Alex Telford, Author of Practical Python for Production Under Pressure

Frontmatter

In this episode of the Leanpub Podcast, Len Epp interviews Alex Telford, Senior Pipeline and Software Engineer and author of Practical Python for Production Under Pressure. Alex shares insights from his career in VFX and animation, where developers must build and fix tools quickly while productions are running full tilt. They discuss the origins of his book, written to help technical directors, software engineers, and indie developers solve real-world problems with Python under intense time constraints. Alex explains how his experience at studios informed his pragmatic approach, and he emphasizes the importance of clear communication, clean interfaces, and sustainable practices in chaotic environments. The episode is packed with valuable tips for coders working in high-pressure creative industries, and for anyone managing fast-paced technical projects in production. This interview was recorded on May 20, 2025. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM314-Alex-Telford-2025-05-20.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.