The VFX Process

AI filmmaking is rapidly transforming the film industry. In this episode, we sit down with Nikola Todorovic, co-founder of Wonder Dynamics, to explore how AI tools are changing visual effects, film production, and the future of storytelling. Nikola shares his journey from working as a VFX artist to building Wonder Dynamics and Flow Studio, tools designed to make high-end visual effects accessible...

In this episode, we sit down with Seiji Anderson and David Weinstock to break down the making of F451. an Unreal Engine cinematic inspired by Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. They share how they transformed the novel’s dystopian themes into a visually striking real-time short film using Unreal Engine.. From concept to final render, this conversation dives into the creative and technical process behi...

In this episode we’re joined by India Barnardo, animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios, award-winning filmmaker, and creator of the animated short film Cat & Moth. We explore India’s inspiring journey from runner at Framestore to working on major animated films including Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Moana 2, Zootopia 2, The Sea Beast and more. She shares behind-the-scenes insights i...

In this episode, we sit down with Nishaan Singh, a 20-year-old Blender artist and 3D generalist whose journey started at just 13 years old. Nishaan was hired as a 3D apprentice at 16 by our company Bigtooth Studios, and we catch up with him to see how his animation career has evolved since then. We dive deep into the process behind his award-winning Blender short films, Joyrider and Detour, both c...

In this episode we sit down with David Stapp, Cinematics Director at Form Studios and host of Virtual Production Insider, to break down his career journey and the creation of his latest Unreal Engine cinematic inspired by the Battlefield universe. With over a decade of experience across film, VFX, post-production, cinematography, and virtual production, David shares how his background in tradition...

In this in-depth podcast interview, we sit down with Aaron Blaise, a legendary animator with 38 years of experience, known for his work at Disney Animation Studios during the golden era of the 1990s. Aaron shares incredible stories from animating Disney classics like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and directing Brother Bear. Aaron opens up about his life-changing journey after the d...

In this interview, writer, director, and self-taught animator Denver Jackson shares the incredible journey behind creating not one, but two solo animated feature films — Esluna: The Crown of Babylon and The Worlds Divide. From teaching himself 2D animation, to battling carpal tunnel and back issues, to reinventing his workflow in Blender 3D, Denver breaks down exactly how he built these full-lengt...

We chat with UK-based illustrator Luke Preece, who started his career as a graphic designer, moved into video game GUI work, and eventually found his true calling — illustration. In this interview, Luke takes us on a creative journey from designing for games to producing iconic artwork and posters for some of the world’s biggest rock and metal bands, including Metallica, Blink-182, Pantera and Foo...

In this episode, we talk with Magnus Møller, animator, 3D artist, and creative director of Tumblehead Animation Studio — an award-winning production company based in Viborg, Denmark, which he runs with his partner Peter Smith. Magnus shares how he built Tumblehead from the ground up and what it takes to run a successful animation studio. He offers practical advice on getting clients, maintaining c...

We sit down with Character Animator & Director Luciano A. Muñoz Sessarego, who shares his remarkable journey through the animation industry. We dive into the making of Freelance — a solo short film that grew into a worldwide collaboration and was ultimately completed with the help of Tumblehead Animation Studio. 💬 In this conversation:  • The highs and lows of creating Freelance over six year...

Trevor Carlee shares his inspiring journey — from creating a 3D artwork for every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to his first fan short, “Buffy: Into the Slayerverse” (a Spider-Verse-style Buffy animation), to discovering Bricklink and Mecabricks, the online platforms that changed everything. With these platforms’ free LEGO 3D meshes, Trevor was able to speed up his workflow and bring his LE...

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Luke Angus, a professional animator and director from Glasgow, to talk about his award-winning 3D animated short film Solstice. Solstice has already made waves on the festival circuit, winning multiple awards including Best Short at the prestigious Short Shorts Film Festival – an OSCAR® and BAFTA accredited festival. This win has secured Luke the oppor...

We sit down with three members of TMC — James Dower, Constantin Kormann, and Bernhard Engstler — the indie filmmaking collective behind the incredible BattleTech fan film series HIRED STEEL. In this conversation, we focus on HIRED STEEL - A Mech Machinima – Episode 4, the first project where TMC integrated Unreal Engine (UE5) into their filmmaking pipeline. They reveal how they combined Blender fo...

In this episode, we sit down with Josué Zabeau , a 3D artist with an engineering background, to break down his incredible Blender short film Heritage . What started as a small personal project quickly evolved into one of the most action-packed Blender short films , showcasing jaw-dropping 3D realism, cinematic motion, and high-speed intensity — all created inside Blender. We explore the full creat...

We sit down with Peter Haynes, the director and creator of the acclaimed fantasy live‑action webseries AFK and the viral Star Wars parody series For The Empire, hosted on his channel Epically Casual. We dive deep into Peter’s transition from live‑action filmmaking to digital production using Unreal Engine during the COVID lockdowns — a journey that began with a viral tech test featuring two stormt...

In this episode, we sit down with Arthur Baum — a Director of Photography turned VFX artist and 3D filmmaker — to explore his remarkable journey into the world of Unreal Engine filmmaking. Just three years after stepping into the 3D space, Arthur claimed the spotlight by winning Kitbash3D’s “Secrets of the Luminara” challenge with his jaw-dropping short film, Tuk Tuk Tango — a 4.5-minute, action-p...

What happens when a hospital administrator with no animation background decides to make a 25-minute sci-fi film in Blender — solo? Meet Dave Brain, the creator of Kosmic Kidnap and the face behind Dave Makes a Movie. In this episode, Dave shares how he taught himself Blender by diving straight into making a full animated short, what he's learned along the way, and how he's building a follo...

We sit down with Butterbug, the creator of the viral HELLDIVERS 2 fan film Straight to Hell — a fully animated short made in Blender. Inspired by the chaotic universe of Helldivers 2 and the cinematic VFX techniques of Ian Hubert, Butterbug shares how he brought this ambitious project to life. We dive deep into his creative process, how he started learning Blender, and what it takes to build a sta...

In this episode, we sit down with Jackie Droujko — a talented 2D character artist, filmmaker, and YouTuber from Vancouver, Canada. Jackie is known for her work with major studios like Disney TV, Netflix, and Nickelodeon, but in this interview, she opens up about stepping into unfamiliar territory: creating her first 2D/3D hybrid short film, Space Dates 5, using Blender. Co-created with her husband...

Go behind the scenes with VFX artist, filmmaker, and YouTuber Sam Denison aka Samster, as he reveals the making of We Few Survivors — a fan made short film set in the universe of The Last of Us. Sam shares how he used cutting-edge Vicon motion capture (mocap) technology and a talented cast of actors to bring both survivors and infected to life. From capturing realistic performances to building imm...

The VFX industry is evolving quickly, and if you're exploring careers in VFX or want to know how to get into the VFX industry, this episode is packed with real-world insight. Jamie sits down with his longtime friend and former colleague Miran Dilberovic — now a Senior Cinematic Artist at Epic Games London — for a candid conversation about VFX jobs in 2025 and what it really takes to succeed. M...

Success as a 3D artist doesn’t always mean happiness. In this emotional and inspiring episode, Lucas Camargo—aka the mind behind Untitled Army—shares the story of how a thriving career in 3D character design and advertising left him burnt out, creatively drained, and personally lost. Despite working with global brands like Nike, Apple, and Coca-Cola and winning some of the industry's top award...

Duncan Rudd, a seasoned CG animator, rigger, and generalist with over 25 years in the industry, shares the story behind Deep Rooted—his fourth animated short and his first created entirely in Blender. Duncan dives into how Blender, Geometry Nodes, and pure passion helped him bring this 10-minute 3D film to life. WATCH DEEP ROOTED: click here We explore Duncan’s creative process, from character and...

Caleb Worcester, a Kansas City-based illustrator and animator, blends traditional and 3D art to create striking, immersive visuals. In this video, he takes us behind the scenes of his stunning stylized 3D short film, Under The Thicket. We explore his creative process, from developing the story and characters to refining the film’s unique style to his rendering techniques in Blender. Caleb also wal...

Is Unreal Engine the #1 filmmaking tool? According to Charlie Driscoll, it just might be. As a cinematographer, Charlie first saw UE5 as a wat to practice real-world filmmaking techniques—but it quickly became a game-changer for crafting professional-level cinematics. Through his YouTube channel, The Darkest Age, he’s pushing the limits of Metahumans, AI motion capture, and real-time rendering to...