Episode 489 - A.J. Wedding - Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Orbital Virtual Studios
Release Date: 09/16/2024
Episode 515 - Daniel Thron, Chris Nichols, and Lily Nichols - CG Garage’s new home, Monstrous Moonshine
CG Garage
Episode 515 marks the very first CG Garage Podcast episode under the Monstrous Moonshine banner, and it’s a big reset moment. Chris is joined by longtime collaborator Daniel Thron and new producer/coordinator Lily Nichols to introduce this new chapter. Together, they reflect on the origins of the Monstrous Moonshine name, its ties to both 1970s cinema and mathematics, and why it represents the kind of creative synchronicity they want to bring into filmmaking. They also talk openly about the transition from Chaos, where the podcast began 11 years ago, and what this move means for the future...
info_outline
Episode 514 - Armen Kevorkian - Ingenuity Studios, President
CG Garage
This episode marks the final CG Garage podcast under the Chaos umbrella. The next chapter of the show will launch under a new banner, continuing the conversations that explore the art, craft, and future of filmmaking. Armen Kevorkian joins Chris to reflect on his long career in visual effects, from his early start as an intern on Star Trek: Voyager and Deep Space Nine to becoming the president of Ingenuity Studios. He shares how mentorship in those formative years at Paramount shaped his career, his transition into supervising on shows like Invasion and The Flash, and the evolution of VFX in...
info_outline
Episode 513 - Siggraph 2025 - Simeon Balabanov & Georgi Zhekov on Chaos Vantage & Arena
CG Garage
At SIGGRAPH 2025, Chaos unveils major updates to Vantage and Arena that significantly expand real-time ray tracing workflows. Product managers Simeon Balabanov and Georgi Zhekov join Chris to break down the new capabilities, including native USD and MaterialX support, Gaussian splats with ray-traced lighting, volumetric caches, and a streamlined pipeline that keeps the same asset across previs, virtual production, and post. This episode arrives just in time for SIGGRAPH, where these features are being officially announced, giving listeners an early look at what will be showcased in Vancouver....
info_outline
Episode 512 - Susan O’Neal - VFX, Post, and Technology Recruiter, BLT Recruiting
CG Garage
In this episode, Chris chats with Susan O’Neal, a long-time force in the visual effects industry, about her remarkable career journey and insights into the evolving VFX world. Susan recounts starting as employee #24 at Digital Domain in the early ’90s, working on landmark projects like Titanic, and moving through various studios such as Lightstorm, A52, CIS, Zoic, and Riot. Along the way, she wore many hats, from operations to production, before pivoting to recruiting, where she found her niche connecting talent with opportunity while balancing her family life. Susan shares candid stories...
info_outline
Episode 511 - Chad Wanstreet & Allan McKay - Co-Founders, Version Zero
CG Garage
VFX veterans Chad Wanstreet and Allan McKay join Chris to talk about their new startup, Version Zero, a company aimed at automating the mundane tasks that bog down visual effects work. Born out of years of frustration with tedious jobs like roto, paint, plate cleanup, and matchmove, Version Zero helps artists and studios save time and focus on the creative parts of production. Chad and Allan share the origin story of the company, which started over Thanksgiving wine and coffee, and explain how their tools are already being used on shows like The Sympathizer and SWAT. The conversation dives...
info_outline
Episode 510 - Industry Roundtable — James Cameron, AI, Sinners, and Indie films
CG Garage
We’re trying something new this week and taking a break from the usual interview format. This episode kicks off a roundtable discussion format that we plan to revisit every few months. Chris is joined in person by Daniel Thron and James Blevins, both CG Garage podcast veterans, for a relaxed but sharp conversation about recent events in technology and the movie industry. The group starts with James Cameron’s bold claim that he wants to use AI to cut costs without laying anyone off, and whether that’s even realistic in today’s production model. They also discuss MUBI, a platform well...
info_outline
Episode 509 - Marti Romances - Co-Founder and Creative Director, Territory Studio San Francisco
CG Garage
Marti Romances, co-founder and creative director of Territory Studio San Fransisco, joins the podcast to share his journey from designing DVD menus in Spain to creating iconic futuristic interfaces for blockbuster films like Prometheus, The Martian, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. With roots in multimedia and motion graphics, Marti explains how his early passion for architectural drawings and spatial design naturally evolved into a unique approach to interface aesthetics. His breakthrough came when he moved to the UK and joined Activision, eventually landing...
info_outline
Episode 508 - Michael Ralla - VFX Supervisor, "Sinner"
CG Garage
Michael Ralla joins the podcast to share his journey through the world of visual effects, with a focus on his latest project as VFX Supervisor on the film Sinners. He discusses how he worked closely with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, whose fearless approach to lighting and darkness pushed the creative envelope. The episode features a deep conversation about the differences between film and digital, the evolving language of color, and how these choices impact storytelling—insights that are especially relevant to the visual style of Sinners. Michael also opens up about his...
info_outline
Episode 507 - Jess Loren - CEO, Global Objects
CG Garage
Jess Loren, CEO and co-founder of Global Objects, joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of immersive content and the creative tech reshaping the industry. A force to be reckoned with, Jess has a sharp pulse on where things are headed, and she doesn't hold back when discussing the current state of Hollywood. She talks candidly about the challenges studios and creators face today, and how technology like digital scanning, virtual production, and Gaussian splats can embolden independent filmmakers. Jess also shares insight into how she builds meaningful partnerships across...
info_outline
Episode 506 - Johnson Yan — Real-time CGI Pioneer
CG Garage
Johnson Yan, a trailblazer in real-time 3D graphics, joins the podcast to recount his remarkable journey from the earliest days of computer graphics and flight simulation. Starting in the late 1970s, Johnson tackled fundamental challenges like texture mapping, anti-aliasing, translucency, and scalability, long before today's GPU technology emerged. He shares insights into his pioneering work at Singer-Link, where he developed flight simulators utilizing vector graphics and early raster technology, laying the groundwork for both military training and future advancements in real-time...
info_outlineIn this episode, Chris sits down with AJ Wedding, founder of Orbital Studios, to discuss how the Chaos Innovation Lab used his studio to film Ray Tracing FTW using Project Arena. AJ shares how his early fascination with virtual production, inspired by his work on The Mandalorian, led him to launch Orbital Studios during the pandemic. He explains the challenges of building a virtual production studio from scratch, perfecting LED panel technology, and saving productions like Snowfall significant time and money.
AJ also explores the advancements in virtual production, discussing AI tools and their impact on giving filmmakers real-time creative control. He highlights the importance of educating producers and DPs on how to maximize this technology’s potential. AJ’s insights show how virtual production is transforming the film industry, making it more accessible to filmmakers of all levels.