CG Garage

Latest Episodes:

Episode 286 - Andrew Price Founder, Blender Guru / Poliigon Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

Over the past few years, Blender has gone from niche software to a significant part of the CG landscape. The free, open-source 3D package has shed its geeky image and steep learning curve in favor of an accessible interface and simple workflows. And for anyone who wants to learn Blender, Blender Guru's YouTube tutorials are the perfect place to start.

Joining Chris for this week's podcast is Andrew Price — AKA the guru of Blender Guru. He tells Chris how he went from debt collector to a key player in the CG industry, how he found his voice as a YouTuber, how he's taught Blender to prisoners — and why it's better to model a park bench than a spaceship. He also talks about Poliigon, the CG asset site he founded, and the future of Blender.

Episode 285 - Afonso Salcedo - Creative Producer, Photographer, Lighting Artist Jul 27, 2020

Show notes

With his latest Disney project on hold due to COVID-19, lighting artist Afonso Salcedo seized the opportunity to explore his other passion: Photography. Equipped with his trusty camera, he took to Los Angeles' streets to capture their emptiness during lockdown then documented the surge of crowds for the BLM protests.

In his second CG Garage podcast, Afonso explains how these unusual circumstances have allowed him to explore the streets of Los Angeles — a city he's still new to. He also talks about how animation and photography complement one another, how to take great shots in hostile environments, and the diversity of LA's neighborhoods and nature.

Episode 284 - Douglas Trumbull — Visionary Filmmaker & Visual Effects Pioneer Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

This week's podcast features a truly legendary guest: Douglas Trumbull. Over the past 50 years, Douglas has pushed the boundaries of filmmaking via stunning effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and directed his own films including Silent Running and Brainstorm.

Today, Douglas still works tirelessly to enhance the cinematic experience at home and in theaters. His intricate understanding of cameras and projectors led to the creation of the Showscan format which has now evolved into Magi, delivering high-framerate films without the soap-opera look. In this podcast, he gives exclusive insight into his experiences in the movie industry and explains his involvement in Ang Lee's Gemini Man as well as Kevin Margo's CONSTRUCT.

Episode 282 - Glenn Derry - Virtual Production Expert Jul 06, 2020

Show notes

Glenn Derry began his career in practical effects, creating advanced puppets for movies, including A.I. Artificial Intelligence. As CG took over filmmaking, he transferred his skills into visual effects via films such as The Aviator, Real Steel, The Jungle Book and Avatar — for which he coined the phrase "virtual production."

In this discussion with Chris, Glenn talks about the rise of virtual production in filmmaking and his role in making it happen, as well as how real-time and rear-projection, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, have the potential to transform the movie-making process. He also talks about Technoprops, the company he set up to create bespoke motion-capture systems, and how he's introducing a new generation of directors to old-school filmmaking techniques.

Episode 281 - Andy Lomas - Artist and Lecturer in Creative Computing Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

Andy Lomas has always been fascinated with math and filmmaking. On graduating from Cambridge he founded a video production company, then worked on VFX for movies including The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. At the same time, he explored his passion for CG art, making use of render farms in their downtime.

In this podcast, Andy goes into detail on his artwork and how he uses technology, including deep learning and NVIDIA's OptiX API, to create unruly but controllable plantlike and cellular forms. He talks about how he brings together influences from nature, physics and biology, as well as his work on Katana at The Foundry and his current lecturing post at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Episode 280 - Matthew Bannister - Founder, DBOX Jun 22, 2020

Show notes

Matthew Bannister has been a key player in the evolution of arch-viz. Having founded arch-viz studio DBOX in New York in the mid-90s, he's watched the medium grow into an industry unto itself, borrowing techniques from VFX — such as greenscreen, depth-of-field and helicopter shots — to create awe-inspiring work.

But, as Matthew explains, the arch-viz business has become a victim of its own success, with social media accounts reposting artists' work without giving credit. For this reason, Matthew has founded The Credit Revolution, a movement that seeks to remarry artists' titles with the artwork they've poured their blood, sweat and tears into. Matthew also talks about how his musical project, The Beautiful Fear, has helped him tackle personal demons.

Episode 279 - Mike Wuetherick - Head of Tech, Media & Entertainment, Unity Technologies Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

Mike Wuetherick's story begins in the world of videogames, where he created games as well as the engines and middleware that make them work. Today, Mike heads up the Tech, Media and Entertainment division at Unity Technologies, the company behind the ubiquitous game engine that is fast becoming part of the VFX, architecture and automotive pipelines.

In this podcast, Mike tells Chris how techniques and tools from filmmaking and gaming are merging via projects such as The Lion King, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Oats Studios' two sequels to Unity's original Adam short film. Mike offers some fascinating insights into how we'll experience entertainment in the future and where cloud computing, user-generated content and real-time rendering fit into the picture.

Episode 278 - David Guthrie - Founder & Director, fluidG Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

"When you start taking care of other people, amazing things happen," says David Guthrie. And he's right — after discovering the lack of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic, he took matters into his own hands and founded a company to manufacture and distribute face masks, making use of contacts he's made in app development and fashion design.

David also discusses how he teaches the fundamentals of design at Rice University and the University of Houston via projects involving cubes, mandolins and furniture, imposing constraints to investigate and understand form and function. He gives his thoughts on how modern architecture and technology don't encourage socialization — as well as his hopes for the post-COVID future.

Episode 277 - Ben Procter - Production Designer, "Avatar" Sequels May 26, 2020

Show notes

In 18 months, audiences will be transported back to Pandora for Avatar 2 — and Ben Procter is one of the people who's preparing to take us there. This concept artist turned production designer gives insight into the sequel's seven-year production journey, as well as some of the technology his team along with Lightstorm Entertainment and Weta Digital are using to create James Cameron's sumptuous digital world.

Ben also tells Chris about his ascent through the visual effects industry, from his early days at previz pioneer Pixel Liberation Front to The Matrix sequels, Transformers, Tron: Legacy and Ender's Game. He reveals the organized chaos of VFX and art departments, celebrating the characters and methods that can quickly turn around and tweak incredible work. He also gives insight into how virtual production marks a return to more traditional, in-camera filmmaking processes.

Episode 276 - Jim Lammers - President, Trinity3D and Trinity Animation May 18, 2020

Show notes

Jim Lammers knows 3D like no other. Since 1994 his company, Trinity3D, has been vending 3D content and software (including V-Ray). At the same time his studio, Trinity Animation, has created content for technical and medical projects as well as visual effects for the movie Starship Troopers and backdrops for animated sitcom Archer.

In this podcast, Jim joins Chris and Lon to reminisce about SIGGRAPHs past and long-lost data storage media, as well as the shifts that have taken place in the 3D industry since the mid-90s — and how new technology is throwing up familiar problems. Jim also talks about how his team creates and delivers Archer's painterly backdrops while giving the show's designers creative control, the issues that make legal animations so challenging — and the inner workings of industrial flour-sifting machines.

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