maps 1:34:25 - Raz's beta advice 1:36:17 - Where is CoD Next? 1:39:21 - Wrap-up & what we're playing _Note: timestamps may be slightly misaligned on podcast apps (but not on YouTube) due to dynamic ads._ The podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts, and ad-free & early access versions - as well as bonus episodes - are available to all of our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/thedropshot) supporters. We stream the podcast live on our YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/thedropshotpodcast) every Saturday morning at ~9 o'clock Pacific Time. We typically start the stream 30 minutes early to answer viewer questions, banter, and chat. Links for everything are below. Thanks for checking us out!

Steven Spielberg is the most famous filmmaker alive, which is exactly why almost nobody actually understands him. Chris and Daniel use Disclosure Day, Spielberg's new alien chase thriller with Emily Blunt, to argue that the "safe, mainstream" reputation is a decades-long misdirection: underneath the crowd-pleasing surface is a genuinely weird, deeply personal artist who has been smuggling strange, uncomfortable ideas inside blockbuster packaging since at least Close Encounters. They trace it through Fabelman's casting David Lynch as John Ford, the theory that Kubrick handed Spielberg AI specifically because Spielberg's glossy reputation could disguise a bleak, unnerving film, and the moment James Lipton caught Spielberg off guard by connecting his parents directly to Close Encounters on camera. Disclosure Day itself is proving strangely divisive, and Chris and Daniel dig into why. They break down its Sugarland Express-style chase structure, an Emily Blunt performance that starts as broad comedy and quietly transforms into something much stranger, a train sequence built to feel genuinely dangerous rather than stylized, and the VFX work from longtime collaborator Matthew Butler. Along the way, a detour into Spielberg's actual filmmaking journey, from Close Encounters to Poltergeist to AI, makes the case that his reputation as the "obvious" director has always been the biggest misdirection in his own filmography. Referenced in this episode: Disclosure Day Close Encounters of the Third Kind Poltergeist A.I. Artificial Intelligence War of the Worlds Minority Report The Fabelmans Sugarland Express Matthew Butler, VFX Supervisor Sponsors: Center Grid Virtual Studio: https://cgvirtualstudio.com/

401 VelociPastor II Interview Jurassic Park Trivia Comic Con CarrieDoom Scrolling IntroThe Foos kick off the 400s with yard-work injuries, mosquito attacks, and the ongoing backyard project that may or may not destroy Joe's arm before it's done. Steph explains her mosquito bite allergy situation, Joe suspects he messed up his elbow trenching in 90-degree weather, and somehow this still counts as progress.Geeking Out starts with San Diego Comic-Con week: Marvel is expected to bring Avengers Doomsday heat to Hall H, Insomniac is showing off Marvel's Wolverine, DC is bringing Batman: Caped Crusader and Lanterns energy, Guillermo del Toro is tied to Pan's Labyrinth programming, and The VelociPastor II is premiering at the con with a double feature of the original movie.Then it's horror TV news: Mike Flanagan is bringing Stephen King's Carrie to Prime Video as a series, which actually makes sense given his track record with Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep. The Foos also talk American Horror Story Season 13 bringing back a massive lineup of franchise favorites, including Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, and Billie Lourd.In honor of Sam Neill, Steph runs Joe through Jurassic Park trivia focused on the original movie. There are correct answers, wrong answers, technical difficulties, a timer disaster, and the realization that the first dinosaur they see is not the Triceratops with the giant pile of poop.The main event is an interview with Jesse Gouldsberry, director of The VelociPastor II and producer/director of photography on the original VelociPastor. Jesse talks about how a fake title and college short became a real cult movie, how the first trailer went micro-viral and even landed on G4's Attack of the Show, the jump from the first film's tiny budget to the sequel, and why having more money doesn't mean losing the handmade chaos.They dig into the fake Australian trailer narration, the legendary “VFX: Car on fire” placeholder gag, balancing intentionally ridiculous filmmaking with actual story structure, the pressure of making a sequel to a cult favorite, and the DIY production choices that keep the movie feeling like community-theater grindhouse insanity in the best way possible.Jesse also talks about premiering The VelociPastor II in a 14th-century church in Prague, bringing it to San Diego Comic-Con, planning a roadshow, getting rights back to the first film, possible future streaming/distribution plans, and why fans should ask their local theaters to bring the movie to town.ChaptersDoom Scrolling IntroIntroMosquito bites skeeter syndrome and yard work injuriesBackyard project trenching granite sod and chaosGeeking Out San Diego Comic-Con previewMarvel Avengers Doomsday Hall H expectationsMarvel's Wolverine deep dive at Comic-ConDC Batman Caped Crusader Lanterns and Pan's Labyrinth programmingThe VelociPastor II Comic-Con double feature previewMike Flanagan Carrie series for Prime VideoAmerican Horror Story Season 13 franchise reunionJurassic Park trivia in honor of Sam NeillInterview Jesse Gouldsberry joins the showThe VelociPastor origin fake title college short and G4VelociPastor II budget sequel pressure and DIY chaosFake Australian trailer voice and VFX car on firePrague church premiere and San Diego Comic-Con screeningRoadshow plans streaming rights and future VelociPastor ideasOutro + Doom Scrolling OutroThe Foobar Show, VelociPastor II, Jesse Gouldsberry, VelociPastor interview, San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Avengers Doomsday, Marvel's Wolverine, Batman Caped Crusader, Lanterns DC, Mike Flanagan Carrie, Stephen King, American Horror Story Season 13, Jurassic Park trivia, Sam Neill, grindhouse comedy, cult movie sequel

Episode 118-Live from Texas Haunters Convention 2026 Released 19 July 2026 Hosts: John Schelt, Keoni Hutton & Leslie Reed We had a blast at Texas Haunters Convention and streamed a live show from booth 322.  This is the recording of that livestream. If you want to see the video, check out our YouTube page at https://youtube.com/live/XhpdtA-EqsU. Resources mentioned during this episode: Here are the featured vendors: Dead Noodle Studios: https://deadnoodlestudios.myshopify.com/ Scare Innovations: https://scareinnovations.com/ Mind Trap Creations: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MindtrapcreationsArt 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.  

Non-Spoilers for nearly 75 Mins, we discussed Oscars potential in all categories for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, before we dive into about 20 minutes on the film's final act. This is Part I of our coverage of The Odyssey, followed by Part II with a very special guest in Variety's Jazz Tangcay. NON-SPOILER REVIEW OF THE ODYSSEY: Critical & Audience Reception Numbers & Box Office Projections - 2:40 Exceeded Expectations and the Plot Premise - 7:36 Best Picture & Discussing Producers Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan - 8:12 Is Best Director over? - 11:44 Adapted Screenplay Thoughts & Should AlsoMom come see this - 17:14 Jennifer Lame's Film Editing - 24:31 Matt Damon's Lead Actor Candidacy - 28:34 Anne Hathaway, Casting, Other Supporting Possibilities & Ensemble Awards - 30:46 Sound Design - 42:55 Ludwig Goransson's Original Score - 44:49 Then Original Song: When I'm Home - 50:03 VFX - 51:52 Ellen Mirojnick's Costume Design & The MUAH - 54:20 Hoyt van Hoytema's Cinematography - 1:00:06 Production Design - 1:03:08 The Final Oscar Lens Assessments & Over / Under - 1:07:38 A SHORT SPOILER SECTION ON THE ENDING OF THE ODYSSEY - 1:16:42 OUTRO: Stay tuned for Part II of our coverage of The Odyssey next week when we are joined by a very special guest for a larger spoiler filled discussion. In the meantime, you can read Jazz Tangcay's coverage at Variety here: https://variety.com/author/jazz-tangcay/ We'll also be LIVE on Chaz and AJ in the Morning on Monday 7/20 around 8:20am EST to discuss our reactions to the film. Listen here: https://www.wplr.com/listen-live And finally, you can find links to all our other episodes and social media here: https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

Sarah (Jessika Van) and Molly (Courtney Pouroso) receive some unfortunate marketing data in Grind (2026) Intensity:

Commercial director, AI filmmaker, and USC professor Ben Hansford joins Reid Hoffman and Parth Patil to explain how AI is reshaping Hollywood, film production, VFX, and comics. Ben has been experimenting with generative AI since before DALL-E and Midjourney went mainstream, using the earliest tools to sharpen commercial treatments, win jobs, and teach one of the country's first AI film courses. He traces Hollywood's arc from student protests and industry resistance to a scramble for answers, as shrinking budgets and shifting audiences push creators toward new workflows. He also recounts how a 30-minute AI VFX test reset his sense of what a director can prototype, and why he's building BloqBloq around a stark creative bottleneck: as he puts it, there are more NBA players than professional comic book illustrators. He maps the "iceberg" of creation, from databases and security to publishing and iteration, and explains why turning an idea into a finished product takes more than a prompt. For Ben, AI isn't just a tool. It's a crew. For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/

Episode 117-Haunt Actor Training with Drew Badger Released 15 July 2026 Hosts: John Schelt, Keoni Hutton & Leslie Reed Its time to start thinking about how you will staff your haunt, and whoever you bring in to help can benefit from training.  Experienced Haunt Actor and Owner of Rabid Badger Haunt Consulting (not to mention host of the Big Scary Show), Drew Badger is here to talk all about actors. Resources mentioned during this episode: Drew Badgers Links: Rabid Badger Consulting: https://www.rabidbadger.org/ Big Scary Show: https://www.bigscaryshow.com/ Chamber of Haunters Website: https://chamberofhaunters.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chamberofhaunters/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chamberofhaunters ScaredU: https://scaredu.org/ May Lunch & Learn:  Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_McKDzLuICM Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmuaQ49aOII 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.  

In this episode, we welcome director Connie He and Google DeepMind's Márcia Mayer to discuss the making of Dear Upstairs Neighbors, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival in June. Connie and Márcia, both Pixar alumni, embarked on a creative journey to explore how emerging technologies could help bring Connie's story and artistic vision to life. In our conversation, they discuss their respective roles in the project, the collaborative process behind this unique animated film, DeepMind's mission to empower creators through cutting-edge technology, and what they learned along the way. They also share advice for the next generation of storytellers navigating today's rapidly evolving creative landscape.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:AJA introduces high-performance Thunderbolt™ 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassisMeet Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5 expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid I/O cards. Io Xpand lets video professionals integrate the performance of AJA PCIe I/O cards on Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs for an incredibly powerful, fast, and portable I/O solution for on set, remote production, and live switching. Visit hereA Solution Built Around Your WorkflowThe OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more hereNew York City | July 28The sports-production landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation as a result of the cloud and AI, and SVG's new Cloud & Content Workflows Summit is where the industry comes together to navigate it. As virtualized hardware, cloud-based workflows, and AI-powered tools become more commonplace, the entire sports-production supply chain is being reimagined from the ground up. This special event brings together SVG's previous Cloud Production and Content Management events into a single, comprehensive day of programming—covering both live and non-live production workflows alike. Learn more hereZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology PlatformZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more hereSanDisk Extreme PRO USB4 Portable SSDPower your workflow with the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB4 Portable SSD, available in 2TB and 4TB capacities. Featuring speeds up to 3800 MB/s read and 3700 MB/s write, it's built for fast transfers and editing. The rugged, IP65-rated design is ready for work anywhere. Learn more at Videoguys or call 800.323.2325 for free tech advice. View herePodcast Rewind:July 2026 - Ep. 141.Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:Reach over 275,000 film industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this weekly newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

A24 announced a $75 million research partnership with Google DeepMind and framed it as R&D for production tools, not a content deal. Nobody cared about the distinction. Chris, Daniel, and James Blevins spend the first half of this Rough Cut on why that announcement landed like a betrayal anyway, then pull the same thread through the Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, Mark Ruffalo's New York Times op-ed on quiet industry retaliation, and what it means that four studios now control what used to take six. From there the panel turns to Christopher Nolan's press tour for The Odyssey and the practical-versus-VFX marketing dance that VFX artists roll their eyes at every single time it resurfaces. They close with a Monstrous Moonshine state of the union, walking through the June July shoot and a quick, lighthearted aside on why the show still uses AI tools like Suno for its own theme song. Mentioned this episode: A24, Google DeepMind Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros. Discovery, Mark Ruffalo, Matt Stoller Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey, D-Neg, Weta Workshop Monstrous Moonshine June July Suno Special thanks to our sponsor: Center Grid Virtual Studio: https://cgvirtualstudio.com/

From LiDAR to Gaussian splats, Clear Angle is capturing the real world so the best VFX teams, in the world, can rebuild it: one scan, one face and one lava field at a time.

On this Thursday bonus episode we are going to play the interview from episode 519 from March 2025 featuring VFX artist turned feature director Bryant Griffin, who left his job at Lucas Arts to make his first feature film, Young King. I thought this was a great match for Anthony Lucero from Monday because he also used to work at Lucas Films and left when he made his first feature as well. After that we play another round of You're the expert, enjoy! Don't forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-movies-is-hard-the-struggles-of-indie-filmmaking/id1006416952 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most AI image tools give you a prompt box and a result. ComfyUI gives creators the pipeline underneath - the models, parameters, nodes, and repeatable workflows that can turn visual AI from a toy into production infrastructure.In this episode of The Neuron, Corey Noles and Grant Harvey talk with Yannik Marek, co-founder and original creator of ComfyUI, about why node-based workflows matter, how open-source visual AI is moving into real creative production, and what teams gain when they can inspect, modify, and repeat every step of generation.They cover how diffusion models work in plain English, why Comfy is useful for VFX, gaming, animation, e-commerce, and creative studios, and how Comfy balances open-source values with Cloud, API, and Enterprise products. Yannik also shares practical hardware advice for running models locally, where open models are catching up fastest, and why the future of creative AI may depend less on a universal prompt box and more on visible, controllable workflows.Try ComfyUI at comfy.org, and subscribe to The Neuron for more grounded conversations about AI in practice.https://www.theneuron.ai/The Neuron Academy helps professionals build practical AI skills they can use right away, with lessons on prompting, workflows, and real workplace use cases. Check out theneuronacademy.com today!

In this episode, we welcome award-winning cinematographer Jeff Hester, whose work includes documentaries such as Postcard from Earth, Our Planet, Dolphins Up Close with Bertie Gregory, Planet Earth III, and Hammerhead Sharks Up Close for Nat Geo's annual summer event, SHARKFEST. In our conversation, Jeff shares his journey into cinematography, how he developed his unique skill set, and the making of Hammerhead Sharks Up Close. He also discusses what it's like to film underwater alongside sharks, the specialized cameras and techniques used to capture these incredible images, and offers valuable insights for the next generation of filmmakers.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:AJA introduces high-performance Thunderbolt™ 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassisMeet Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5 expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid I/O cards. Io Xpand lets video professionals integrate the performance of AJA PCIe I/O cards on Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs for an incredibly powerful, fast, and portable I/O solution for on set, remote production, and live switching. Visit hereThunderbolt 5 Speed. DIY RAID Without Limits.The OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is a next-gen Thunderbolt 5 NVMe enclosure built for serious post workflows. Delivering up to 6622MB/s, it lets you use your own drives to create a high-performance RAID with up to 32TB—and beyond via daisy chaining. Compact, powerful, and scalable for 8K+ and VFX workflows. Available for pre-order now, shipping in late June. Explore hereNew York City | July 28The sports-production landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation as a result of the cloud and AI, and SVG's new Cloud & Content Workflows Summit is where the industry comes together to navigate it. As virtualized hardware, cloud-based workflows, and AI-powered tools become more commonplace, the entire sports-production supply chain is being reimagined from the ground up. This special event brings together SVG's previous Cloud Production and Content Management events into a single, comprehensive day of programming—covering both live and non-live production workflows alike.Learn more hereZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology PlatformZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more hereSanDisk Extreme PRO USB4 Portable SSDPower your workflow with the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB4 Portable SSD, available in 2TB and 4TB capacities. Featuring speeds up to 3800 MB/s read and 3700 MB/s write, it's built for fast transfers and editing. The rugged, IP65-rated design is ready for work anywhere. Learn more at Videoguys or call 800.323.2325 for free tech advice. View herePodcast Rewind:July 2026 - Ep. 140.Promote your brand with The Making Of:Reach 275,000+ film industry, broadcast pros, and content creators reading this newsletter. To explore a partnership, please email mvalinsky@me.com Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

Cooke's Jordan Thistlewood joins us to explain why lens /i Tech may be the missing link between what was shot on set and what VFX needs to finish the shot, and we should now be demanding it.

"Be careful what you wish for..."This week, we are diving deep into the ancient, ruby-encrusted world of Wishmaster (1997)! While critics might have slept on it back in the day, the You Run Podcast crew is planting our flag: this movie is an absolute, criminally underrated 90s horror classic.Directed by special effects legend Robert Kurtzman and executive produced by Wes Craven, Wishmaster delivers the ultimate playground of twisted logic and gruesome, practical VFX. We break down Andrew Divoff's brilliantly sinister performance as the Djinn, that jaw-dropping statue-coming-to-life party scene, and the incredible parade of horror cameo royalty (Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, and Tony Todd, just to name a few!).Special Guest Alert!

Episode 116-Community Sponsorship Released 02 July 2026 Hosts: John Schelt, Keoni Hutton & Leslie Reed As we continue our march toward Halloween 2026, we want to find a way to engage local businesses and organizations to start building a support structure in the community.  Come brainstorm with us and take some ideas back to your own community.  Resources mentioned during this episode: See the layout here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZlsWSaRtMZ/ Chamber of Haunters Website: https://chamberofhaunters.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chamberofhaunters/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chamberofhaunters ScaredU: https://scaredu.org/ May Lunch & Learn:  Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_McKDzLuICM Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmuaQ49aOII 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.  

Christian Sprenger, ASC on balancing horror and comedy in Widow's Bay with lighting, practical effects, and years of trust built with producer Hiro Murai. Podcast highlights include: -How Christian's 11-year creative partnership with executive producer and director Hiro Murai has built a shared shorthand, allowing him to pitch unconventional ideas with total trust. -Why the team resisted moody, shadow-heavy horror lighting in favor of bright, high-key images inspired by Jaws and The Shining. Contrast and realism do the dramatic work instead of obvious genre inspirations. -The team's commitment to practical effects over VFX shortcuts and how that craft translates to audiences. -How Episode 6 became a deliberate break in format, and what it took to convince guest director Ti West to shoot within those constraints. Find Christian Sprenger: https://www.sprengerdp.com/ Instagram: @casprenger Widow's Bay is streaming on Apple TV. SHOW RUNDOWN: 02:05 Close Focus 14:19-01:11:22 Christian Sprenger Interview 01:12:43 Short Ends 01:17:26 Wrap up/Credits The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast Facebook: @cinepod Instagram: @thecinepod Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

Amanda Elliott continues our artist profile series with an interview with Olivier Beaulieu. Olivier, a VFX Supervisor at Hybride, whose journey from intern to a 23-year veteran at Hybride has helped shape some of the most iconic Star Wars projects. We explore the value of generosity and understanding in the VFX workspace, showing yourself patience, and why embracing mistakes and imperfection can make you a stronger artist and collaborator. Olivier also discusses the true mark of great visual effects—the moments so effortless and believable that they disappear into the story, revealing the artistry behind making complex VFX integrate flawlessly with live action. It's a testament to the artists who showcase the invisible craft that brings , a world like Star Wars to life. And, for this special Canada Day release, we wrap things up with a few fun Canadian questions and plenty of laughs along the way.

Hnedel Maximore did not come up through the traditional VFX pipeline. He started drafting floor plans in Liberia, studied architecture in Michigan, got laid off during the housing crash, and worked his way across industries before landing at Speed Shape in Detroit doing automotive commercials. That's also where he and Chris first crossed paths, years before either of them could have predicted where things would end up. What Hnedel built along the way was not just a technical skillset but a spatial intelligence that became the secret weapon behind one of the most visually distinctive streaming shows in recent memory. Spider-Man Noir is shot in color and black and white simultaneously, built on sets too small for the scripted action, and executed with a noir discipline that its showrunner and director Harry Bradbeer summed up as: what if Orson Welles had a Steadicam? Hnedel breaks down how previs shaped what they could actually afford to build, how the stunt team and VFX department merged into a single production unit, and why the dual delivery format put black and white monitors at video village for the entire shoot. He also gets direct about where VFX gets siloed too late in the process, and what it means when the VFX supervisor is employee number four. Guest: Hnedel Maximore on LinkedIn > Hnedel Maximore on IMDB > References: Spider-Man Noir (Amazon / Sony) > Speed Shape Torchlight (previs) V-Ray > ILM > Fuse FX Zero VFX Scanline VFX Digital Domain > Sway Chinatown (1974) Wicked Is Pain (documentary) Backrooms Obsession Honey Don't (Ethan Coen) Blender This episode is sponsored by: Center Grid Virtual Studio Kitbash 3D (Use promocode "CGGarage" for 10% off)

This week, we talk a bit about composing for early access, and how much scores (and VFX) influence films.

In this episode, Allan McKay sits down with Hnedel Maximore, VFX Supervisor on Spider-Noir, and Brooke Noska, VFX Producer on the series, for a deep dive into the creative, technical, and production challenges behind one of the most visually distinctive Spider-Man projects to date. Hnedel and Brooke break down how they approached Spider-Noir as a grounded detective noir with superhero elements — balancing period-specific world-building, practical production choices, invisible visual effects, and large-scale hero sequences without letting the VFX overwhelm the story. They discuss the early pitch process, building alignment with showrunners and department heads, and why visual effects needed to be involved from pre-production through final delivery. The conversation gets into the unique black-and-white and color workflow for the show, including the technical lift of supporting both versions, building a pipeline across multiple vendors, protecting the noir look while preserving the richness of the color version, and managing the added storage, editorial, review, render, and QC demands that came with that process. They also discuss the importance of reference, from classic noir films and early color processes to nature, micro-photography, ceramics, period New York construction photography, and practical on-set artifacts. Hnedel and Brooke share how those references informed Sandman, Man-Spider, dream sequences, period Manhattan, and the tactile, organic feel of the series. This is a must-listen for VFX artists, supervisors, producers, filmmakers, and Spider-Man fans interested in how large-scale visual effects are planned, produced, supervised, reviewed, and delivered on a major television schedule — especially when the creative goal is not just spectacle, but a world that feels specific, cinematic, painful, grounded, and one-of-a-kind.

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Grasshopper Bank https://grasshopper.bank/twistVanta https://www.vanta.com/twistRender https://render.com/twistPlaud https://Plaud.ai/twistToday's show:Anthropic wrote a blog post calling for a global AI slowdown. Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders wants the government to seize 50% of every major AI company's stock. Find out why JCal is reconsidering universal basic (or even high!) income policies, and why he thinks the 2028 presidential election will likely come down to AI policies.PLUS a live ComfyUI demo from founder Yoland Yan. Find out why the free-to-use open-source node-based platform has become a crucial part of millions of designers' and VFX experts' workflows, and how their tool has been used to create everything from “The Wizard of Oz” at the Vegas Sphere to those viral Coca-Cola holiday ads.GuestYoland Yan: http://x.com/yoland_yanComfyUI: https://comfy.org/AI Models and ToolsIdeogram 4.0: https://ideogram.ai/models/4.0/Stable Diffusion: https://stability.ai/LTX Video: https://github.com/Lightricks/LTX-VideoLoRa: https://huggingface.co/docs/diffusers/training/loraGoogle Veo: https://deepmind.google/models/veo/Relevant Links:Anthropic: “When AI Builds Itself”: https://www.anthropic.com/institute/recursive-self-improvementBernie Sanders: “The Public Should Own Half of the Big AI Companies”: https://www.sanders.senate.gov/op-eds/the-public-should-own-half-of-the-big-a-i-companies/Bloomberg: “Sam Altman-Backed Group Completes Largest US Study on Basic Income”: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-22/ubi-study-backed-by-openai-s-sam-altman-bolsters-support-for-basic-incomeTimestamps:0:00 Guest 1: Yoland Yan, ComfyUI — live demo intro2:06 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off!4:34 Guest 1: Yoland Yan, ComfyUI — live demo intro9:47 Grasshopper Bank - Time is money. Don't waste either. Go to https://grasshopper.bank/twist and get an exclusive $500 cash bonus just for opening an account.20:05 Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist22:24 What is Outpainting?30:01 Render - Find out why 5 million developers are already using the all-in-one cloud platform, Render. Go to https://render.com/twist and apply for the Render Startup Program to get $500-$100,000 in free credits, depending on your stage and backers.32:13 Jason's insider sales team advice38:42 LA mayoral race: Bass vs. Pratt42:25 Anthropic wants AI to slow down?48:45 Will Sen. Sanders' argument resonate with the public?59:39 Why 2028 will be the AI jobs election1:05:32 Brian Chesky's new AI lab1:15:21 Jason's "Mandalorian and Grogu" review1:18:53 YouTubers take over the box office1:24:16 Dean Potter vs. Alex HonnoldSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisCheck out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com