ILM is one of the primary VFX providers on Supergirl, sharing the action with Digital Domain and Framestore. (Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures) Everyone loves to hate Gen Z – I can say this; I’m one of them. Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z is making its mark on the workforce, prioritizing flexibility, [...]

A heartfelt mother-daughter moment is brought to life by Zoic Studios for The Miniature Wife. (Image courtesy of Peacock) As CGI permeates film and television productions, opportunities have increased exponentially for visual effects studios to grow from hired hands to creative partners in the design and execution of shots. On projects that rely on a [...]

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures. The eye of the cyclops was a real one rotoscoped, composited and timed perfectly with the action. Given that Christopher Nolan has explored cloning in The Prestige, conjured a dream version of Paris that folds into itself in Inception and devoted an entire trilogy to a bat-obsessed billionaire vigilante, the [...]

Alissar Kobeissi, Senior Animator, Sony Pictures Imageworks. Although animation is not typically the first medium mentioned in relation to the Middle East, Oscar-nominated films such as Persepolis and The Breadwinner illustrate its effectiveness in addressing social issues affecting the region. Among a new generation of artists emerging from the region is Palestinian-Lebanese multimedia animator Alissar [...]

For Digital Domain, it’s about more than chasing the highest rebate; it’s aligning their global footprint with high-yield regions and tapping into top-tier talent in those locations. Digital Domain was a primary vendor creating digi-doubles and character animation for Supergirl. (Image courtesy of DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures) The economics of visual effects seem [...]

John Goodson, Digital Artist, ILM One of the most heartbreaking scenes in the Disney+ documentary series Light & Magic, which explores the history of Industrial Light & Magic, details the closure of the Model Shop. Long the heart of ILM’s practical effects operation, it laid the foundation for the pioneering visual effects studio that George [...]

Images courtesy of LAIKA Studios. Sixteen years in the making, Travis Knight’s passion project Wildwood finally takes flight. Releasing two movies within the same year is not for the faint of heart. “I’m sure it has taken years and years off my life,” laughs Travis Knight, who directed both Masters of the Universe and Wildwood, [...]

Wētā FX’s Kora fire simulation toolset – recognized with a VES Emerging Technology Award – powered the physics-based chemical combustion effects at the heart of Avatar: Fire and Ash, which won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. (Image courtesy of Wētā FX and 20th Century Studios) The future of visual effects will not hinge [...]

The Academy Award contender and Annie Award-nominated Polish film The Peasants blended live-action performances with hand-painted animation, with Juice acting as the primary VFX partner. (Image courtesy of BreakThru Films and Sony Pictures Classics) It’s impossible to define anything as distinctly European. On this continent, you can fall asleep on a short-haul flight, one that [...]

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Animation. Slow motion was utilized for emotional impact rather than showcasing cool action moments. Alongside winning three 2026 VES Awards for Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature, Outstanding Character in an Animated Feature (Rumi) and Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature, KPop Demon Hunters conquered the Oscars, Annie Awards, [...]