Best Cglabs Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 522 - Gabriel Regentin: How Ingenuity Studios Made Weapons Unbelievably Real 1:00:11

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5d ago1:00:11

1:00:11

For our special Halloween episode, we sit down with VFX Supervisor Gabriel Regentin to discuss his work with Ingenuity Studios on the smash-hit horror film, Weapons. Gabriel details his close collaboration with director Zach Cregger, whose primary goal was to ensure every visual effect felt 100% "in-camera" and unquestionably real. He shares the ch…

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Episode 521 - Tim Miller Gets Real About Hits, Misses, and What's Next 1:17:27

12d ago1:17:27

1:17:27

Returning to the podcast for his fourth appearance, director Tim Miller, the creative force behind the blockbuster hit Deadpool and the acclaimed anthologies Love, Death & Robots and Secret Level, pulls back the curtain on the unpredictable reality of a Hollywood career. In a candid discussion, Miller unpacks the delicate balance of luck and persev…

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Episode 520 - Dan Fowler on 20 years of Virtual Production on the Avatars 1:19:31

19d ago1:19:31

1:19:31

After nearly 20 years dedicated to James Cameron's groundbreaking Avatar saga, virtual production supervising stage operator Dan Fowler joins host Chris Nichols in the garage for a deep dive into his incredible 30-year career. Dan recounts his journey from being the drummer in a 90s hair metal band to becoming a key operator on one of the most tech…

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Episode 519 - Sean Faden, VFX Supervisor - Murderbot 1:10:04

26d ago1:10:04

1:10:04

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235529/Ever wonder how the scrappy, sarcastic world of Murderbot was brought to life? Veteran Visual Effects Supervisor Sean Faden pulls back the curtain on the hit Apple TV+ series, revealing the innovative and often hilarious journey of its creation. He shares the origin story of his involvement, detailing a highly c…

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Episode 518 - Scott Ross: "You Got It Wrong About James Cameron" 1:12:58

1M ago1:12:58

1:12:58

A few months back, on episode 510, we debated whether James Cameron is an all-powerful maverick who answers to no one. VFX legend and Digital Domain co-founder Scott Ross heard the discussion and had a clear message for us: "You got it wrong." According to Scott, the idea that Cameron operates completely free from studio influence is a fantasy, esp…

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Episode 517 - Ken Perlin - Professor of Computer Science, NYU 1:09:57

1M ago1:09:57

1:09:57

Computer graphics pioneer Ken Perlin invented Perlin noise, a foundational tool used in nearly every area of computer graphics. In this episode of CG Garage, Ken shares his unique journey, starting with a childhood love for both art and mathematics. He recounts how his early work on the film Tron inspired him to invent Perlin noise and the foundati…

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Episode 516 - Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC - Cinematographer, "Sinners" 1:12:38

2M ago1:12:38

1:12:38

This week, we sit down with acclaimed cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the first woman ever to shoot on IMAX for the film Sinner. She discusses her unique journey into filmmaking, including her work in 16mm on The Last Showgirl and her credits on major studio projects like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Marvel's Loki. Autumn highlights th…

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Episode 515 - Daniel Thron, Chris Nichols, and Lily Nichols - CG Garage's new home, Monstrous Moonshine 1:40:37

2M ago1:40:37

1:40:37

Episode 515 marks the very first CG Garage Podcast episode under the Monstrous Moonshine banner, and it's a big reset moment. Chris is joined by longtime collaborator Daniel Thron and new producer/coordinator Lily Nichols to introduce this new chapter. Together, they reflect on the origins of the Monstrous Moonshine name, its ties to both 1970s cin…

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Episode 514 - Armen Kevorkian - Ingenuity Studios, President 51:30

2M ago51:30

51:30

This episode marks the final CG Garage podcast under the Chaos umbrella. The next chapter of the show will launch under a new banner, continuing the conversations that explore the art, craft, and future of filmmaking. Armen Kevorkian joins Chris to reflect on his long career in visual effects, from his early start as an intern on Star Trek: Voyager…

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Episode 513 - Siggraph 2025 - Simeon Balabanov & Georgi Zhekov on Chaos Vantage & Arena 54:11

3M ago54:11

54:11

At SIGGRAPH 2025, Chaos unveils major updates to Vantage and Arena that significantly expand real-time ray tracing workflows. Product managers Simeon Balabanov and Georgi Zhekov join Chris to break down the new capabilities, including native USD and MaterialX support, Gaussian splats with ray-traced lighting, volumetric caches, and a streamlined pi…

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Episode 512 - Susan O'Neal - VFX, Post, and Technology Recruiter, BLT Recruiting 1:14:22

3M ago1:14:22

1:14:22

In this episode, Chris chats with Susan O'Neal, a long-time force in the visual effects industry, about her remarkable career journey and insights into the evolving VFX world. Susan recounts starting as employee #24 at Digital Domain in the early '90s, working on landmark projects like Titanic, and moving through various studios such as Lightstorm,…

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Episode 511 - Chad Wanstreet & Allan McKay - Co-Founders, Version Zero 1:07:46

4M ago1:07:46

1:07:46

VFX veterans Chad Wanstreet and Allan McKay join Chris to talk about their new startup, Version Zero, a company aimed at automating the mundane tasks that bog down visual effects work. Born out of years of frustration with tedious jobs like roto, paint, plate cleanup, and matchmove, Version Zero helps artists and studios save time and focus on the …

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Episode 510 - Industry Roundtable — James Cameron, AI, Sinners, and Indie films 1:14:10

4M ago1:14:10

1:14:10

We're trying something new this week and taking a break from the usual interview format. This episode kicks off a roundtable discussion format that we plan to revisit every few months. Chris is joined in person by Daniel Thron and James Blevins, both CG Garage podcast veterans, for a relaxed but sharp conversation about recent events in technology …

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

5M 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…

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

5M 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 …

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

6M 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…

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

6M 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.…

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

7M 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…

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

7M 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…

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

7M 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…

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

8M 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 …

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

9M 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…

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

9M 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…

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

9M 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 …

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

10M 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…