The Allan McKay Podcast

Chris LeDoux is the Co-Founder of Crafty Apes, a VFX Supervisor and an Entrepreneur.  Born and bred in Alaska, Chris earned Bachelor’s degree in both psychology and sociology, but his fascination with filmmaking led him to the world of visual effects. He began his career in VFX as a compositor at The Orphanage in 2004. He worked at numerous studios such as Uncharted Territory, Cafe FX and Scanline. Now a veteran of the film industry, his impressive resume includes compositing and VFX supervision on multiple titles, including 12 Years a Slave, Doctor Strange, Better Call Saul, among others. He has also directed music videos and led visual effects teams for U2, Chris Cornell, New Kids on the Block, Paramore, just to name a few. Crafty Apes is a full service, boutique VFX company based in Culver City, CA & Atlanta, GA. The company was launched in July of 2011 by three visual effects veterans Jason Sanford, Chris LeDoux and Tim LeDoux. Believing that strong 2D compositing is the backbone behind quality visual effects, Crafty Apes was formed to primarily offer high-end compositing services for feature films and television clients.  Crafty Apes specializes in compositing effects and visual effects supervision. By paying extra attention to the detail and integration that 2D work requires and by working with the best technology available spread among a select group of artists, Crafty Apes can deliver a superior product to higher end clients in a shorter time period. Their recent credits include: The Babysitter: Killer Queen, Lovecraft Country, Doctor Strange, Hidden Figures, Lalaland, Fist Fight, Pete's Dragon, Captain America: Civil War, Killing Reagan, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Dirty Grandpa, Allegiant, Insurgent, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Black Mass, The 33, Foxcatcher, 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle, The Monkey King, White House Down, Single Mom's Club, The Last Stand, A Madea's Christmas and many more. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews the Co-Founder of Crafty Apes, VFX Supervisor and an Entrepreneur Chris LeDoux about his inspiration behind launching of Crafty Apes; ROI and taking the risk out of starting a business; why empathy guarantees professional success – and so much more! For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/435.  

Chris LeDoux, co-founder of Crafty Apes and VFX Supervisor, discusses the practical applications of AI in visual effects production, including compositing and VFX optimization. He explores the potential of AI in identifying issues, improving shots, and automating processes. They also touch on topics such as operational efficiency, deaging, pattern recognition, automation, determining worth, and negotiating rates in the visual effects industry.

Mark Spindler is a Visual Effects Supervisor at Pixomondo in Frankfurt, Germany. He’s worked on feature films such as Midway, Justice League, Star Trek: Into Darkness, as well tv shows like The Mandalorian and Game of Thrones for which he received two VES Award nominations. His most recent work on House of the Dragon has also been recognized with an Emmy nomination. He began his career path as a Compositor after finishing his Master of Arts in Media Production in 2012, then became a Lead Compositor and Compositing Supervisor before being promoted to his Supervisor position. Besides his career as a Supervisor, Mark has also contributed to visual effects by developing several tools for Nuke. Some of those Gizmos, Python scripts and C++ plug-ins can be downloaded from the tools section on his website (http://www.mark-spindler.com/tools.html) or from Nukepedia. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews VFX Supervisor Mark Spindler about his work on both HOUSE OF THE DRAGON and GAME OF THRONES; the pipeline, creative process and go-to tools of a VFX Supervisor; his career at Pixomondo, as well as the future of AI in VFX. For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/433.  

Eric J. Robertson is the Executive Vice President of ReDefine, as well as a Producer, Cinematographer and Entrepreneur. As part of the DNEG Group, ReDefine leverages an incredible legacy of creative and technical innovation to cater to projects that benefit from their agile boutique approach. The studio designs solutions that are tailored to the requirements of each show and always delivers to the highest levels of quality. The list of their credits includes DUNE: PART II, BORDERLANDS, WACO: THE AFTERMATH, and so many more! Prior to joining ReDefine, Eric co-founded a New York based VFX Studio Mr. X Gotham. Over the course of his career, he supervised and produced visual effects for over 50 feature films and worked with some of film’s most respected directors including Ron Howard, Jonathan Demme, Sam Mendes, Joel and Ethan Cohen, Jim Jarmusch and Charlie Kaufman. With a career that spanned all genres, Eric enabled Sacha Baron Cohen’s General Alladeen to walk a tightrope above midtown New York in THE DICTATOR; he transformed Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s vision into a vast warehouse that enclosed the entire island of Manhattan in SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK and convinced moviegoers that they’re watching Richard Nixon’s confessions in real time in FROST / NIXON. Eric’s creations go from exhilarating and hilarious, to emotional and engaging, all with the visual effects integrated seamlessly with the storyteller’s vision.  Eric is also an accomplished photographer and cinematographer whose 20+ years of experience in production gives him a storyteller’s eye along with the technical skills that encompass all aspects of the filmmaking process, from script to screen. Eric was instrumental in expanding the V.E.S. into an NYC section and served as its first Secretary / Treasurer. He is a member of IATSE Local 600. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews the Executive Vice President of ReDefine Eric J. Roberson about overcoming challenges and pushing the limits in visual effects; teaching filmmaking principles to the next generation of VFX Supervisors; the future of streaming content in 2024 post industry strikes; as well as Eric’s career in visual effects and the legacy of DNEG in ReDefine’s work and international presence. For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/432.

Ghost Robot is the creative studio of the future based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY. They work with a global community of artistic talent to create content for forward thinking clients. Ghost Robot was founded in 2002 by Zachary Mortensen. The company derived its name from the theme of a music video Ghost Robot was producing at the time. The video was for the song "In The Waiting Line" by the band Zero7. "In The Waiting Line" was the first commercial use of machinima using the animation engine from the Quake video game. In 2005 Mark DePace joined the company as a full partner and spearheaded the formation of the company's roster of directors for commercial representation. The addition of DePace repositioned the company within the industry and began their official move into advertising and commercial production. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Ghost Robot’s CEO Zach Mortensen and COO Mark DePace about the inspiration behind launching Ghost Robot and its name; how keeping track of latest innovations is imbedded into their foundation; working on indie films versus blockbusters; the value of giving yourself creative constraints when it comes to resources; how AI is getting integrated into artists’ workflow – and so much more! For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/431.  

Zacharias “Zach” Reinhardt is a 3D Artist, as well as Founder and Lead Instructor at CG Boost. CG Boost provides Blender tutorials and resources for 3D artists, in order to make creating passionate 3D projects achievable for anyone. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews the Founder of CG Boost Zach Reinhardt about starting his YouTube Channel and gaining traction, the inspiration behind launching his company, alternative packages to study Blender, which area of the industry uses Blender the most – as well as how to make a living as a 3D artist! For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/430.  

Tim Simmons is an experienced media producer with a demonstrated history of creating short and long form video to create engaging content.Tech Savvy, people savvy, and self motivated creator with a successful track record of building a brand from scratch, Tim is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others – and exploring the intersection of creative content and AI. In 2022, Tim created Theoretically Media, a channel focusing on creative AI imagery. The Channel dives into filmmaking, music, writing, and art, all enhanced by AI latest tools. Believing in technology's power to elevate independent artists' work, Tim explores the cusp of AI and art. The YouTube Channel currently has over 46K Subscribers. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews Tim Simmons, the Creator of Theoretically Media, a YouTube Channel focused on creative AI imagery. Allan and Tim dive into the topic of AI: the rapid growth of AI and the reaction of the artistic community to this technology, the dual Hollywood strike and the issue of copyright, limitations and inspiration of artificial intelligence; as well the launch of his Channel and how to monetize on YouTube. For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/429.  

Allan McKay interviews Expression Scientist Melinda Ozel about neuroscience, neuro-marketing and psychology; her contribution to the FACS system and working as an educator; as well as tips for building your own consulting business and the importance of coding, SEO and social media.

Activision Blizzard’s history goes back more than 40 years. Two incredible gaming brands Activision and Blizzard Entertainment merged, bringing together the best creative talent in gaming. The acquisition of King in 2016 further strengthened the company’s vision to bring the world together through epic entertainment. Their professional gaming properties include the Overwatch League™, the Call of Duty League™, Hearthstone® Grandmasters, and the World of Warcraft® Arena World Championship, among others. Activision Blizzard Esports also operates Tespa™, the leader in collegiate esports. In this Episode, Activision Blizzard King’s Executive Principal Recruiter for Art in Animation and Creative Robin Alan Linn gives insider tips about what makes a successful reel, how to negotiate a salary, importance of relationships and reputation, why visual effects is always about storytelling – and why the most crucial question an interviewee can ask is: “What am I bringing to the table?” For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/427.

A veteran facilitator with over 25 years experience in VFX and animation, Jep Hill is an Executive Creative Director at Alkemy X, an award-winning global creative company at the intersection of advertising, brands and entertainment. The company is a creative partner for the biggest names in film and television, such as Fear of the Walking Dead, Wednesday, The Whale, Westworld, Power, Dear White People, Hunters, Mr. Robot, and many more. Since 1981, Alkemy X has been a pioneer in a continuously evolving industry — entrusted with projects generating billions of dollars in revenue. With the craft and talent to take on any project, they’re a vertically integrated creative company, offering strategy and execution with speed, quality and efficiency that always exceeds expectation. In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews the Executive Creative Director of Alkemy X Jep Hill about leadership skills for artists, the age of AI in VFX — and how artists can take advantage of it; go-to tools and soft skills of a VFX Supervisor, four rules of management, how to win over clients; and the timeless question of: Is the magic of visual effects still alive? For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/426.