In this special episode of In Love with the Process, filmmaker Mike Pecci is joined by Academy Award–nominated VFX Supervisor Michael Ralla, whose work on Sinners helped shape one of the most visually and emotionally striking films in recent memory.
The two go deep into how Sinners was actually made, breaking down the collaboration between the VFX department and director Ryan Coogler, and how Coogler’s clarity, trust, and creative leadership inspired the entire team. Michael demystifies what a VFX supervisor really does, how visual effects serve story rather than spectacle, and how restraint can often be more powerful than excess.
As always on this show, music finds its way into the conversation. Michael’s background as a drummer plays a surprising role in how he approaches rhythm, pacing, and visual flow in his work. And yes, there’s an incredible moment you won’t believe, involving who played drums on the film’s score and their unexpected connection to Metallica.
But the most fascinating part of the episode is a bold new theory that could change how we think about cinema entirely. Mike and Michael explore the idea that films projected on actual film may hold an audience’s attention longer and more deeply than digital projection, digging into the psychology, texture, and subconscious impact of the medium itself.
Is it true? And if it is, could it reshape how movies are shown in theaters going forward?
This episode is a must-listen for filmmakers, cinematographers, VFX artists, musicians, and anyone obsessed with how movies really work.
Music: Big Black Delta, Code Elektro
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