CG Garage
Technology
About
Since 2014, CG Garage has brought lively, informal conversations with Oscar-winning legends, visionary artists, and the innovators driving the industry's biggest technological leaps. From in-depth interviews to spirited roundtable discussions, hosts Chris Nichols and Daniel Thron explore the art, craft, and future of filmmaking. With Hollywood in the middle of a major revolution, we talk to the filmmakers who are making that transformation possible, covering everything from behind-the-scenes stories on iconic movies to the cutting-edge tools reshaping the industry.
Episodes
- Your VFX Skills Are Your AI Advantage | Marc Rienzo | Episode 547
Veteran VFX artist Marc Rienzo explains how deep experience in compositing provides an advantage with AI tools, contrasting it with prompt-based generation. The discussion covers matching shots to camera, intentional optical imperfections,…
- VidViz, a Pocket Watch, and the Character That Rewrote June July | Episode 546
The CG Garage podcast discusses the deconstruction of the film industry, distinguishing it from AI or streaming issues, and focusing on the collapse of the middle ecosystem. It also explores how shooting vid-viz on an iPhone led to the dis…
- Episode 545 - Victor Varnado: Why Every Creator Needs to Think Like an Entrepreneur
Victor Varnado, a comedian and CEO, shares his journey into tech with High Score Game Arcade, developed patented accessibility gaming tech, and discusses creator entrepreneurship, sustainable revenue models, and the risks of AI deployment.
- Episode 544 - Jay Worth: Fallout Season 2, 500 Episodes of Hard Lessons, and when to say no
Jay Worth shares insights from three decades in TV VFX, discussing his work on Fallout Season 2, including specific sequences and production challenges. He also touches on his approach to VFX supervision, the importance of early writer inv…
- Episode 543 - Stan Szymanski and Susan O'Neal: What VFX Talent Actually Needs to Look Like Now
Stan Szymanski and Susan O'Neal discuss the current VFX hiring landscape on CG Garage, noting the industry
- Episode 542 - Refuge VFX: How a Portland Boutique Landed Fallout, Shogun, and One Piece
Fred Ruff and Alex Theisen of Refuge VFX explain their storytelling-first approach to visual effects, detailing how they contributed to major productions like Fallout, Shogun, and One Piece. They also discuss the impact of the streaming bu…
- Episode 541 - Ashay Javadekar: The Clapperboard Is 100 Years Old and Nobody Fixed It
Ashay Javadekar, a filmmaker and engineer, discusses the clapperboard's history and how digital filmmaking created metadata challenges. He introduces Eagle Slate, a smart production slate that embeds metadata directly into files, and Eagle…
- Episode 540 - Sean Rourke: The Third Floor and the Tuesday Night Writers Group
Sean Rourke shares his journey in the film industry, including his time at The Third Floor previz studio and his involvement in a notable writers group. The discussion covers the evolution of storytelling due to streaming, the practical ap…
- Episode 539 - Ryan Kelsey on Why Boutique Cloud is the Secret Weapon for Indie VFX Studios
Ryan Kelsey, VP of Sales at Center Grid Virtual Studio, shares his perspective on cloud infrastructure for independent VFX studios. The episode covers topics like the challenges faced by small studios, the economics of VFX projects, and th…
- Episode 538 - Jess Loren on Gaussian Splats, AI Actors, and the Real Future of Virtual Production
Jess Loren discusses Gaussian splats as a production tool and AI's impact on VFX workflows, synthetic actors, and deepfakes. The conversation also covers digitizing prop libraries for 3D assets and robot training sets.
- Episode 537 - Lights, Camera, VidViz! Richard Crudo Joins Chris and Daniel to Plan Our Western: June July
Cinematographer Richard Crudo joined Chris Nichols and Daniel Thron to discuss their VidViz process for rehearsing films before shooting. Crudo shared insights from his career and discussed how VidViz facilitated creative breakthroughs, in…
- Episode 536 - Stop Waiting for the Studio to Save You: Andy Cochrane on the New Media Frontier
Andy Cochrane shares his two decades of experience in the entertainment industry, discussing the decline of traditional studio roles and the rise of independent content creation. He highlights the importance of "tactical generalists" and a…
- Episode 535 - Rob Nederhorst and Ben Hansford: The end of "good enough" in filmmaking
VFX Supervisor Rob Nederhorst and commercial director Ben Hansford discuss the changing landscape of filmmaking, moving beyond the "good enough" era of streaming towards reclaiming the theatrical experience. They explore how AI tools are i…
- Episode 534 - Why Safdie and PTA are Saving Cinema: Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another Breakdown
This episode breaks down Josh Safdie's "Marty Supreme" and Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another," both nominated for Best Picture Oscars. The hosts explore the films' structures, endings, and technical aspects, arguing they rep…
- Episode 533 - Jeff Okun's Decades-Long Battle for VFX Respect and the Future of the VES
Jeff Okun recounts his VFX journey, from early experiments to working on projects like The Last Starfighter and Stargate, and co-founding the Visual Effects Society. He addresses industry challenges, including the 2013 "kerfuffle," unioniz…
- Episode 532 - Josh Safdie's Marty Supreme and the Invisible Mastery of Eran Dinur
VFX Supervisor Eran Dinur shares insights into creating invisible visual effects for Josh Safdie's Marty Supreme, including the meticulous recreation of period crowds. Dinur, a former classical music composer, also discusses the role of AI…
- Episode 531 - Deconstructing Juliano: Michael Moshe Dahan's Yes, Repeat, No
Filmmaker Michael Moshe Dahan joins the podcast to discuss his film "Yes, Repeat, No," which delves into the life of actor-activist Juliano Mer-Khamis. The conversation covers identity, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, filmmaking techniqu…
- Episode 530 - The 2026 Forecast: CG Garage Predicts the Future of Tech and Hollywood
In CG Garage Episode 530, hosts Chris and Daniel, with guests James Blevins and Erick Geisler, forecast 2026 for tech and Hollywood. They discuss AI tool professionalization, studio consolidation, theatrical experience survival, personal A…
- Episode 529 - Efficiency, Artistry, and the LED Wall: Ivan Reel, Executive Leader in Virtual Production, StradaXR
Ivan Reel, Head of Studio Technology at StradaXR, shares his career journey from the print industry to virtual production, discussing StradaXR's use of Chaos Vantage for real-time ray tracing and the potential for virtual production in ind…
- Episode 528 - Why Gen V VFX Looks So Real: A Deep Dive with Supervisor Karen Heston
Visual Effects Supervisor Karen Heston joins CG Garage to discuss the practical filmmaking techniques and analog approach used to create the visceral effects in the superhero spinoff Gen V. She shares insights into her career and discusses…
- Episode 527 - Ben Mauro: Expanding the World of Huxley
Ben Mauro, known for his concept art in blockbusters, discusses the journey of expanding his independent sci-fi universe, Huxley, into a graphic novel series. He shares insights on creative control, the business roadmap for his new prequel…
- Episode 526 - Hoon Kim of Beeble AI: How Switchlight Creates 'Relightable Footage' for Real-Time Filmmaking
Hoon Kim discusses Beeble AI's Switchlight, which creates "relightable footage" by unlighting video to determine object properties and then applying new lighting. The tool offers precise creative control for filmmaking and has potential ap…
- Episode 525 - Dennis Berardi on Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein & Resurrecting Mr. X
Dennis Berardi discusses the technical and artistic challenges of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein and the resurrection of his studio, Mr. X. He covers the blending of physical and digital effects, the business of VFX, and the future of t…
- Episode 524 - VFX Soldier & Scott Ross: The Subsidy Wars
Daniel Lay, formerly VFX Soldier, and Scott Ross revisit their decade-long fight for VFX artists' rights. They detail their legal battle against studios, the role of their law firm in a tariff war, and connect past struggles to present iss…
- Episode 523 - David Morin, Executive Director of the ASWF, on His Journey from Softimage to Securing Open Source
David Morin shares his journey from Softimage and navigating industry changes to leading the Academy Software Foundation. He explains the ASWF's mission to secure open-source software for filmmaking and how it democratizes the creation of…
- Episode 522 - Gabriel Regentin: How Ingenuity Studios Made Weapons Unbelievably Real
VFX Supervisor Gabriel Regentin shares insights into creating realistic visual effects for the film Weapons with Ingenuity Studios, collaborating closely with the director. He also details his career journey from studying technology to wor…
- Episode 521 - Tim Miller Gets Real About Hits, Misses, and What's Next
Director Tim Miller returns to CG Garage to discuss his Hollywood career, covering his work on Deadpool, Love Death & Robots, and Terminator. He also shares his views on the impact of AI on creators, leadership in Hollywood, and the creati…
- Episode 520 - Dan Fowler on 20 years of Virtual Production on the Avatars
Dan Fowler, a virtual production supervising stage operator on James Cameron's Avatar saga, shares his 30-year career journey. He details his transition from music to VFX, his involvement in early virtual production projects, and the techn…
- Episode 519 - Sean Faden, VFX Supervisor - Murderbot
Visual Effects Supervisor Sean Faden details the creation of the Apple TV+ series Murderbot, including budget management, creative solutions like designing a spaceship based on Jiffy Pop, and the influence of AI on the film industry.
- Episode 518 - Scott Ross: "You Got It Wrong About James Cameron"
VFX pioneer Scott Ross critiques the notion of James Cameron operating without studio influence, citing an anecdote from the set of Titanic. He also expresses skepticism about Cameron's public statements on AI, viewing it as a threat to th…
- Episode 517 - Ken Perlin - Professor of Computer Science, NYU
In this CG Garage episode, computer graphics innovator Ken Perlin recounts his journey, the invention of Perlin noise, and its impact on visual effects. He also discusses the future of immersive technology, distinguishing between VR and XR…
- Episode 516 - Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC - Cinematographer, "Sinners"
Host sits down with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the first woman to shoot an IMAX film, "Sinner." She shares insights on her career path, collaboration with artists, and the relationship between cinematographers and visual effect…
- Episode 515 - Daniel Thron, Chris Nichols, and Lily Nichols - CG Garage's new home, Monstrous Moonshine
Episode 515 of CG Garage, now under the Monstrous Moonshine banner, features Daniel Thron and Lily Nichols. They discuss the podcast's new chapter, the origins of the Monstrous Moonshine name, and the current state of the film industry, in…
- Episode 514 - Armen Kevorkian - Ingenuity Studios, President
Armen Kevorkian reflects on his visual effects career, starting with Star Trek and progressing to leading Ingenuity Studios. He details the industrys evolution, including technological advancements, remote work challenges, and the impact o…
- Episode 513 - Siggraph 2025 - Simeon Balabanov & Georgi Zhekov on Chaos Vantage & Arena
Simeon Balabanov and Georgi Zhekov discuss major updates to Chaos Vantage and Arena for Siggraph 2025, focusing on expanded real-time ray tracing, native USD and MaterialX support, and streamlined workflows for previs, virtual production,…
- Episode 512 - Susan O'Neal - VFX, Post, and Technology Recruiter, BLT Recruiting
Susan O'Neal, a VFX industry veteran and recruiter, shares her career journey from early Digital Domain projects to recruiting. She discusses industry shifts including remote work, AI, and virtual production, and provides advice on LinkedI…
- Episode 511 - Chad Wanstreet & Allan McKay - Co-Founders, Version Zero
Chad Wanstreet and Allan McKay, VFX veterans, discuss their startup Version Zero, aimed at automating tedious visual effects tasks. They share the company's origin, its use on TV shows, and their perspective on AI enabling artistry rather…
- Episode 510 - Industry Roundtable — James Cameron, AI, Sinners, and Indie films
This episode features a roundtable discussion with Daniel Thron and James Blevins, covering James Cameron's views on using AI for cost reduction, MUBI's valuation as a platform for indie films, and the broader trends in the movie industry.
- Episode 509 - Marti Romances - Co-Founder and Creative Director, Territory Studio San Francisco
Marti Romances, co-founder and Creative Director of Territory Studio San Francisco, shares his career path from early multimedia work to designing interfaces for films such as Prometheus, The Martian, and Guardians of the Galaxy. He discus…
- Episode 508 - Michael Ralla - VFX Supervisor, "Sinner"
VFX Supervisor Michael Ralla details his experience on the film "Sinners," including his collaboration with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw and discussions on film versus digital mediums and color theory. Ralla also shares his person…
- Episode 507 - Jess Loren - CEO, Global Objects
Jess Loren, CEO of Global Objects, joins CG Garage to discuss the future of immersive content and creative technology. She shares insights on industry challenges, the role of technologies like virtual production, and building partnerships…
- Episode 506 - Johnson Yan — Real-time CGI Pioneer
Johnson Yan, a pioneer in real-time 3D graphics, recounts his journey from the 1970s, tackling early graphics challenges and developing flight simulators. He also discusses his work on affordable 3D graphics chips for consumer PCs and refl…
- Episode 505 - Sebastian Sylwan - VFX and Technology Executive
In this episode, VFX and Technology Executive Sebastian Sylwan reflects on his career at studios like Weta Digital and Scanline. He discusses the difficulties of innovation within production environments and considers how rethinking our re…
- Episode 504 - Scott Ross - UPSTART: The Digital Film Revolution – Managing the Unmanageable
VFX executive Scott Ross discusses the film industry's systemic challenges, broken economics, and the VFX business. He shares insights from his book, 'UPSTART: The Digital Film Revolution – Managing the Unmanageable', reflecting on Digital…
- Episode 503 - Joshua Lastine - Lastine Entertainment Law
Joshua Lastine discusses the film industry's changing legal and business landscape, focusing on AI's role in content creation and distribution. The episode covers legal aspects of AI in filmmaking, studio adaptations, and how technology em…
- Episode 502 - Oliver Markowski - Head of 3D, RISE
Oliver Markowski returns to CG Garage to discuss VFX advancements, including USD and MaterialX data exchange, industry adoption, and the potential of Gaussian Splats in virtual production and 3D asset capture, noting its efficiency over Ne…
- Episode 501 - Eric Barba - Oscar nominated VFX Supervisor, Alien: Romulus
Eric Barba, VFX supervisor for Alien: Romulus, discusses the film's practical and digital effects, creature design, and real-time technology integration. The episode also touches on evolving VFX workflows, AI's role, and Barba's past proje…
- Episode 500 - Steve Preeg - Academy Award winning VFX Supervisor
In this 500th episode of CG Garage, guest Steve Preeg, an Academy Award-winning VFX Supervisor, returns to discuss industry changes over the past decade. The conversation covers advancements in digital humans, motion capture, AI tools, rea…
- Episode 499 - Jake Maymudes - Founder & CEO of Wylie Co. VFX
Jake Maymudes, CEO of Wylie Co., shares his experiences in visual effects, detailing work on Dune: Part One, Dune: Part Two, and Alien: Romulus. The discussion covers creative and technical challenges, the impact of AI on the industry, and…
- Episode 498 - Todd Perry - Visual Effects Supervisor, "For All Mankind" & "Star City"
Visual effects supervisor Todd Perry discusses his career journey, from early interest in VFX to working on major films and projects like "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and "Age of Ultron." The episode covers the evolution of VFX,…