The CG Spectrum Podcast

Find Hubert: https://www.bonjam.ca/Learn 2D Animation: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/2d-animatorMaxine speaks with Hubert Lapointe, Online Educator/Creative Director and Founder at Bon Jam Animation, about how to work as a freelance animator, including how to determine your rate, whether to charge hourly or daily, and marketing yourself on social media. Plus, Hubert gives some great tips on how to succeed in e-learning. This episode is chock-full of actionable tips and is not to be missed, especially for those who are considering starting to work as a freelancer!Hubert Lapointe is an online educator, Creative Director and Founder at Bon Jam Animation and mentor of 2D Animation at CG Spectrum. His experience ranges from Toonboom software instructor to animation supervisor, to director and finally studio founder at Bon Jam Animation. He has worked at studios like Oasis Animation, Bardel Entertainment, Shed, and Happy Camper Media and has credits on shows like Rick and Morty, The Ollie and Moon Show for Netflix, and primetime children TV series Jon Le Bon.🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/freelance-animation-hubert-lapointe00:00 Intro01:24 Hubert’s background, starting as an animator in Quebec03:26 Failing the animation test, Hubert’s first job05:10 Getting into the industry through side roles, finding your path9:20 Becoming an Animation director13:50 Benefits of freelancing versus working in a studio18:34 Getting started as a freelancer and online exposure24:02 How to make content more interesting for social media30:10 Producing consistently and creating engagement36:09 Knowing the audience for your demo reel42:30 Qualities Hubert looks for when hiring juniors48:00 How to set your rate and other practical tips53:16 Hourly versus daily rates55:45 Starting at a discounted rate59:15 Negotiating your rate1:05:10 Tips for e-Learning1:10:40 Where to find HubertConnect on:📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrumHubert:📍 https://www.bonjam.ca/📍 https://www.linkedin.com/in/hubert-lapointe/📍 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8153335/📍 https://www.instagram.com/bonjam.ca/📍 https://www.instagram.com/bleu_ecarlate/

Find Ian: www.ianspriggs.comLearn 3D Modeling: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/3d-modelingDigital Portrait Artist Ian Spriggs catches up with Maxine to unpack the creative process behind his mind-blowing realistic 3D character portraitures. Learn how Ian approaches creating his digital portraits, including how he chooses subjects, tricks for lighting and workflow, and the importance of practicing your craft. Ian also discusses the difference between hyperrealism and photorealism, how digital portraiture compares to traditional painting, and finding inspiration in art history.Ian Spriggs is a digital portrait artist creating believable digital humans. He has also worked as a lead character 3D modeler with credits including Bloodshot, Mulan, The Mandolorian (Chapter 1), Spiderman: Far From Home, and John Wick 3. He's been creating digital art in the industry for over 16 years, working at studios such as OatsStudios, ImageEngine, ILM, Mr X, and is currently at Unity Labs.🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/create-3d-character-portrait-ian-spriggs00:00 Intro01:15 Ian’s 3D Portraiture03:38 Finding passion through a self-portrait05:37 Ian’s background in VFX07:57 Working at ILM and Oats10:10 Working in small versus large studios12:01 How Ian selects portrait subjects16:11 How digital portraiture compares to traditional painting20:33 Ian’s art shown in galleries23:06 Ian’s process for portraiture 26:08 Hyperrealism vs. photorealism29:36 Ian’s portrait of Kim Jung Gi31:28 Feedback and attention to detail35:35 Leonardo da Vinci portrait38:24 Personal work versus professional work42:03 Finding inspiration in art history43:50 Lighting models45:50 Tricks Ian has picked up from the industry47:35 Following your passion and practicing50:02 How many hours Ian spends working 53:20 Listener questions: recommendations for realistic sculpting, preferred workflows55:50 Where to find IanConnect on:📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrumIan:📍 https://www.ianspriggs.com📍 https://www.instagram.com/ianspriggs📍 https://twitter.com/spriggsian

Find Alex: https://beddowsdesign.carrd.co/Learn Environment Art: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/environment-artistJustin interviews Alex Beddows, a Senior Environment Artist at Respawn Entertainment, about how to get ahead in the industry and his pragmatic perspective on career advancement. Alex shares how personal projects like his podcast 'Game Dev Discussion' helped him to network and land jobs, and how his background in sports (rugby) has been a pivotal asset for building leadership in the studio. He shares practical tips about how to research for a position you want and determining the scope of a project, and answers listener questions about inspiration, mental bandwidth, and preferred software for environment art.Alex is an environment artist with nearly 10 years of experience in varying sectors of the game industry, from mobile to AAA, on titles including Returnal, Scavengers, and Godfall. He also worked at ArtStation as a consultant. Alex currently resides at Respawn Entertainment as a Senior Environment Artist. As well as being an artist, Alex hosts the ‘Game Dev Discussion’ podcast dedicated to the games industry, where he speaks with people from all aspects of games with a strong focus on environment art. 🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/environment-art-repawn-entertainment-alex-beddows00:00 Intro01:12 Alex’s Background from rugby to game art03:25 Starting the GDD podcast06:29 How sports helped Alex in the games industry09:15 Communication and delivering bad news in a positive way11:54 Progressing with soft skills rather than hard skills16:28 Doing the research19:35 Alex’s pragmatic approach to his career23:45 How knowing what you don’t want to do helps you figure out what you do want to do26:30 How far is far enough?32:39 Scoping your project and maintaining momentum36:23 The easy way to make a checklist for your portfolio38:30 Getting inspired through photography43:30 Making steps toward Art Direction48:00 Listener questions: inspiration, mental bandwidth, preferred softwares for environment art57:45 Where to find AlexConnect on:📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrumAlex:📍 https://beddowsdesign.carrd.co/📍 https://www.artstation.com/alexbeddows📍 https://www.dinustyempire.com/podcast📍 https://www.instagram.com/beddows.design/📍 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-beddows-2a827585/📍 https://twitter.com/BeddowsDesign

Find Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pullyblank/Learn 3D Animation: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/3d-animatorMaxine interviews Mark Pullyblank, Department Head of 3D Animation at CG Spectrum, to talk about his midlife career switch into animation from an entirely different industry -- live music. Mark tells us how he went from starting a new career in animation in his mid-30s with two young kids and zero income to getting headhunted to work on Avatar. He and Maxine discuss why your attitude matters so much, how failures lead to success, and the importance of falling in love with the process. This episode is not to be missed!Mark Pullyblank spent much of the nineties working as a musician before beginning his animation career. He has been an Animation Supervisor at Rainmaker Digital and Frantic Films, a Senior Animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks, and worked in various departments at Wētā FX. His film credits include Avatar, The Adventures of Tintin, The Smurfs, Night at the Museum, and many others. Mark is currently the Department Head of 3D Animation at CG Spectrum, co-founder of Theia Interactive, Director of Non-Stop Motion Virtual Productions, a Lecturer at a Californian university, and undertakes freelance and consulting work at film and game studios.🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/animation-career-change-mark-pullybank00:00 Intro01:22 Mark’s background and switching into an entirely new career in animation04:00 Why starting a new career was a hard sell06:45 Doing things you’re bad at10:14 Mark’s experience of going back to school as an animator at 33 with two kids and zero income12:15 Closing the gap between beginner and skilled through practice15:44 Falling in love with the process, and the work over the fantasy20:28 The importance of stories and creating art22:10 Equal enthusiasm for projects, from Dr. Doolittle 3 to Avatar25:50 Mark’s mindfulness trick28:30 Learning how to lose: how failure leads to success34:38 Focus on the things you have control over40:48 Building toward responsibility44:02 Impostor Syndrome and setting healthy boundaries51:50 What to do on your first day in a studio56:50 How Mark was invited to work on Avatar57:45 Where to find MarkConnect on:📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrumMark:📍 https://www.linkedin.com/in/pullyblank/📍 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1603840/

Find J Hill: https://artofjhill.com/Learn Character Art: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/character-artistIn this week’s interview with J Hill, Lead Character Artist at Turtle Rock Studios, joins Maxine to chat about the success of his eponymous YouTube channel  @J Hill , how he got started as a character artist, using YouTube as a creative outlet and a form of accountability, and why encouraging other people to pursue their passions is so important to him. Plus, J shares some practical wisdom about job interviews, what sets applicants apart, and what he looks for when he’s in the hiring seat. J also answers your listener questions about time management, render engines, and more!J is a professional 3D character artist in the entertainment industry working as a Lead Character Artist at Turtle Rock Studios, known for popular games Back 4 Blood, Evolve, and Left 4 Dead. J also runs  @J Hill  where he helps artists pursue their interests in digital art, including 3D character art, ZBrush sculpting, 3D modeling, game art, and rendering. 🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/create-your-dream-job-j-hill00:00 Intro01:39 J’s background and 3D Modeling09:25 How to go ‘off the beaten path’ to make a living12:03 How J got started on YouTube and creating personal work17:54 Impostor syndrome and authenticity on J’s YouTube account22:24 Creating room for and embracing failure24:10 J’s first job in the industry31:01 How J landed his second job as a character artist through a forum post and networking35:32 Expanding your net and staying open minded with job applications40:47 Working for a studio vs. making personal work47:32 Personal projects as a way to show your passion49:29 Advice for people getting into the industry57:40 Doing work that speaks to you1:03:03 Listener questions: time management, environment art, why did J choose character art?, Render Engines, ZBrush1:13:40 Where to find JConnect on:📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrumJ Hill:📍 https://www.artstation.com/jhill📍 https://www.youtube.com/c/artofjhill/about📍 https://www.instagram.com/artofjhill/📍 https://artofjhill.com/

Find Kate: https://www.katexagoraris.com/Learn Houdini FX: https://www.cgspectrum.com/courses/fx-simulationIn this week’s interview, Kate Xagoraris, Midlevel Effects Artist at SPIN VFX & CG Spectrum Mentor of Houdini FX, joins Maxine to discuss her popular Houdini tutorials blog, her work on medical and science visualization tools, dealing with impostor syndrome, being pigeon-holed at work and how to break out of that pattern, as well as embracing the fear that comes with working in FX. As always, we dive into plenty of practical and actionable tips for advancing in your career. Kate Xagoraris is an FX artist currently working for SPIN VFX. She's worked on projects like Nightmare Alley, The Witcher, and Raised by Wolves, Vikings: Valhalla, and The Boys. She also runs a popular science and visual effects blog called More VFX Help, where she covers Houdini and much more, and has her own YouTube channel,  @Kate . 🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/break-through-imposter-syndrome-fx-artist-kate-xagoraris00:00 Intro01:50 Kate’s background in animation and first steps in Houdini06:30 Introducing science into effects work07:30 How Kate’s blog started and her most popular articles12:30 Inside the studio: “Production doesn’t know what artists do”14:52 Tips for people who want to move up in their career18:15 Navigating growth in a studio environment22:22 How to deal with getting typecast or pigeonholed for one skill25:51 Challenging yourself versus working in your comfort zone, doing one thing a day that scares you28:48 The story behind Kate’s first Houdini shot on The Boys35:06 The pressure of being the first woman on her FX team42:30 How Kate writes her blog posts knowing her colleagues might come across them 45:10 Dealing with impostor syndrome47:55 The importance of taking time off to process experiences and information52:12 Kate’s medical and science visualization tools and using Houdini for NASA and Hubble59:26 Where to find KateConnect on:📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrumKate:📍 https://www.artstation.com/katexagoraris📍 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-xagoraris-237970161/📍 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbBVDltzL3eoADdraZGuuEg📍 https://www.katexagoraris.com/

Find Chun Chun: https://www.artstation.com/chunchunyang Learn 3D Modeling: https://www.cgspectrum.com/courses/3d-modelingThis week, Senior Texture Artist Chun Chun Yang sits down with Maxine to discuss how she got into 3D art, the rewards and challenges of switching careers from film to games, and the lessons she learned along the way. Maxine and Chun Chun also talk about pushing through discomfort to create new opportunities, challenging yourself to find joy in career growth, and much more!Along with her successful texturing tutorials on Gumroad, Chun Chun has worked as a 3D artist for film, contributing to titles like Ready Player One, Deadpool, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. She's worked as a Texture Artist at Digital Domain and as a Senior Texture Artist at Industrial Light & Magic. After being scouted by an art director at Blizzard Entertainment, Chun Chun recently transitioned into games and is now working as a Character Material Artist on Blizzard's Diablo IV. She also has a successful YouTube channel,  @Artruism Digital  .🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/blizzard-texture-artist-chun-chun-yang00:00 Intro01:16 Chun Chun’s entry to 3D art05:40 What is texturing?07:33 Chun Chun’s transition from film to games11:30 Challenges in moving from film to games13:37 Talking to managers about new opportunities17:44 Starting her YouTube channel  @Artruism Digital  22:39 Career growth and developing your confidence beyond your job title26:00 The learning curve for Houdini 28:59 Other procedural texturing artists to look out for31:00 Challenging yourself and creating joy through career growth 32:15 Practical tips for creating your portfolio and finding a job35:24 Getting scouted by an Art Director at Blizzard36:00 People skills and your professional reputation40:48 Future trends, and Realtime in Unreal Engine45:30 How to network when you’re working remotely47:26 Where to find Chun ChunConnect on:📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrumChun Chun:📍 https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtruismDigital📍 https://www.artstation.com/chunchunyang📍 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chun-chun-yang-175b0515/📍 https://twitter.com/chunchunyang

Find Pedro: https://www.https://www.complairvfx.com/Learn Compositing: https://www.cgspectrum.com/courses/vfx-compositingThis week, Maxine interviews Pedro Andrade, Head of Compositing as well as Founder of the Comp Lair podcast and The Next Level training program, a Compositing Supervisor training program he created. They talk about how Pedro started his podcast and The Next Level training program out of a desire to share knowledge, and exactly what tools, skills and perspectives helped Pedro jump from a compositor to supervisor position in only two years. Tune in to hear Pedro talk about embracing your unique perspective, the freedom of letting go of expectations, and the value in being prepared for opportunities that come your way.As a 2D Supervisor, Pedro has worked at companies such as DNEG, Cinesite, and Milk VFX. As former Head of Compositing at MPC, he managed 100+ people across London, Berlin, and Montreal, from junior artists to supervisors, on both episodic and film projects. Pedro's credits include House of the Dragon, Avengers: Endgame, The Boys (season 3), Doctor Who, and Guardians of the Galaxy.🔗 Episode notes: https://www.cgspectrum.com/podcast/comp-lair-compositing-supervisor-pedro-andrade00:00 Intro01:53 Why Pedro started the Comp Lair Podcast05:00 The Next Level training program and four skills a Compositing Supervisor needs to master10:50 How Pedro shifted from music and engineering into Visual Effects19:20 Freelancing, Star Trek: Into Darkness20:45 Finding your unique voice and using it to get ahead26:03 The importance of being prepared28:32 Practical tips for people who want to get into the industry 31:31 How Pedro learned a new skill in 3 months and the value in being proactive37:38 The state of VFX and compositing and what to expect in the futureConnect on:📍 https://www.instagram.com/cgspectrum📍 https://www.linkedin.com/cgspectrum📍 http://www.facebook.com/CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School📍 https://www.twitter.com/cgspectrumPedro:📍 https://www.youtube.com/c/CompLair 📍 https://www.complairvfx.com/📍 https://www.complairvfx.com/thenextlevel 📍 https://www.facebook.com/complair📍 https://www.instagram.com/comp_lair/ 📍 https://discord.com/invite/Tkhtau8