The VFX Process

• #62 Duncan Rudd: Why Every 3D Artist NEEDS a Personal Project

  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 hereWe explore Duncan’s creative process, from character and rigging to scene construction and rendering—all powered by Blender. He breaks down why personal projects are essential for freelance 3D artists, offering a chance to express your unique voice and stand out in a competitive animation landscape. His insights are gold for any aspiring freelance 3D generalist or animator looking to grow their career and creative skills.Duncan also shares his perspective on the shifting industry landscape, with the collapse of major VFX and animation studios opening new doors for small 3D studios and freelancers. Whether you're into indie animation, Blender workflows, or building a sustainable freelance 3D career—this episode is packed with real talk and valuable advice.The VFX Process Podcast #62Getting Intimate With Your Industry!For the video podcast: click hereConnect with Duncan: click here

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• #61 Caleb Worcester: How Stylised 3D in BLENDER Is Beating Big Studios!

  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 walks us through a few key Blender scenes, offering insight into how he brings his vision to life.Beyond the technical side, we dive into the inspiration behind Under The Thicket, discussing how nature influenced its design and how he crafted an emotional story without dialogue. As an independent animator, Caleb shares his thoughts on the growing impact of Blender in the animation industry. With its powerful tools and accessibility, Blender is leveling the playing field, allowing indie creators to produce high-quality films that rival those of major studios.We also discusses Flow, the independent Blender-animated film that recently won an Oscar—beating out giants like Pixar, Disney, and DreamWorks. Directed by Gints Zilbalodis and created by a small, passionate team, Flow proves that with vision, creativity, and Blender, indie animators can compete at the highest level. This win marks a turning point for independent animation and the power of open-source tools.The VFX Process Podcast #61Getting Intimate With Your Industry!For the video podcast: click hereConnect with Caleb: click here

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• #60 The Darkest Age: Why UNREAL ENGINE is the #1 Filmmaking Tool

  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 create stunning short films and animation tests.In this episode, we break down why UE5 is revolutionising filmmaking, diving into Charlie’s fight scene cinematic, a masterclass in virtual action storytelling, and his zombie horde animation, where he brings large-scale crowds to life. We also discuss Move AI, a cutting-edge motion capture tool making high-quality animation more accessible than ever. With Unreal Engine 5, indie creators can now achieve high quality cinematics and tell stories without a massive budget. Charlie also shares his belief that if you’re a good filmmaker in real life, you’ll be a good one in Unreal Engine too, emphasising how the skills transfer seamlessly into the virtual world.If you’re passionate about the future of digital filmmaking, this episode is packed with insight. From crafting photo-realistic Metahumans to harnessing AI-driven animation, Charlie shares his process and why he believes Unreal Engine 5 is the most powerful tool for filmmakers today. Don't miss this deep dive into the future of virtual production!The VFX Process Podcast #60Getting Intimate With Your Industry!For the video podcast: click hereConnect with Charlie: click here

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• #59 Craig Caton: How 1 Film Changed The VFX Industry Forever

  In this episode, Jamie sits down with Craig Caton-Largent, VFX artist and Chair of 3D Animation & VFX at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) Los Angeles, to discuss his incredible 45-year career in the VFX industry. Born in Portland, Oregon, Craig has contributed to over 100 films and collaborated with legendary directors like Tim Burton, Steven Spielberg, and James Cameron. His journey began with creating animatronics and puppets for Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, and other iconic blockbusters, working alongside industry icons like Stan Winston.Craig is most famous for bringing some of the most iconic creatures in Hollywood film history to life, including the Slimer ghosts in Ghostbusters (1984), the penguins in Batman Returns (1992), the raptors in Jurassic Park (1993), and the beloved E.T. puppet, which he cared for from 1994 until its retirement in 2010.As CGI began to revolutionise the industry, Craig thought his career might be over, but instead, he embraced the change. Thanks to his strong relationships with Stan Winston and James Cameron, Craig became the first employee at Digital Domain, the pioneering CGI studio. He co-founded the company and helped create one of the earliest performance capture stages. Later, Craig worked for Disney and DreamWorks, developing digital animation and character rigging systems.In this interview, Craig shares his experiences working on groundbreaking films, his thoughts on the rise of AI in VFX, and the creative process behind some of the most memorable characters in cinema.🔥 Topics Covered:➡️ Craig’s transition from practical effects to CGI➡️ Behind-the-scenes stories from Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park, and Terminator 2➡️ The founding of Digital Domain and his role in its success➡️ How AI is changing the VFX industry➡️ Craig's impact on VFX education and his work at NYFATune in for a fascinating conversation with a true VFX legend and a deep dive into the evolution of visual effects in Hollywood! 🎥💥The VFX Process Podcast #59Getting Intimate With Your Industry!For the video podcast: click here

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• #58 Rasmus Poulsen: The Most IMPORTANT Advice for 3D Artists (Technouveau)

  In this episode, Jamie sits down with Rasmus Poulsen (aka Technouveau), a Copenhagen-based Art Director in the AAA games industry. With an impressive resume working on titles like Hitman, Kane & Lynch, and the upcoming Project 007, Rasmus has also built a name for himself as a sci-fi artist, crafting stunning Blender renders of futuristic ships and worlds.As a lifelong Star Wars and sci-fi fan, Rasmus began cyber-tuning vehicles, creating concept art, and photo-bashing before discovering Blender through tutorials by Jama Jurabaev and Ian Hubert. He later contributed to Big Medium Small, creating asset packs. Now, he shares his creative process, focusing on visual storytelling over technical mastery—inspiring 3D artists of all levels to push their creativity further.🔥 Topics Covered:➡️ How Rasmus approaches sci-fi world-building➡️ The balance between artistic vision and technical skill➡️ His journey from Star Wars-inspired projects to original creations➡️ Practical advice for Blender artists of all levelsDon’t miss this deep dive into the world of Technouveau and the power of Blender! 🚀The VFX Process Podcast #58Getting Intimate With Your Industry!Accompanying media:Connect With Rasmus click hereFor the video podcast: click here

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