8111

Ed Kramer started his movie and television career using an analog video computer called Scanimate, and later worked as a sequence supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic. His film credits include: The Mummy, Galaxy Quest, The Mummy Returns, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Twister, and Pirates of the Caribbean II: Dead Man’s Chest. Today Ed lives in Colorado where he teaches computer graphics and is working on a feature documentary on the early days of CG entitled, Wizards of Hollywood. 

Miles Perkins grew up in Berkeley, California. He starting playing the bass in elementary school, later playing in various jazz combos and eventually with his own band, Mingus Amungus. He studied philosophy at UCLA and got a job working nights at Skywalker Sound. After college he began work at ILM in San Rafael and eventually became the Director of Marketing and Communications. When Lucasfilm was purchased by Disney, Miles took on the job of Head of Corporate Communications during the transition. Today Miles works at Epic Games leading business development for the Unreal Engine for use in virtual production. Our chat is dynamic and wide ranging, diving deep into creativity, philosophy, inspiration, motivation, personal connections, and the universal power of narrative. 

Patricia Rose Duignan (Rose) worked on the original Star Wars at ILM after having been introduced to George Lucas by John Dykstra back in 1975. She’s had an amazing career helping to bring some incredible projects to fruition. After graduating from Stanford she began a long and illustrious career. Her credits include: Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica (1978), and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. She co-authored the 1996 coffee table book, Industrial Light & Magic: Into the Digital Realm, has served on the board of directors for the Visual Effects Society (VES), and has spent several years working to create dynamic and robust mentoring programs for young women and people of color to get involved in the visual effects business.  

Mo Husseini was born in Egypt, grew up in Jordan, attended boarding school in the UK, and moved to the San Francisco bay area in the late 1980’s. He attended classes at UC Berkeley, apprenticed with various filmmakers and artists, and eventually landed a job at ILM in the commercial editorial group. Mo shares his stories of luck, the generosity of others, the Dunning–Kruger effect (uh-oh), and his amazing post-ILM career. Plus, he’s a super smart and kind human and it was great to catch up with him. We easily could have kept talking for a few more hours. 

Laurel Woods worked at ILM and Lucasfilm for 7 years in the 90’s. She is one of my dearest friends. 

Her epic story includes; a dad who was a former CHP officer, who later owned strip clubs in LA, UCSB, working as an office assistant at Playboy, ILM computer graphics, Lucasfilm, a murder for hire, visiting prison on holidays, MTV, stalking Carrie Fisher, SCUBA diving, Tunisia, writing a memoir, and working for CORE in LA doing COVID-19 testing. 

Laurel’s journey takes her across the US and around the globe. She’s easily one of the most incredible people I know. 

Terrence Masson has had an incredible career. He's worked on 20+ feature films as well as many “special venue" interactive, broadcast commercials and video game projects. Some highlights include three Star Wars movies, getting SouthPark started and the world's largest interactive digital Etch-A-Sketch. Terrence is a member of the Producers Guild of America, the Visual Effects Society and has been active in SIGGRAPH since 1988, including as the 2006 Computer Animation Festival Chair, the 2010 Conference Chair, and Outstanding Service Awards Chair.

Terrence's enthusiasm for the craft is infectious. Today he works at Chair of the MFA program in Computer Arts at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York.

This week I talk to Elle Chan. Elle worked in the commercials division at ILM for five years in the early 1990's. She talks about growing up in Rochester, NY, how she came to ILM, and the amazing success she's created since leaving and starting her own company, Trademark Event Productions, Inc. 

On episode two, I chat with my good friend of 28 years, TyRuben Ellingson. Ty has worked as a visual effects art director, concept designer, director, producer, and now educator. His story is a fascinating one and his credits include, Jurassic Park, Avatar, Star Wars: Episode IV (The Special Edition), Casper, Disclosure, Hellboy, Blade 2, Mimic, Elysium, Pacific Rim, and Battle Los Angeles. Today Ty and I work together again in higher education at Virginia Commonwealth University in the School of the Arts in Richmond, VA. 

The premiere episode of 8111 with Kim Bromley. Kim worked as a Visual Effects Producer at ILM for 14 years. Her credits include, Willow, Back to the Future 2 and 3, Hudson Hawk, Hook, The Nutcracker, Disclosure, Twister, Speed 2: Cruise Control, Small Soldiers, Saving Private Ryan, Cremaster 2, and Galaxy Quest. She has also worked in documentary film and as a highly successful theatre director. I've always looked up to Kim and learned so much from her. She is the first guest I wanted to talk to.