CG Garage

Latest Episodes:

Episode 265 - Koki Nagano - Principal Scientist, Pinscreen Feb 24, 2020

Show notes

Digital humans are playing an increasingly important role in our day-to-day lives. CG replicas of people dominate entertainment, from epic movies such as The Irishman to simple YouTube videos. Interacting with AI assistants has become second nature. And social media and news headlines are dominated by the issues surrounding deepfakes.

Joining Chris for this week's podcast is Koki Nagano, who has become an expert in virtual doppelgangers via his research on digital humans at USC and his work at Pinscreen, a company that uses AI to supercharge the creation of 3D personal avatars from a single photo. Koki gets under the skin (literally) of what it takes to create a detailed digital human and talks about how he's approached the uncanny valley from both sides.

Listen to find out some incredible facts about your face — and how combining old and new technology could result in the most accurate digital humans to date.

Episode 264 - EJ Hassenfratz - 3D Creative Director, School of Motion Feb 18, 2020

Show notes

Want to learn how to do 3D in motion graphics? EJ Hassenfratz is your man. After landing on his feet in motion graphics for NBC, PBS and ABC, EJ wound up giving a presentation for Cinema 4D company Maxon, which inspired him to learn more about the software and start creating tutorials. Today, EJ works as a freelance motion designer while crafting courses for the renowned online learning platform, School of Motion.

In this podcast, EJ gives a frank and funny insight into the world of education. He highlights some of the pitfalls of learning for free via YouTube tutorials or graduating with massive debt from college. He presents some dependable advice about taking on challenges and investing in yourself, as well as a nostalgic view of the rapid evolution of technology, animation, education and computer graphics.

Episode 263 - Wael AbdAlmageed - Machine Learning Scientist, ISI Feb 10, 2020

Show notes

"Deepfake" videos have become hugely popular online — for better or worse. This AI-powered technology results in hilarious celebrity head swaps but, as Jordan Peele demonstrated with his manipulation of Barack Obama's speech, they could play a more disturbing role in online misinformation. Computer vision scientist Wael AbdAlmageed's mission is to develop tools that can quickly detect deepfakes with a good degree of accuracy.

As digital human experts, both Chris and Wael took part in a SAG-AFTRA panel at CES and recorded this podcast afterwards. Wael explains some of the telltale signs that you're watching a deepfake video and the approaches computer algorithms use to detect them. He also tackles digital de-aging in movies such as The Irishman and the ethics of facial manipulation. This is a fascinating look at a fight against a technology that is improving day by day.

Episode 262 - Olcun Tan - Owner, Gradient Effects/Secret Lab Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

Originally, Olcun Tan wanted to be a car designer — but seeing Jurassic Park ignited a passion for VFX. Today, he runs Gradient Effects, a global studio that has provided effects for Game of Thrones, Watchmen and Stranger Things. Olcun's career has been defined by finding his own solutions to problems — whether it's creating procedural effects in Maya, using forbidden programming languages at animation studios or setting up his own businesses.

Olcun also breaks down some of the innovative work he's done on a variety of projects, such as crumbling statues in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and crashing helicopters in Black Hawk Down, to more recent projects, including digitally de-aging John Goodman for TV series The Righteous Gemstones with his own Shapeshifter software. You'll find out his role in digitally slimming Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant, as well as tips for starting and locating your own business.

Episode 261 - Justin Denton - Artist, Writer and Director, Blur Studio Jan 27, 2020

Show notes

It's been five years since VR director Justin Denton last joined Chris on the CG Garage Podcast, and in that time he has truly pushed the boundaries of the medium. He's produced jaw-dropping tie-in experiences for Ghost in the Shell, Mr. Robot and Legion. And he's indulged his passion for Dickens' A Christmas Carol via Chained: A Victorian Nightmare, which uses techniques from games and immersive theater to deliver a unique, personalized experience.

Justin is an authority on how the VR industry has shifted and settled, and its uses as a tool and a medium. Meanwhile, in his new role as Staff Director at Blur Studio, he's taking VR techniques into filmmaking with his exhilarating PUBG trailer. He also details his contribution to DD and Time Magazine's project, The March, which takes participants into a VR recreation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic rally.

Episode 260 - Sally Slade, Kat Harris and Emily Van Belleghem - Magnopus Takeover Jan 20, 2020

Show notes

This week's podcast is something a little different — the first-ever CG Garage podcast "takeover." Helming the mic are three talented, funny and smart employees of cutting edge experience studio, Magnopus. Between them, Sally Slade, Kat Harris and Emily Van Belleghem have sent Hololenses to the International Space Station, filed patents, started non-profit organizations and pioneered software development.

Over two and a half hours the trio (plus moderator Chris, and Bella, the dog) discuss the incredible projects they've worked on in the past and dream ideas for the future, the enormous benefits of having a diverse team, Hollywood attitudes to minorities and on-screen hacking — and lots more. Listen to find out why we need more male voice assistants, the dangers of mansplaining to pro devs — and how to help Mark Zuckerburg stir dragon vomit live on stage.

Episode 259 - Andrea Blasich - Sculptor, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" Jan 13, 2020

Show notes

Andrea Blasich's love of sculpting began on the beaches of southern Italy and it's taken him all the way to Hollywood, where his talents have been put to use on movies including Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Brave and Ice Age 2: The Meltdown. In this podcast, recorded at THU, he explains why time-honored techniques are still relevant in digital pipelines.

Andrea sheds light on his working process, which involves using clay in combination with 3D scanners and 3D printers to create and modify his work. He offers his thoughts on ZBrush and VR sculpting tools, talks about his experiences working on games such as The Witness and BioShock 2, and details the complexities of sculpting lips, kilts — and Mickey Mouse.

Episode 258 - Tim Miller - Director, "Terminator: Dark Fate" Jan 06, 2020

Show notes

Much has changed in the three years since director Tim Miller recorded a the 100th episode of the CG Garage podcast. After the runaway success of Deadpool, he returned to the big screen with Terminator: Dark Fate. At the same time, his Heavy Metal-inspired anthology series Love, Death & Robots busted boundaries via Netflix.

In this podcast, he reveals the pressure of directing the $200-million-budget Terminator: Dark Fate, the storytelling and technical decisions behind that beach scene — and why he wound up hugging two audience members. In contrast, he talks about creative freedom and collaboration he enjoyed for Love, Death & Robots and offers some sneak peeks for season 2.

Regular listeners will be pleased to hear that Hollywood stardom hasn't gone to Tim's head, and this podcast offers a truly fascinating insight into the movie industry.

Episode 257 - Ivona Alexandrova - Total Chaos/THU Golden Ticket Winner Dec 31, 2019

Show notes

At Total Chaos 2019, we launched a competition with an amazing prize for one budding CG artist: A "Golden Ticket" to the THU conference in Malta. All the entrants had to do was impress our judges with their story, via text, imagery or video. After poring over the entries there was one clear winner: Ivona Alexandrova, whose positive outlook and artistic skill shone through her work.

Part of the prize was a podcast with Chris Nichols and the result — recorded while THU was in full swing — is sweet and surprisingly inspirational. Ivona talks about teen experiences with CG in Bulgaria and her move to the UK to study the subject at university. She also shares the career tips she's gleaned from Oscar-winning directors and Hollywood VFX artists at Total Chaos and THU.

Want to be in with a chance to win a THU Golden Ticket next year? Join us at Total Chaos!

Episode 256 - Vicki Dobbs Beck - Executive in Charge, ILMxLAB Dec 23, 2019

Show notes

At age 12, Vicki Dobbs Beck started her own business with her mom, selling flowers at Seattle market — and she's been combining creativity with commerce ever since. After leaving Stanford University Graduate School of Business, she got a job at Industrial Light and Magic and became Executive in Charge of ILMxLAB in 2016.

In this podcast, recorded at THU, Vicki tells Chris about the incredible virtual reality projects she's overseen at ILMxLAB, including Alejandro González Iñárritu's Oscar-winning Flesh and Sand (Carne y arena) and Oculus Quest launch title Vader Immortal. Through her role, Vicki has unprecedented insight into the business side of virtual experiences, and you'll find out everything from how to secure funding for VR ideas to the practicalities of writing scripts for interactive experiences.

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