Podcast
PODCAST EPISODES
Magali Rigaudias : Animal Logic
Magali has worked in the animation industry for nearly 30 years. After spending some time working in Paris early on in her career, she went to Industrial Light & Magic in California and worked as an animator on VFX films such as Dragonheart, Mars Attack, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Star Wars Episode I & II, The Mummy Returns, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Van Helsing.
After almost a decade at the studio in San Francisco, she decided to broaden her experience to work on animated films and in 2004, she joined the Sydney team at Animal Logic as a lead animator to work on George Miller's Happy Feet. The film went on to win the Academy Award in 2007 for best Animated Feature Film. Magali recently joined Animal Logic again as an animation supervisor after anim directing on Maya the Bee - The Golden Orb at Flying Bark and Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness for the Belgian studio nWave Digital.
Topics Discussed
- How to improve your folio and showreel for Animators
- Working at ILM Studios
- Being a good Animation supervisor and leader & working in animation development
- Animation great character performance
- Women in Animation
- Work/Life Balance
- Reflection & the future & Much more
Thanks to our podcast partner
Jason Galeon : Wētā FX
Jason Galeon is an HPA nominated CG Supervisor at Wētā FX with more than 20 years of experience working on a huge range of major films. Jason began his career at Blue Sky Studios and went on to work at some of the biggest VFX studios, including Framestore London and MPC, working on films like The Dark Knight, Ice Age, and The Matrix sequels. He joined Wētā in 2009 on the first of James Cameron’s Avatar series as a lighting artist and held key roles in many Wētā projects including The Avengers, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. His more recent projects include The Suicide Squad, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. He’s been a CG Supervisor for years, and more recently has become a VFX Supervisor.
Topics Discussed
- How to improve your folio and showreel for VFX Artist’s
- Working at BlueSky Studios
- Being a good Supervisor and Leader & Working in creature development
- Working at a big studio versus a small studio & - How to improve and grow as a VFX Artist
- Project Discussions: Terminator 3, The Dark Knight
- Work/Life Balance
- Reflection & the future
EP - 31 Alastair Stephen
Alastair Stephen : Fin Design + Effects
Alastair started his career in 1991 in the advertising sector working within leading international agencies such as DDB, McCann-Erickson, George Patterson Bates and Attik as well as Australia’s foremost visual effects studios, Fuel VFX, Iloura,The Lab and Engine. He has collaborated with directors, supervisors, producers and artists on a myriad of awarding-winning projects throughout his career. Alastair joined Fin Design + Effects in 2013 as Executive Producer and after six years developing Fin’s strategic business plan, expanding its operations and attracting significant international film and television work into the studio, he waspromoted to Head of Visual Effects in 2019. www.findesign.com.au
Topics Discussed
- Advice to mid level to junior producers, vfx artist & motion designers
- Failures in your career & lessons you have learnt
- Working in motion design at Engine
- Working in advertising versus long-form tv or film
- Producing for motion design & managing multiple projects efficiently
- Producing vfx for film, tv & advertising
- Fin Design + vfx : Moving in to Long-form vfx
- Project discussions : I Am Mother & Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Reflection & the future
25 years in Motion design & VFX & Producing for Marvel & Netflix
Thanks to our podcast partner
EP - 30 Scott Geersen
Scott Geersen : Substance
Scott is the founder and director of Substance, a strategic moving image studio known for refining complex ideas into essential truths, for brands that want to help re-make the world. With a background as an awarded motion designer, compositor, 3D artist, VFX supervisor, and director, Scott leads Substance to create powerful narratives, characterised by collaboration and invention. From title sequences that enthral and commercials that captivate, to motion systems that help define brands, the stories that move us start with substance www.sbstnc.co
Topics Discussed
- Advice to mid level - Motion designers, Compositers & directors
- Running your own studio - Substance
- Early career : Post Prodution & VFX - Digital Pictures, Cutting Edge & The Lab
- Compositing & VFX : Flame sessions & Flame in the future ?
- VFX Supervising
- Being multi disciplined
- Learning 3-D
- International collaboration
- Working on title sequences
- Project review : Aco 2020 Season Launch
- Project review : Tedx 2017 to 2021
- Inspiration & podcasts
- Lessons you have learnt
- Reflection & the future
EP - 29 Jon Gorman
Jon Gorman : Buck - New York
Originally from Melbourne Australia, Jon worked first at Buck LA as a motion designer and then as a art director in New York. Jon has been working on high end design and animation for over 15 years, he is a highly skilled artist and leader and has experience in all areas of production. He is now a creative director at Buck New York working on some of the worlds biggest brands. www.buck.co
Topics Discussed
- Advice to mid level - Motion designers, art directors & directors
- Early career Melbourne Freelancing - XYZ & 21:19
- Buck LA & Buck NYC
- Prevention versus feasibility
- Pitching, Briefing & idea development
- Moodboards, storyboards, style frames & concept art
- Presenting your storyboards
- Art directing storyboards
- Editing & Timing
- Project review - Explainer Videos
- Writing good scripts
- Art directing & creative direction
- Lessons you have learnt
- Reflection & the future
EP 28 - Brendan Seals
Brendan Seals : Luma Pictures
Brendan has a design background and artist experience in FX, Lighting and Compositing. He has carved out a strong look development career in film animation and VFX. After moving to Melbourne from Perth in 2012, he established himself at Luma Pictures before moving up through supervisory roles to become VFX supervisor, were he’s worked on blockbuster films and TV series. Passionate about filmmaking and a sucker for sci-fi, he supervise’s with a keen eye for conceptual design and story telling and loves to collaborate. www.luma.inc
Topics Discussed
- Making better show & breakdown reels
- Boogie Monster - working in television commercials
- Creating vfx for the indie feature : Sororal
- Prevention versus feasibility
- Luma career development
- Luma pipeline and technology
- Advantages and disadvantages of bing multi disciplined 3D generalist
- Project discussion : Spider-man, Black panther & Doctor strange
- Being a better supervisor - methods and ideas
- Good Briefing, critiquing methods and notes
- Exciting new technologies & methods
- Balance & overtime
- Reflection & the future
EP 27 - Jo Boag
Jo Boag : SLR Productions
Jo has worked in the animation industry for more than 25 years. She began her career as an Animator and moved on to designing and directing animation for television and advertising. In 2001, Jo co-created, designed and directed Gloria’s House series which screened globally. Jo has been the creative director at SLR Productions for 15 years and is in charge of developing and overseeing the creative direction of productions. Jo is an Emmy Award winning Creative Director and won the ADG award for best animation Project. Jo was also the B&T Women in Media Creative of the Year winner. www.slrproductions.com
Topics Discussed
- Advice to animators & illustrators
- Failures in your career & hard things you had to learn
- Successful Women in the industry
- Transitioning in to being creative director & Being a first time director
- Awards - winning a Emmy, ADG & B&T
- SLR Productions : creating kids TV series
- SLR Productions : Pipeline and equipment
- Being effective as creative director & leader
- Revisions & listening as a creative director
- Writing & giving a strong brief & Methods for delivering bad news
- Project discussion : Gasp! & Guess how much I love you.
- Directing voice talent
- Reflection & the future
EP 26 - Raoul Marks
Raoul Marks : Antibody
Raoul Marks is an Emmy-award winning, Bafta-nominated Director and 3d Motion Designer. Along with creative partner Patrick Clair at Antibody, Marks has created some of the most iconic opening title sequences of all time, including True Detective, American Gods, Lovecraft Country, Man in the High Castle, Westworld and The Crown. Raoul also works for clients in the music, fashion, sporting and gaming industries, including Adidas, Louis Vuitton, MTV Halo and Far Cry 6. Raoul is both a outstanding 3D generalist and a 2d design driven artist. www.raoulmarks.com & www.antibody.tv
Topics Discussed
- Advice to Motion Designers & 3D Artists
- Working overseas and career development
- Failures in your career & hard things you had to learn
- Transitioning from graphic design to motion design
- Passion projects : Spring & Semi-Permanent 2015
- Experience of working on True Detective
- Awards - winning Emmys
- Working remotely & pipeline and equipment
- Creative partnership with Patrick Clair
- Working for Elastic studio in Los Angeles & Remotely
- Working in Advertising, Game Cinematic’s & with brands
- Projects discussion : 1 The Crown 2 West World 3 Man In The High Castle
- Reflection & the Future
EP 25 - Matthew Everitt
EP 25 - Matthew Everitt : MR X
Matt has over 25 years experience in the animation industry. Beginning as a 2D animator for TV, before learning 3D Animation to work in games in the mid 90’s. Matt then moved into commercials, creating content for brands such as Nestle, KIA & Vodafone. He also worked on Madonna’s Grammy live show with animated band the Gorillaz. From commercials he moved to animated features, for which his credits include: Happy Feet 2, The LEGO Movies, Walking With Dinosaurs, Dora - The Lost City of Gold and Cats. Matt currently works as Animation Supervisor for MrX Adelaide, also acts as executive producer for the animated features The Wishmas Tree & Combat Wombat and has movie titles in development. www.mrxfx.com
Topics Discussed
- Advice to mid-level animators, & supervisors
- Failures in your career
- Hardest things you had to learn
- 2D animation for TV & gaming
- Passion Pictures UK - Gorillaz and Madonna
- MTV & Ricky Gervais
- Framestore - moving into films
- How did your role change
- Animal Logic - moving to Australia
- Selling your ideas to others
- Animating animals & creatures. Plus Realistic animation
- Onset animation Supervising
EP 24 - Andrew Montague
EP 24 - Andrew Montague : Pixel
Andrew has a strong visual foundation in fine art, technical knowledge and creative passion, partnered with a wealth of production and post production experience. He is a multi-disciplined artist who works at the elite level in both motion design and commercial visual effects, as well as, being an accomplished live-action director in both television commercials and short films. He has worked on Australian TV dramas, films and in some of the top VFX and Motion Design studios in Australia, London and New York. Andy is currently a Director & VFX Artist at Pixel. www.pixel.melbourne
Topics Discussed
- Advice to VFX artists & motion designers
- Being multi disciplined in motion design & visual effects
- Money, pressure on rates, negotiation and incomes
- Failures in your career & hard things you had to learn
- Working at The Mill in London
- Head of motion design at MPC In New York
- Writing for Motionographer
- About pixel & studio pipeline
- Winning work and pitching
- The Art of Online editing
- Lessons learned Directing TVCs
- Directing Short films : Attic & Blackwood
EP 23 - Diana Costantini : ABC made
Diana Costantini is a multi-award winning Creative Director with a diverse history in broadcast design, branding, promotions and marketing. Diana travelled the world working for various media organisations before founding her own design and branding agency, Tactic Creative, in Sydney Australia. Tactic operated for 12 years and during that time, the Tactic creative team were successful in winning pitches all over the world. Diana has personally been Creative Director across 30+ TV channel branding projects and is currently head of the in-house creative agency ABC Made at the ABC. www.vimeo.ABCmade
Topics Discussed
- Advice to motion designer’s and animators
- XYZ Entertainment : Creating TV Channel Brands
- Early career & Working in New York
- Failures in your career & hard things you had to learn
- Starting your own design agency Tactic Creative
- Winning work and pitching
- 12 years of Tactic Creative & closing Tactic
- Creative Direction of brands and projects at the ABC
- 12 years of Tactic Creative & closing Tactic
- What makes a good creative director
- Selling your ideas
- ABC Kids Brand development
EP 22 - Travis Hogg
EP 22 - Travis Hogg - Airbag
Travis is the owner and senior director at the award-winning Airbag productions, which he established with his partner over 16 years ago. He focuses on photo-real VFX which allows him to transform any 'out-there' idea into something visually amazing. Travis has a decorated past, winning many Awards. He began as a commercial photographer in London, moving through a landscape of still work, live action, and visual effects, to arrive where he is today at AIRBAG. His work is - all at once - technical, beautiful, subtle and bold. www.airbag.co
Topics Discussed
- Advice for Director’s & VFX Artist’s on the best way to progress your career
- Early career - Starting out in the UK & working with Nick
- Challenges & failures
- Moving into Richmond & bringing on partners
- Running your own production Company
- Studio Pipeline & Being on the Tools
- Importance of awards
- Directing skills & supervising style
- Treatments and Pitching
- Directing TVC’s with visual effects
- VFX post production
- Passion Projects
- The future
EP 21 - Kelly Lynagh
EP 21 - Kelly Lynagh - 12field Animation studio
Kelly is a director, animator and producer with over 20 years experience in animation. She has worked on a variety of high quality Australian and international TV series. She co-founded the animation studio Bigkidz Entertainment in 2001, working variously as a director, editor, animator, production manager and background designer on television series and pilots, TVC’s and award-winning short animated films. Kelly has a degree in Visual Arts in Animation and has lectured at a tertiary level in Story Structure and Project Management. Currently Kelly is a director and co-owner of 12field Animation studio. www.12field.com.au
Topics Discussed
- Advice for animators & designers & Best way to progress your career
- Early career - Melbourne & Perth & The New Adventures of Ocean Girl & QUADS
- Bigkidz : Building an animation studio & Merging animation studios
- 12field animation studio work & culture
- Pipeline and studio development
- Collaboration with Media world
- Exploring directing The Flaming’ Thongs
- Directing skills & supervising style
- Being a first time director
- Directing skills & supervising style
- Narrative and story
- Sustainability of the industry
- Quality & failures
EP 20 - Luke Hetherington
EP 20 - Luke Hetherington - Industrial Light & Magic
Recorded at SIGGRAPH Asia : Luke Hetherington is the Executive in Charge of ILM’s Singapore studio and responsible for all films in production at the studio as well as overseeing all studio operations, marketing, and bidding on future projects. In July 2019, his role expanded to include the buildout and oversight of ILM’s Sydney studio. Hetherington’s experience in building high functioning teams plays a critical role in his work at the studio. Prior to joining ILM, Hetherington had 20 years of experience in the animation and visual effects industry. He spent the 17 years at Animal Logic in Australia where he helped lead the company through a period of outstanding growth in roles including Head of Film VFX, Executive Producer, Head of Production, and Head of CG. www.ilm.com
Topics Discussed
- Lukes story & career path
- Early career - TVC’s, broadcast design & Farscape TV series
- How did Happy Feet change Animal Logic
- Becoming a supervisor, challenges, promoting artist’s & advice
- Leadership, challenges learnings & tips
- Outward facing as a executive producer & pitching process
- Projects : most successful and satisfying
- ILM Transition - internal training - software & pipeline
- Work life Balance
- About ILM Sydney
- Inspiration & the Future
EP 19 Alan Do
EP 19 - Alan Do - Cadre Pictures
Alan Do is Co-founder and Look Development artist at Cadre Pictures. Since early 2000s, he's worked in the 3d industry for over 15 years. His VFX work includes the automotive, financial, retail and entertainment in the advertising industry. Having worked as a Senior 3d Generalist / Lighter at Robot VFX and Method Studios, his expertise concentrates cinematic quality on photo-realistic creatures, stylised characters, natural and mechanical surfaces. Since co-founding Cadre Pictures, Alan has focused his efforts to ensure that every project is finished to the highest possible standard with stunning visuals to match.. www.cadrepictures.com.au
Topics Discussed
- Alan's story & career path
- Mastering your creative craft
- The process of 3D look development
- A good promotional, texturing and lighting shot
- Generalists to specialists
- What it takes to become an expert - the Conan wheel of pain
- Robot VFX, Ben West & Fugu and Tako the movie
- Creating high-end TVC’s
- Briefing a 3d artist
- Starting your own studio
- Understanding Cadre specialist pipeline
- Podcast recommendations & lots more
EP 18 - Octavio De Lellis
EP 18 - Octavio De Lellis - Simulation Expert
Octavio De Lellis has over 20 years of experience in the VFX and post-production industries. He has worked across a range of diverse roles, from modeling, to animation and lighting, to creative direction and directing. Octavio's years of working in post-production also mean he has nurtured a deep familiarity with the inner workings of the advertising industry. This knowledge, coupled with a strong design background and a keen eye for detail make him an outstanding problem solver. Over the last 6 years Octavio has specialised in Fluid Simulation. www.octavio.tv
Topics Discussed
- Growing up in South America
- Starting out in visual effects on Farescape
- Starting, building, operating and closing a small studio.
- Tips for starting up a small studio
- Salaries rates and payments
- Running small teams & creating 3-D for advertising
- Transitioning into liquid and particle work
- How to brief a liquid simulations job
- How to produce a successful particles project
EP 17 - Lara Hopkins
EP 17 - Lara Hopkins : Framestore
Over the last 25 years Lara Hopkins has worked internationally in production and talent management across most areas of animation and VFX including stop motion, cel animation, VFX + CG features, commercials and immersive projects. Starting her career in production in Adelaide at claymation specialists Anifex, she then moved to Sydney to produce commercials at Animal Logic. After a short stint at Advertising Agency Saatchi and Saatchi in Hong Kong, Lara joined Framestore in London as a Senior Producer in Advertising. In 2003 she moved to a CG artist manager role in Framestore's feature film division, covering both artist resource management and recruitment in CG and compositing. Heading back to Sydney she became Studio Manager for Rising Sun Picture's Sydney office, moving then to Dr D Studios to head up the recruitment team. She then returned to Framestore, moving to New York in 2012 to expand their film division, and also crewing Framestore's new offices in Montreal, Los Angeles and most recently Chicago. Lara is currently based in Sydney and consults exclusively for Framestore. She is also passionate about supporting gender diversity in animation and VFX with a strong belief that the best teams are those that are balanced. www.framestore.com
Topics Discussed
- Framestore
- CV, cover letter and Interview
- Dr D & George Miller - building a studio of 800 artists
- Leadership, negotiations, recruiting and future jobs
- Explore the issue of women in the industry & Having kids
- 27 years in vfx / animation and working overseas
EP 16 - Annabel Dundas
EP 16 - Annabel Dundas : TILT
Annabel has been Founder and Creative Director of TILT for nearly twenty years and the company has a portfolio of impressive projects and highly regarded clients globally. Having worked around the world she has been influenced by many cultures and therefore has a broad understanding of different markets and how audiences perceive communication. Although small, TILT has worked with some big name clients, producing some award winning projects. www.tiltcreative.com.au
Topics Discussed
- Running your own studio
- Being a top freelancer
- Early career - working overseas
- Tilt - London
- Tilt : Melbourne
- FIFA and World Cup
- Broadcast design industry : Budgets, sustainable and the future
- Women in the workforce - Explore the issue of women in the industry
- Side-sizing Tilt Melbourne
- The Future
EP 15 - Darren Price
EP 15 - Darren Price : Mighty Nice
From 2001-2007, Darren Price established the 3D studio for Nexus Productions in London, then went on to win a BAFTA for his first short movie “Potapych – The Bear Who Loved Vodka”. Moving back to Sydney, Darren set up and built Mighty Nice into an internationally recognised creative studio delivering award-winning animation. Working on “This Way Up”, the short film was nominated for an Oscar for best animated short and won numerous film festival awards. He has directed hundreds of acclaimed TV commercials and co-directed ‘Bottersnikes & Gumbles’ in 2015-2016, a twice Logie-nominated children’s series. He is also co-creator of preschool TV series ‘Kazoops’. www.mightynice.com.au
Topics Discussed
- Running your own studio
- Being a top freelancer
- Early career, building Nexus 3D Studios - London
- Building an animation studio - Mighty Nice
- Pipeline and studio development
- As a creative director : Maintaining quality
- Developing series animation content : The process
- Projects : Bottersnikes and Gumbles and Kazoops!
- Projects : ‘Square Peg’
- Inspiration
EP 14 James Hackett
EP 14 - James Hackett : Studio Hackett
After working in London for five years James established Studio Hackett (formerly Hackett Films) in the early 2000s, and has gone on to build an incredibly diverse portfolio of work. The studio’s work has won multiple awards – there’s even a couple of Arias sitting in the office. James and Studio Hackett have carved themselves a unique place in the Australian production industry. James’ skills and experience have enabled Studio Hackett to work in sectors that range from broadcast TV to educational games. His expertise is the lynchpin between story and design. James loves getting to the heart of a character and is happy directing live-action talent or animated characters. He has recently written a young adult science-fiction novel, Ectogen, to be published soon. www.studiohackett.com
Topics Discussed
- Working in the industry and getting a job in a studio
- Essential must haves for freelancers
- Mastery of skills versus balance
- Tips for creative directors around creating ideas
- Managing your studio in times of heavy workloads
- Being a good manager / creative director
- The benefits of mentoring and how to make mentoring work for you
- Creative writing has a passion project
- Benefits of writing to a creative professional or studio
EP 13 Peter Viska
EP 13 - Peter Viska : Viskatoons
Peter Viska has been a major part of the Australian animation industry for 38 years, where he has kept abreast of technology to be a content creator and producer for global television networks, international advertising agencies, online games and small businesses. Steeped in a history of loving satire and cartoon humour, Viska graduated to animation from a career as a political cartoonist and illustrating the famous Far Out, russel Sprout!, All Right, Vegemite! and Unreal, Banana Peel! series of books.
As head of the MICKEY DUCK Animation Co., he directed and produced animation for the advertising industry (Freddo Frog, Target, Telstra, Bloo Loo, Heinz, i-select and the TAC) and for 15 years was major supplier of animation for The Australian Children’s Television Foundation (The Greatest Tune on Earth, The Hedge and Mr Snip, Lift Off, Kaboodle). The association culminated in the production of Li’l Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers, which was his original concept and the first Australian – French animation Co-Production.
A global presence necessitated a name change to VISKATOONS. He co-wrote and directed the hugely successful MonsterChef for ABC3. Peter was also the Art Director for the award winning casual game, Jolly Rover. Peter is the Creator, Director and Executive Producer of Jar Dwellers SOS. Peter was Executive Producer of Film Victoria supported Suspect Moustache (SBS). He received the Australian Cartoonists Association Stan Cross Award for Animation Cartoonist in 2014. He leads a team of award winning animators and designers who push the boundaries of animation and fun.
EP 12 Grant Freckelton
EP 12 - Grant Freckelton : Animal Logic
Grant has been working in the Visual Effects and Animation industry since 1998, as an Illustrator, Art Director, VFX Supervisor and Production Designer. Most recently, Grant was Production Designer on The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Movie. Prior to this, Grant served as Art Director on Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, Directed by Zack Snyder, for which he won an AFI ACTAA award for Best Visual Effects. This followed his previous collaboration as Visual Effects Art Director on Snyder’s 300, for which he won a Satellite award for VFX. www.animallogic.com
EP 11 Gareth O'Brien
EP 11 - Gareth O'Brien : Buck Sydney
Gareth is the Creative Director of Buck’s Sydney studio. After studying design at Massey University he freelanced in Wellington for a few years before moving to New York. Here he joined an eager 4 man crew at Buck NY which he saw grow to a team of 40 odd artists. In 2015 he moved with his family to Sydney to open the doors to Buck’s 3rd studio.
EP 10 Tim Dyroff
EP 10 - Tim Dyroff
Tim is a multi-award winning Creative Director, Designer, Compositor and Editor. He brings over 20 years experience in the creative industries and is the founder of boutique production house Resolution Design. Tim is a unique Directorial talent able to combine performance; animation and visual effects work in a confident and fresh approach. Tim has received local and international acclaim for his imaginative visual work and direction.
www.resolutiondesign.com.au & www.timdyroffphotography.com.au
EP 9 James Cowen
EP9 - James Cowen
James is Founder and Creative Director of Yes Captain, a design led motion studio based in Melbourne. With 20 years experience across feature films, television, advertising, music videos, shorts, events, documentaries and digital, James takes a no bull shit approach to creating entertaining, narrative driven, emotive design and animation. James is also Co-Founder of NodeFest - Australia's dedicated motion design event.
EP 8 Glenn Melenhorst
EP8 - Glenn Melenhorst
With a background in design and traditional 2D animation, Glenn has refined his skills over the last 28 years and now oversees many film projects as a VFX Supervisor at Deluxe’s Iloura. With his vast knowledge of film production and his commitment to creative excellence, Glenn supervises Iloura’s projects from concept to completion. Most recently, Glenn oversaw the Iloura team that delivered a significant suite of work for the Emmy Awards winning “Battle of the Bastards” Season 6 Episode 9 crescendo of HBO’s tentpole series Game of Thrones. NOTE : Since we recorded this interview Iloura has merged with Method Studios.