Best Digital Arts Technology Academy Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 509 - Marti Romances - Co-Founder and Creative Director, Territory Studio San Francisco 1:09:52

7d ago1:09:52

1:09:52

Marti Romances, co-founder and creative director of Territory Studio San Fransisco, joins the podcast to share his journey from designing DVD menus in Spain to creating iconic futuristic interfaces for blockbuster films like Prometheus, The Martian, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. With roots in multimedia and motio…

1
Episode 508 - Michael Ralla - VFX Supervisor, "Sinner" 1:53:11

21d ago1:53:11

1:53:11

Michael Ralla joins the podcast to share his journey through the world of visual effects, with a focus on his latest project as VFX Supervisor on the film Sinners. He discusses how he worked closely with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, whose fearless approach to lighting and darkness pushed the creative envelope. The episode features a deep …

1
Episode 507 - Jess Loren - CEO, Global Objects 1:02:01

1M ago1:02:01

1:02:01

Jess Loren, CEO and co-founder of Global Objects, joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of immersive content and the creative tech reshaping the industry. A force to be reckoned with, Jess has a sharp pulse on where things are headed, and she doesn't hold back when discussing the current state of Hollywood. She talks candidly ab…

1
Episode 506 - Johnson Yan — Real-time CGI Pioneer 1:06:36

2M ago1:06:36

1:06:36

Johnson Yan, a trailblazer in real-time 3D graphics, joins the podcast to recount his remarkable journey from the earliest days of computer graphics and flight simulation. Starting in the late 1970s, Johnson tackled fundamental challenges like texture mapping, anti-aliasing, translucency, and scalability, long before today's GPU technology emerged.…

1
Episode 505 - Sebastian Sylwan - VFX and Technology Executive 1:27:19

2M ago1:27:19

1:27:19

Sebastian Sylwan has a wealth of experience, having been CTO at Weta Digital, Scanline, and Felix & Paul Studios, as well as Director of Technology at Digital Domain. He’s spent his career at the intersection of art and technology, helping world-class teams push the boundaries of visual effects, immersive media, and real-time workflows. In this epi…

1
Episode 504 - Scott Ross - UPSTART: The Digital Film Revolution – Managing the Unmanageable 1:06:39

3M ago1:06:39

1:06:39

Scott Ross, legendary VFX executive and co-founder of Digital Domain, joins the podcast for an unfiltered conversation about the state of the film industry and the visual effects business. With decades of experience and a reputation for telling it like it is, Scott digs into the systemic challenges facing Hollywood—from broken economic models in st…

1
Episode 503 - Joshua Lastine - Lastine Entertainment Law 1:01:00

3M ago1:01:00

1:01:00

Joshua Lastine, an entertainment lawyer, returns to the podcast to break down the rapidly changing legal and business landscape of the film industry. As AI tools reshape content creation, streaming platforms redefine distribution, and independent filmmakers leverage new technology, Joshua explains how contracts, intellectual property, and revenue m…

1
Episode 502 - Oliver Markowski - Head of 3D, RISE 1:13:42

3M ago1:13:42

1:13:42

Oliver Markowski, Head of 3D at RISE, returns to the podcast to dive deep into the latest advancements in VFX technology. Since his last appearance, the industry has seen major shifts, and Oliver shares insights on how USD and MaterialX have evolved, shaping how studios exchange data and build pipelines. He discusses the adoption of USD across the …

1
Ask Me Anything with Microsoft CTO, Kevin Scott 41:30

4M ago41:30

41:30

In this AMA episode of "Behind the Tech," Kevin Scott and Christina Warren address a variety of listener questions, ranging from the impact of AI on learning and personal projects to the future of software development and AI regulation. Kevin shares his experience using AI for personal projects, such as making Japanese tea bowls, and discusses how …

1
Episode 501 - Eric Barba - Oscar nominated VFX Supervisor, Alien: Romulus 1:07:59

4M ago1:07:59

1:07:59

Eric Barba, Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor, returns to the podcast to discuss his latest work on Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Álvarez, for which he is nominated for an Oscar in 2025. He shares the challenges of bringing the world of Alien to life, from balancing practical effects with cutting-edge VFX to ensuring the film stays true to Ri…

1
Episode 500 - Steve Preeg - Academy Award winning VFX Supervisor 1:35:01

4M ago1:35:01

1:35:01

In the special 500th episode of the CG Garage podcast, Steve Preeg, one of the first-ever guests of the show, returns to reflect on a decade of change in the visual effects industry. An Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor known for his groundbreaking work on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and TRON: Legacy, Steve shares how both the industry a…

1
Episode 499 - Jake Maymudes - Founder & CEO of Wylie Co. VFX 1:25:18

5M ago1:25:18

1:25:18

Jake Maymudes, visual effects supervisor and CEO of Wylie Co., shares his experiences working on major projects like Dune: Part One, Dune: Part Two, and Alien: Romulus. Jake discusses the creative and technical challenges involved in creating the stunning visuals for these films, from complex simulations to photoreal environments. He also reflects …

1
Michele Elam, William Robertson Coe Professor in the Humanities; Senior Fellow, Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence; Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education 1:05:41

5M ago1:05:41

1:05:41

Michele Elam, the William Robertson Coe Professor of Humanities in the English Department at Stanford University and a Race and Technology Affiliate at the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, joins Behind the Tech to discuss her journey and work. Michele shares her unique path from a humanities background to engaging with technolo…

1
Episode 498 - Todd Perry - Visual Effects Supervisor, “For All Mankind” & “Star City” 1:19:23

5M ago1:19:23

1:19:23

Todd Perry, a veteran visual effects supervisor with decades of experience in the industry, shares his journey from his early fascination with Star Wars to becoming a key figure in VFX. Todd discusses how he transitioned from experimenting with stop-motion and early computer graphics to landing his first major jobs at Imageworks and Weta, working o…

1
Episode 497 - Andy Boyd - VFX Supervisor Jamm Visual, Brothers 1:02:43

5M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

Andy Boyd, co-founder of Jam, shares insights into his studio’s journey over the past decade and their ability to adapt to changing industry dynamics. Andy reflects on his studio's blend of commercial and long-form projects, including Brothers, a feature film featuring a photoreal CG orangutan, now available on Amazon Prime. He discusses the challe…

1
Year in Review 2024 33:43

6M ago33:43

33:43

As 2024 comes to an end, we take a look back at some of the biggest themes that emerged on Behind the Tech over this incredibly exciting year for tech and AI: creativity, education, and transformation. And we take a stroll through some of Kevin’s obsessions – from ceramics to Maker YouTube to classical piano – alongside guests like Xyla Foxlin, Lis…

1
Episode 496 - Jason Smith - Senior VFX Supervisor, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 1:16:44

6M ago1:16:44

1:16:44

Jason Smith, the senior visual effects supervisor on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, joins the podcast to discuss his award-winning career in visual effects. With nearly 25 years at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Jason’s achievements include an Oscar nomination and a Sci-Tech Award from the Academy for his groundbreaking work on Blockpa…

1
Episode 495 - Jo Plaete - Chief Innovation Officer & VFX Supervisor at Metaphysic.ai 1:15:18

7M ago1:15:18

1:15:18

Jo Plaete, a pioneer in digital humans and chief innovation officer at Metaphysic, joins the podcast to discuss his company’s groundbreaking work on the newly released film Here, now in theaters. Jo traces his journey from his early career in computer graphics and visual effects, working on films like Where the Wild Things Are and Aladdin, to creat…

1
Refik Anadol, Director / Media Artist at Refik Anadol Studio, Visiting Researcher & Lecturer at UCLA's Design Media Arts Department. 49:31

7M ago49:31

49:31

Refik Anadol, an internationally renowned media artist and director, joins Behind the Tech to discuss his journey from a childhood fascination with computers in Istanbul to becoming a pioneer in the aesthetics of data and machine intelligence. In this episode, Refik shares his early inspirations—including his first encounter with a Commodore comput…

1
Episode 494 - Daniel Thron, Erick Schiele, and James Blevins — BTS Ray Tracing FTW 1:29:13

8M ago1:29:13

1:29:13

Daniel Thron, Erick Schiele, and James Blevins join Chris to discuss their work on the short film Ray Tracing FTW. Directed by Daniel, the film pushed the boundaries of virtual production, and Erick’s production design had to work both digitally and practically, ensuring consistency across virtual environments and physical sets. James, with his exp…

1
Episode 493 - Jared Sandrew - Creative Executive & Visual Effects Supervisor 1:13:57

8M ago1:13:57

1:13:57

Jared Sandrew, a 3D supervisor at Disney and visual effects veteran, joins the podcast to discuss his career journey, from growing up around the pioneering technology of digital colorization to becoming a key figure in stereoscopic 3D conversion for blockbuster films. Jared shares fascinating stories about his time at Legend 3D, where he worked on …

1
Episode 492 - Debbie Kennard & Ron Eli Cohen - Line Producers for Ray Tracing FTW 1:18:08

8M ago1:18:08

1:18:08

Line producers Debbie Kennard and Ron Eli Cohen discuss their work on the short film Ray Tracing FTW and offer an insider’s perspective on the art of film production. Debbie shares her story, from her beginnings as John Carpenter’s PA on The Thing to becoming a trusted line producer in Hollywood, while Ron talks about transitioning from acting to p…

1
Episode 491 - Richard Crudo & Esther Woodworth - Director of Photography & 1st Assistant Camera 1:15:21

9M ago1:15:21

1:15:21

In this episode, Richard Crudo, the cinematographer, and Esther Woodworth, the 1st Assistant Camera for the Ray Tracing FTW short film, share their journey working on the groundbreaking project. We take a deep dive into the dynamics of the camera crew, exploring how different departments like lighting and grip collaborate to bring a director’s visi…

1
Episode 490 - Matthias Christen - Head of CG Design, The Scope 1:14:42

9M ago1:14:42

1:14:42

Matthias Christen, the main 3D artist from The Scope on Ray Tracing FTW, shares his fascinating journey from traditional analog painting to becoming an expert in 3D and virtual production. Starting with a passion for drawing, Matthias entered the advertising industry, where he honed his skills in Photoshop and Illustrator before transitioning into …

1
Episode 489 - A.J. Wedding - Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Orbital Virtual Studios 1:01:47

9M ago1:01:47

1:01:47

In this episode, Chris sits down with AJ Wedding, founder of Orbital Studios, to discuss how the Chaos Innovation Lab used his studio to film Ray Tracing FTW using Project Arena. AJ shares how his early fascination with virtual production, inspired by his work on The Mandalorian, led him to launch Orbital Studios during the pandemic. He explains th…

1
Episode 488 - Ed Ulbrich - Chief Content Officer & President of Production, Metaphysic.ai 1:03:26

9M ago1:03:26

1:03:26

It’s been seven years since Ed Ulbrich last appeared on the CG Garage podcast — and a lot has changed. The man who digitally aged Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and resurrected late rapper 2Pac as an on-stage hologram is now chief content officer and president of production at metaphysic.ai, which is using AI tools to create phot…

1
Ben Laude, Professor of Music (Piano Literature & Aural Skills) at Utah State University 1:27:18

9M ago1:27:18

1:27:18

Ben Laude, a concert pianist and music educator, joins Behind the Tech to discuss his journey from a suburban childhood in Austin, Texas to becoming a world-renowned classical pianist and YouTube creator. Ben shares his early inspirations—including his father's dabbling in piano and his own private obsession with classical music that began in high …

1
Episode 487 - Kevin Tod Haug - VFX Supervisor 1:09:57

10M ago1:09:57

1:09:57

Kevin Tod Haug has always been destined for a career in VFX. From a young age, he analyzed movies and TV series to work out how they were made. He joined the industry and saw it transform from electro-mechanical to digital via movies and TV series, including Tron and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He then became a full VFX supervisor on movies inc…

1
Episode 486 - Ian Dawson - Founder & Executive Producer, IDGRAFX 1:11:12

10M ago1:11:12

1:11:12

Ian Dawson’s dream of a Jarvis-style computing interface seems to be coming true. This multi-talented CG veteran began his career in graphic design, before moving into producing and creating flying logos throughout the 90s. He then moved into advertising, and title sequences and VFX sequences for movies including the Iron Man trilogy, Star Wars: Ro…

1
Episode 485 - Gary Marshall - Vice President of Virtual Production, NantStudios 1:05:53

10M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

Get ready to dive into the magical world of virtual production with the one and only Gary Marshall, Vice President of Virtual Production at Nant Studios. In this episode, Chris chats with Gary, a true wizard in the visual effects industry, who’s been behind some of the most jaw-dropping movie moments you’ve ever seen. From running film reels around…

1
Episode 484 - Alex & Tim Porter - CEO & CTO, Mod Tech Labs 1:07:27

10M ago1:07:27

1:07:27

Alex and Tim Porter have the perfect skillset of a VFX power couple. Alex has a background in interior design, which she leveraged into user experience and virtual spaces. Tim, meanwhile, has worked in games and VFX, beginning as an artist but gravitating towards developing tools and scripts that make it easy to create complicated environments and …

1
Episode 483 - Erick Geisler — CTO, Global Objects 1:16:52

10M ago1:16:52

1:16:52

Erick Giesler has seen the filmmaking industry change right from the very start. As a child, he acted in TV shows, but found that he was more fascinated with what was happening behind the camera. He learned how to create VFX, beginning on SGIs, then moving to software such as Electric Image, 3ds Max, and V-Ray, and helping to create VFX for movies …

1
Episode 482 - Todd Terrazas - Founder, AI LA & Co-Founder, FBRC.ai 1:06:23

11M ago1:06:23

1:06:23

Todd Terrazas has been part of the AI revolution since the beginning. He started out developing a system to automatically triage 911 calls and then was part of the development team behind the first wave of AI-powered chatbots. Today, Todd has founded FRBC.ai, which empowers storytellers with AI tools. He’s also the mastermind of the AI LA Community…

1
Episode 481 - Jeff Kleiser - VFX Supervisor 1:02:07

11M ago1:02:07

1:02:07

A love of computing, music, and cinema has propelled Jeff Kleiser’s career from the earliest days of VFX on movies including Tron, Flight of the Navigator, Stargate, Judge Dredd, Surrogates, and many more. Along the way, he’s helped the late, great Doug Trumbull create eye-popping film-based projects for Luxor hotels and Radio City’s 3D Christmas m…

1
Sal Khan, Founder and CEO of Khan Academy 1:12:55

11M ago1:12:55

1:12:55

Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy, joins Behind the Tech to discuss his journey from a curious child fascinated by science and technology to a global leader in education innovation. Sal shares his early inspirations that led him to pursue a career in engineering and a degree at MIT, and outlines his lifelong passion for education rooted in …

1
Episode 480 - Chad Wanstreet - VFX Supervisor 1:08:18

11M ago1:08:18

1:08:18

Chad Wanstreet and Chris Nichols have experienced similar career trajectories — but this is the first time they’ve sat down together. Like Chris, Chad transitioned from architecture to VFX, and his experience spans working at notable firms including Blur Studio and FuseFX. Along the way, Chad has contributed to projects that pushed the boundaries o…

1
Episode 479 - Nikola Todorovic - Co-Founder & CEO, Wonder Dynamics 1:02:00

12M ago1:02:00

1:02:00

Nikola Todorovic always wanted to make films, but encountered a familiar problem: the sci-fi screenplays he wrote would require $200 million budgets. Aiming to reduce this cost, Nikola co-founded Wonder Dynamics with Ready Player One actor Tye Sheridan to develop Wonder Studio, a platform that simplifies the time-consuming tasks involved in adding …

1
Episode 478 - Andy Fowler - Creative Producer & Production Innovation Consultant 1:02:00

12M ago1:02:00

1:02:00

Andy Fowler’s career has combined his creative eye with his incredible production skills. Beginning in London’s burgeoning VFX scene with titles such as Lost in Space, 300, and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Andy picked up an Emmy for his work on The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. Then he moved to LA to work on Tron: Legacy, Noah, and …

1
Episode 477 - Joel Hynek - VFX Supervisor 1:22:17

12M ago1:22:17

1:22:17

Over a 40-year career, Joel Hynek has helped bring some incredible VFX to life, beginning with optical effects for Xanadu, then making the Predator a terrifying opponent for Arnie, and moving onto a range of movies, including xXx, Judge Dredd, Stealth, plus blockbusters from India and China. He picked up a sci-tech Oscar for the design and developm…

1
Ethan Mollick, Author and Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania 58:43

1y ago58:43

58:43

Ethan Mollick is an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches innovation and entrepreneurship. His research focuses on the impact of AI on work and education, and he has published numerous papers and a New York Times-bestselling book on AI, "Co-Intelligence." Ethan is also behind the popular Subst…

1
Episode 476 - Kathryn Brillhart - Virtual Production Supervisor & Cinematographer 1:05:41

1y ago1:05:41

1:05:41

Kathryn Brillhart has always been ahead of her time. As a teen, she assisted her father in shooting documentaries; then she combined her sharp eye as a cinematographer with her passion for VFX to become a virtual production and volume capture expert. Projects she’s worked on include Las Vegas’ ginormous MSG Sphere, pioneering virtual production sho…

1
507: Unlocking Business Succession: The Power of ESOPs with Keith Butcher 24:48

1y ago24:48

24:48

In an interview with Jason Hartman, Keith Butcher, founder of Butcher Joseph, discusses business succession and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). With many business owners approaching retirement, ESOPs offer a tax-efficient way to transition ownership to employees. This model enhances employee retention and loyalty, providing long-term retire…

1
Episode 475 - Liz Hitt - VFX Producer, CBS VFX 1:00:02

1y ago1:00:02

1:00:02

Liz Hitt has worked across VFX departments on some very cool movies — and she’s not stopping there. Beginning at the legendary Dream Quest Images on Deep Rising and Mighty Joe Young, Liz built a name for herself as a talented production coordinator and producer via movies including Hollow Man, Spider-Man, Stealth (with Chris), The Golden Compass, W…

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Digital Arts Technology Academy Podcasts

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