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Topics Discussed - Advice to mid level to junior producers, VFX artist & Motion designers - Working in advertising versus longform TV or film - Failures in your career - Lessons you have learnt - Working in motion desgin at Engine - Managing multiple projects efficiently - Producing for Motion design - Producing vfx for film, tv & advertising - Quoting, Team management & Negotiation - Fin Design + vfx - Moving in to Longform VFX - Project Discussion - I Am Mother & - Project Discussion - Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings - Reflection & the future Alastair Stephen : Head of Visual Effects at Fin Design + Effects Alastair has been working within the Australian visual effects industry for the last 25 years. Alastair started his career in the advertising sector working within leading international agencies such as DDB, McCann-Erickson, George Patterson Bates and Attik as well as Australia’s foremost visual effects studios, Fuel VFX, Iloura,The Lab and Engine. He has collaborated with directors, supervisors, producers and artists on a myriad of awarding-winning projects throughout his career. Alastair joined Fin Design + Effects in 2013 as Executive Producer and after six years developing Fin’s strategic business plan, expanding its operations and attracting significant international film and television work into the studio, he waspromoted to Head of Visual Effects in 2019. Alastair has been instrumental in securing and managing international productions for Fin comprising: Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok, & Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Twentieth Century Fox’s Logan, Fox Entertainment’s Cosmos Possible Worlds, Sony Television’s Preacher Season 4, Netflix’s I Am Mother, and Legendary’s Lost in Space 3 Alastair’s skill set includes management of large teams of creative and technical personnel, effective client management, clear communication and strategic business growth within a SME. He has a deep respect for, and extensive understanding of, creativity, technology and innovation within the visual effectsindustry. Alastair’s professional philosophy has been to share knowledge and support the development and growth of a globally competitive visual effects industry in Australia. Alastair is an active member of the Visual Effects Society and is currently Co Chair of the Australian Section www.findesign.com.au

Scott Geersen : Substance Scott is the founder and director of Substance, a strategic moving image studio known for refining complex ideas into essential truths, for brands that want to help re-make the world. With a background as an awarded motion designer, compositor, 3D artist, VFX supervisor, and director, Scott leads Substance to create powerful narratives, characterised by collaboration and invention. From title sequences that enthral and commercials that captivate, to motion systems that help define brands, the stories that move us start with substance www.sbstnc.co Topics Discussed - Advice to mid level - Motion designers, Compositers & directors - Running your own studio - Substance - Early career : Post Prodution & VFX - Digital Pictures, Cutting Edge & The Lab - Compositing & VFX : Flame sessions & Flame in the future ? - VFX Supervising - Being multi disciplined - Learning 3-D - International collaboration - Working on title sequences - Project review : Aco 2020 Season Launch - Project review : Tedx 2017 to 2021 - Inspiration & podcasts - Lessons you have learnt - Reflection & the future

Jon Gorman : Creative Director at Buck New York . Originally from Melbourne Australia, Jon has worked first at Buck LA and then at Buck New York for over 15 years and is now a creative director. . https://buck.co/ . Don't forget to join our jobs network : Masters of Motion : www.mastersofmotion.com.au/jobs Topics Discussed - Advice to mid level - Motion designers, art directors & directors   - Early career Melbourne Freelancing - XYZ & 21:19 
- Buck LA - Moving to the USA - Buck NYC - Pitching - Briefing & idea development - Moodboards, storyboards, style frames & concept art - Presenting and your concepts storyboards - Art directing storyboards - Editing - Project review - explainer videos - Writing good scripts - Art directing & creative direction  - Lessons you have learnt - Reflection & the future Masters of Motion : www.mastersofmotion.com.au

Brendan Seals : Luma Pictures . Brendan has a design background and artist experience in FX, Lighting and Compositing. He has carved out a strong look development career in film animation and VFX. After moving to Melbourne from Perth in 2012, he established himself at Luma Pictures before moving up through supervisory roles to become VFX supervisor, were he’s worked on blockbuster films and TV series. Passionate about filmmaking and a sucker for sci-fi, he supervise’s with a keen eye for conceptual design and story telling and loves to collaborate. . www.luma.inc . Don't forget to join our jobs network : Masters of Motion : www.mastersofmotion.com.au Topics Discussed - Making better show & breakdown reels - Boogie Monster - working in television commercials - Creating vfx for the indie feature : Sororal - Prevention versus feasibility - Luma career development - Luma pipeline and technology - Advantages and disadvantages of bing multi disciplined generalist - Project discussion : Spider-man, Black panther & Doctor strange - Being a better supervisor - methods and ideas - Good Briefing, critiques and notes - Exciting new technologies & methods - Balance & overtime Masters of Motion : www.mastersofmotion.com.au

Topics Discussed - Advice to animators and illustrators - Failures in your career & hard things you had to learn - Transitioning in to a creative director - Experience of working on Sesame Street - Successful Women in the industry - Awards - winning a Emmy, ADG & B&T - SLR Productions & Creating Kids Tv series - SLR Pipeline and equipment - Being a first time director - Revisions & Listening as a creative director - Writing & giving a strong brief - Methods for delivering bad news - Being effective as creative director - Directing voice talent - Project discussion Gasp! & Guess how much I love you. - Reflection & the Future Jo Boag has worked in the media industry for more than 20 years.  She began her career as an Animator and moved on to designing and directing animation for television and advertising. In 2001, Jo co-created, designed and directed Gloria’s House a 26 x half hour animated series which screened globally. Jo has been the creative director at SLR Productions for 15 years and is in charge of developing and overseeing the creative direction of productions.  Jo works as the creative brand manager supervising more than 130 hours of content. Jo is an Emmy Award winning Creative Director and a ADG nominated for best animation Project. Jo was also the  2014 B&T Women in Media Creative of the Year winner.  In her executive role she works with original creators, writers, directors, actors, artists, broadcasters, distributors and publishers. Jo has overseen successful international brands such as the award winning Specials for the – Guess How Much I Love you -The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare, Christmas to the Moon and Back and An Enchanting Easter,  the original Lexi and Lottie- Trusty Twin Detectives, the adapted UK picture books Captain Flinn and The Pirate Dinosaurs, the acclaimed classic preschool property, Guess How Much I Love You™, the animated adventure comedy series The Skinner Boys – Guardians of the Lost Secrets and the Emmy Award winning animated series I Got a Rocket™.

Raoul Marks is an Emmy-award winning, Bafta-nominated Director and 3d Motion Designer. Along with creative partner Patrick Clair at Antibody, Marks has created some of the most iconic opening title sequences of all time, including True Detective, American Gods, Lovecraft Country, Man in the High Castle, Westworld and The Crown. Raoul also works for clients in the music, fashion, sporting and gaming industries, including Adidas, Louis Vuitton, MTV Halo and Far Cry 6. Raoul is both a outstanding 3D generalist and a 2d design driven artist. www.raoulmarks.com & www.antibody.tv . Topics Discussed - Advice to Motion Designers & 3D Artists - Working overseas and career development - Failures in your career & hard things you had to learn - Transitioning from graphic design to motion design - Passion projects : Spring & Semi-Permanent 2015 - Experience of working on True Detective - Awards - winning Emmys - Working remotely & pipeline and equipment - Creative partnership with Patrick Clair - Working for Elastic studio in Los Angeles & Remotely - Working in Advertising, Game Cinematic’s & with brands - Projects discussion : 1 The Crown 2 West World 3 Man In The High Castle - Reflection & the Future

Matthew Everitt : MR X Matt has over 25 years experience in the animation industry. Beginning as a 2D animator for TV, before learning 3D Animation to work in games in the mid 90’s. Matt then moved into commercials, creating content for brands such as Nestle, KIA & Vodafone. He also worked on Madonna’s Grammy live show with animated band the Gorillaz. From commercials he moved to animated features, for which his credits include: Happy Feet 2, The LEGO Movies, Walking With Dinosaurs, Dora - The Lost City of Gold and Cats. Matt currently works as Animation Supervisor for MrX Adelaide, also acts as executive producer for the animated features The Wishmas Tree & Combat Wombat and has movie titles in development. www.mrxfx.com Topics Discussed - Advice to mid-level animators, & supervisors - Failures in your career - Hardest things you had to learn - 2D animation for TV & gaming - Passion Pictures UK - Gorillaz and Madonna - MTV & Ricky Gervais - Framestore - moving into films - How did your role change - Animal Logic - moving to Australia - Selling your ideas to others - Animating animals & creatures - Realistic animation - Onset animation supervising

Andrew has a strong visual foundation in fine art, technical knowledge and creative passion partnered with a wealth of production and post production experience. A multidisciplined artist, who works at the elite level in both motion design and commercial visual effects, as well as being a accomplished live-action director in both television commercials and short films. He has worked on Australian TV dramas, films and in some of the top VFX and Motion Design studios in Australia, London and New York. Andy is currently a TVC Director & VFX Artist at Pixel. www.pixel.melbourne - Advice to VFX artists & motion designers - Being multi disciplined in motion design & visual effects - Money, pressure on rates, negotiation and incomes - Failures in your career & hard things you had to learn - Working at The Mill in London - Head of motion design at MPC In New York - Writing for Motionographer - About pixel & studio pipeline - Winning work and pitching - The Art of Online editing - Lessons learned Directing TVCs - Directing Short films : Attic & Blackwood

Diana Costantini is a multi-award winning Creative Director with a diverse history in broadcast design, branding, promotions and marketing. Diana travelled the world working for various media organisations before founding her own design and branding agency, Tactic Creative, based in Sydney Australia. Tactic operated for 12 years and during that time, the creative team were successful in winning pitches all over the world. Diana has personally been Creative Director across 30+ TV channel branding projects and is currently head of the in-house creative agency, ABC MADE, at the Australian public broadcaster. With a team of 55+ mixed-discipline creatives, MADE look after the concept and creation of marketing and branding for all ABC content, brands and platforms (TV, Radio and Digital). Topics Discussed - Advice to motion designer’s and animators - What TV & books inspired you - Becoming a creative director - XYZ Entertainment : Creating TV Channel Brands - Early career & Working in New York - Failures in your career & hard things you had to learn - Starting your own design agency Tactic Creative. - Winning work and pitching - 12 years of Tactic Creative & closing Tactic - Creative Direction of brands and projects at the ABC - What makes a good creative director - Working with stake holders - Selling your ideas - ABC Kids Brand development

Travis is the owner and senior director at the award-winning Airbag productions, which he established with his partner over 16 years ago. He focuses on photo-real VFX which allows him to transform any 'out-there' idea into something visually amazing. Travis has a decorated past, winning many Awards. He began as a commercial photographer in London, moving through a landscape of still work, live action, and visual effects, to arrive where he is today at AIRBAG. His work is - all at once - technical, beautiful, subtle and bold. www.airbag.co Topics Discussed - Advice for Director’s & VFX Artist’s on the best way to progress your career - Early career - Starting out in the UK & working with Nick - Challenges & failures - Moving into Richmond & bringing on partners - Running your own production Company - Studio Pipeline & Being on the Tools - Importance of awards - Directing skills & supervising style - Treatments and Pitching - Directing TVC’s with visual effects - VFX post production - Passion Projects - The future

Topics Discussed - Advice for animators & designers - Best way to progress your career - Early career - Melbourne & Perth - The New Adventures of Ocean Girl & QUADS - Bigkidz : Building an animation studio - Merging animation studios - 12field animation studio work & culture - Pipeline and studio development - Collaboration with Media world - Being a first time director - Exploring directing The Flaming’ Thongs - Directing skills & supervising style - Narrative and story - Sustainability of the industry - Narrative and Story - Quality & Failures - Having kids - Sustainability of the industry ? - The Future Kelly is a director, animator and producer with over 20 years experience in animation. She has worked on a variety of high quality Australian and international TV series. She co-founded the animation studio Bigkidz Entertainment in 2001, working variously as a director, editor, animator, production manager and background designer on television series and pilots, TVC’s and award-winning short animated films. Kelly has a degree in Visual Arts in Animation and has lectured at a tertiary level in Story Structure and Project Management. Currently Kelly is a director and co-owner of 12field Animation studio. www.12field.com.au

Topics Discussed - Lukes story & career path - Early career - TVC’s, broadcast design & Farscape TV series - How did Happy Feet change Animal Logic - Becoming a supervisor, challenges, promoting artist’s & advice - Leadership, challenges learnings & tips - Outward facing as a executive producer & pitching process - Projects : most successful and satisfying - ILM Transition - internal training - software & pipeline - Work life Balance - About ILM Sydney - Inspiration & the Future Luke Hetherington is the Executive in Charge of ILM’s Singapore studio and responsible for all films in production at the studio as well as overseeing all studio operations, marketing, and bidding on future projects. In July 2019, his role expanded to include the buildout and oversight of ILM’s Sydney studio. Hetherington’s experience in building high functioning teams plays a critical role in his work at the studio. Prior to joining ILM, Hetherington had 20 years of experience in the animation and visual effects industry. He spent the 17 years at Animal Logic in Australia where he helped lead the company through a period of outstanding growth in roles including Head of Film VFX, Executive Producer, Head of Production, and Head of CG. His credits include: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Ready Player One, Avengers Infinity War, Walking with Dinosaurs 3D, Happy Feet and the sci-fi TV series, Farscape. www.ilm.com Proudly supported by : Autodesk & Digistor www.autodesk.com.au www.digistor.com.au

Alan Do is Co-founder and Look Development artist at Cadre Pictures. Since early 2000s, he's worked in the 3d industry for over 15 years. His VFX work includes the automotive, financial, retail and entertainment in the advertising industry. Having worked as a Senior 3d Generalist / Lighter at Robot VFX and Method Studios, his expertise concentrates cinematic quality on photo-realistic creatures, stylised characters, natural and mechanical surfaces. Since co-founding Cadre Pictures, Alan has focused his efforts to ensure that every project is finished to the highest possible standard with stunning visuals to match.. www.cadrepictures.com.au Topics Discussed - Alan's story & career path - The process of 3D look development - A good promotional, texturing and lighting shot - Generalists to specialists - What it takes to become an expert - the Conan wheel of pain - Robot VFX, Ben West & Fugu and Tako the movie - Creating high-end TVC’s - Briefing a 3d artist - Starting your own studio - Understanding Cadre specialist pipeline - Podcast recommendations & lots more

Topics Discussed - Growing up in South America - Starting out in visual effects on Farescape - Starting, building, operating and closing a small studio. - Tips for starting up a small studio - Salaries rates and payments - Running small teams & creating 3-D for advertising - Transitioning into liquid and particle work - How to brief a liquid simulations job - How to produce a successful particles project About : Octavio De Lellis has over 25 years of experience in the VFX and post-production industries. He has worked across a range of diverse roles, from modeling, to animation and lighting, to creative direction and directing. Octavio's years of working in post-production also mean he has nurtured a deep familiarity with the inner workings of the advertising industry. This knowledge, coupled with a strong design background and a keen eye for detail make him an outstanding problem solver. Over the last 6 years Octavio has specialised in Fluid Simulation. www.octavio.tv

Topics Discussed - CV, cover letter and Interview - Framestore - Explore the issue of women in the industry - Dr D & George Miller - building a studio of 800 artists - Artist management, Negotiations, recruiting and future jobs - Working overseas - Leadership - Having kids - The Future Lara Hopkins : Framestore Over the last 25 years Lara Hopkins has worked internationally in production and talent management across most areas of animation and VFX including stop motion, cel animation, VFX + CG features, commercials and immersive projects. Starting her career in production in Adelaide at claymation specialists Anifex, she then moved to Sydney to produce commercials at Animal Logic. After a short stint at Advertising Agency Saatchi and Saatchi in Hong Kong, Lara joined Framestore in London as a Senior Producer in Advertising. In 2003 she moved to a CG artist manager role in Framestore's feature film division, covering both artist resource management and recruitment in CG and compositing. Heading back to Sydney she became Studio Manager for Rising Sun Picture's Sydney office, moving then to Dr D Studios to head up the recruitment team. She then returned to Framestore, moving to New York in 2012 to expand their film division, and also crewing Framestore's new offices in Montreal, Los Angeles and most recently Chicago. Lara is currently based in Sydney and consults exclusively for Framestore. She is also passionate about supporting gender diversity in animation and VFX with a strong belief that the best teams are those that are balanced. www.framestore.com

Annabel Dundas Annabel has been Founder and Creative Director of TILT for nearly twenty years and the company has a portfolio of impressive projects and highly regarded clients globally. Having worked around the world she has been influenced by many cultures and therefore has a broad understanding of different markets and how audiences perceive communication. Although small, TILT has worked with some big name clients, producing some award winning projects. www.tiltcreative.com.au Topics Discussed - Running your own studio - Being a top freelancer - Early career - working overseas - Tilt - London - Tilt : Melbourne - FIFA and World Cup - Broadcast design industry : Budgets, sustainable and the future - Women in the workforce - Explore the issue of women in the industry - Side-sizing Tilt Melbourne - The Future

From 2001-2007, Darren Price established the 3D studio for Nexus Productions in London, then went on to win a BAFTA for his first short movie “Potapych – The Bear Who Loved Vodka”. Moving back to Sydney, Darren set up and built Mighty Nice into an internationally recognised creative studio delivering award-winning animation. Working on “This Way Up”, the short film was nominated for an Oscar for best animated short and won numerous film festival awards. He has directed hundreds of acclaimed TV commercials and co-directed ‘Bottersnikes & Gumbles’ in 2015-2016, a twice Logie-nominated children’s series. He is also co-creator of preschool TV series ‘Kazoops’. www.mightynice.com.au Topics Discussed - Running your own studio - Being a top freelancer - Early career, building Nexus 3D Studios - London - Building an animation studio - Mighty Nice - Pipeline and studio development - As a creative director : Maintaining quality - Developing series animation content : The process - Project : Bottersnikes and Gumbles and Kazoops! - Project : ‘Square Peg’ - Inspiration

After working in London for five years James established Studio Hackett (formerly Hackett Films) in the early 2000s, and has gone on to build an incredibly diverse portfolio of work. The studio’s work has won multiple awards – there’s even a couple of Arias sitting in the office. James and Studio Hackett have carved themselves a unique place in the Australian production industry. James’ skills and experience have enabled Studio Hackett to work in sectors that range from broadcast TV to educational games. His expertise is the lynchpin between story and design. James loves getting to the heart of a character and is happy directing live-action talent or animated characters. He has recently written a young adult science-fiction novel, Ectogen, to be published soon.  www.studiohackett.com Topics Discussed - Working in the industry and getting a job in a studio - Essential must haves for freelancers - Mastery of skills versus balance - Tips for creative directors around creating ideas  - Managing your studio in times of heavy workloads - Being a good manager / creative director - The benefits of mentoring and how to make mentoring work for you - Creative writing has a passion project - Benefits of writing to a creative professional or studio .

Topics Discussed We discuss the viability of the 2-D cartoon animation industry in Melbourne and what it takes to work in an animation studio, as well as, take a detailed look at Peter’s epic career.  Peter explains how to to come up with the concept and then develop, find funding and produce the production. We have a detailed discussion about his most recent series Jar Dwellers 2.  We also talk about outsourcing and the international market. Peter reflects on what it takes to have a life long career in animation as well as his work ethic and balancing a career and his family life.  Peter Viska  Peter has been a major part of the Australian animation industry for 38 years, where he has kept abreast of technology to be a content creator and producer for global television networks, international advertising agencies, online games and small businesses. Steeped in a history of loving satire and cartoon humour, Viska graduated to animation from a career as a political cartoonist and illustrating the famous Far Out, Brussel Sprout!, All Right, Vegemite! and Unreal, Banana Peel! series of books. As head of the MICKEY DUCK Animation Co., he directed and produced animation for the advertising industry (Freddo Frog, Target, Telstra, Bloo Loo, Heinz, i-select and the TAC) and for 15 years was major supplier of animation for The Australian Children’s Television Foundation (The Greatest Tune on Earth, The Hedge and Mr Snip, Lift Off, Kaboodle). The association culminated in the production of Li’l Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers, which was his original concept and the first Australian – French animation co-Production. A global presence necessitated a name change to VISKATOONS. He co-wrote and directed the hugely successful MonsterChef for ABC3. Peter was also the Art Director for the award winning casual game, Jolly Rover. Peter is the Creator, Director and Executive Producer of Jar Dwellers SOS. Peter was Executive Producer of Film Victoria supported Suspect Moustache (SBS). He received the Australian Cartoonists Association Stan Cross Award for Animation Cartoonist in 2014. He leads a team of award winning animators and designers who push the boundaries of animation and fun.

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