Behind the Screen

In this episode, we talk with Tad Leckman, a multi-talented artist who is now teaching and guiding new art students into their future careers.

With a background both in entertainment and education, Tad Leckman has spent the past twenty years focused on the learning and development of artists, designers, writers and engineers. After a successful career as a digital artist and supervisor at Industrial Light and Magic, Tad changed his focus to teaching full-time, and has taught at Academy of Art University, Savannah College of Art and Design, NYU, Escape Studios and University of California Santa Cruz.

In 2008, Tad returned to Lucasfilm as Director of Training, overseeing The Jedi Masters Program, staff development and internships for the company's combined animation, visual effects and game development studio in Singapore. Tad has held senior learning and development roles at Blizzard Entertainment and Riot Games. Tad is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at UCSC, teaching graduate and undergraduate game development and professional practices classes.

Tad has lectured at SIGGRAPH, SIGGRAPH Asia, The Brooklyn Art Museum, AnimFX/NZ, CG Overdrive, Games Asia, Seoul International Animation and Cartoon Festival, DigiPen, Savannah Film Festival, VES Festival of Visual Effects, National Youth Leadership Forum on Technology, Port Townsend Film Festival, QuickTime Live!.

Tad's Website: http://www.leckman.com/tad/

Tad's Twitter: https://twitter.com/tadleckman

Frank’s Twitter: twitter.com/phoenixred

Kristen’s Twitter: twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

In this episode, we talk with Tad Leckman, a multi-talented artist who is now teaching and guiding new art students into their future careers.

With a background both in entertainment and education, Tad Leckman has spent the past twenty years focused on the learning and development of artists, designers, writers and engineers. After a successful career as a digital artist and supervisor at Industrial Light and Magic, Tad changed his focus to teaching full-time, and has taught at Academy of Art University, Savannah College of Art and Design, NYU, Escape Studios and University of California Santa Cruz.

In 2008, Tad returned to Lucasfilm as Director of Training, overseeing The Jedi Masters Program, staff development and internships for the company's combined animation, visual effects and game development studio in Singapore. Tad has held senior learning and development roles at Blizzard Entertainment and Riot Games. Tad is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at UCSC, teaching graduate and undergraduate game development and professional practices classes.

Tad has lectured at SIGGRAPH, SIGGRAPH Asia, The Brooklyn Art Museum, AnimFX/NZ, CG Overdrive, Games Asia, Seoul International Animation and Cartoon Festival, DigiPen, Savannah Film Festival, VES Festival of Visual Effects, National Youth Leadership Forum on Technology, Port Townsend Film Festival, QuickTime Live!.

Tad's Website: http://www.leckman.com/tad/

Tad's Twitter: https://twitter.com/tadleckman

Frank’s Twitter: twitter.com/phoenixred

Kristen’s Twitter: twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

Brian Smawley - better known as Chef Lu Bu - is an Army veteran, talented chef, and YouTube creative. Originally born in Florida, Brian grew up in Georgia, where he lives today, working as a community manager at Battle and Brew, a unique venue that bills itself as Atlanta's first Geekbar - a restaurant and bar equipped with PC stations, tabletop gaming areas, consoles, and a steampunk lounge - as well as a social media manager for GASM Media.

Brian began making videos on YouTube in 2013, preparing food inspired by popular video games such as League of Legends. Since then, he's become an outspoken advocate for several social issues as well as the mistreatment of veterans. 

Brian's Twitter: https://twitter.com/chef_lu_bu

Brian's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChefLuBu/

Battle and Brew: http://www.battleandbrew.com

Frank’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/phoenixred

Kristen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

Brian Smawley - better known as Chef Lu Bu - is an Army veteran, talented chef, and YouTube creative. Originally born in Florida, Brian grew up in Georgia, where he lives today, working as a community manager at Battle and Brew, a unique venue that bills itself as Atlanta's first Geekbar - a restaurant and bar equipped with PC stations, tabletop gaming areas, consoles, and a steampunk lounge - as well as a social media manager for GASM Media.

Brian began making videos on YouTube in 2013, preparing food inspired by popular video games such as League of Legends. Since then, he's become an outspoken advocate for several social issues as well as the mistreatment of veterans. 

Brian's Twitter: https://twitter.com/chef_lu_bu

Brian's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChefLuBu/

Battle and Brew: http://www.battleandbrew.com

Frank’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/phoenixred

Kristen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

In this episode of Behind the Screen, we talk with Marissa Huculak, a 3D animator.

Marissa Huculak is a talented 3D Animator who’s put in work at Bardel Entertainment, an animation studio collaborating with places like Disney, Cartoon Network, Dreamworks, and more. Marissa worked on Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, working with both artists and animation directors to put together a show featuring one of comics and animation’s most beloved set of pizza-loving martial-arts wielding reptiles. Currently, she’s an animator at Wavedash Games, an independent game publisher looking to break into the platform fighters scene with Icons: Combat Arena.

Marissa's Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarissaHuculak

Marissa's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ambehr

Frank’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/phoenixred

Kristen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

In this episode of Behind the Screen, we talk with Marissa Huculak, a 3D animator.

Marissa Huculak is a talented 3D Animator who’s put in work at Bardel Entertainment, an animation studio collaborating with places like Disney, Cartoon Network, Dreamworks, and more. Marissa worked on Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, working with both artists and animation directors to put together a show featuring one of comics and animation’s most beloved set of pizza-loving martial-arts wielding reptiles. Currently, she’s an animator at Wavedash Games, an independent game publisher looking to break into the platform fighters scene with Icons: Combat Arena.

Marissa's Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarissaHuculak

Marissa's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ambehr

Frank’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/phoenixred

Kristen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

In this episode, we speak with Robert Daniell, a recent graduate from Case Western Reserve, looking to tackle IP law in video games.

Robert Daniell is a recent law grad, avid gamer, and a writer for Hearthhead and Hearthstone Top Decks, two of the most well-known sites for guiding you through Blizzard’s Hearthstone card game. During his time as a student, Robert’s worked with Ryan Morrison of Morrison/Lee, who’ve plied their trade being innovators and leaders in the realm of video gaming, esports, and technology law, and when he wasn’t doing that, he’s been tearing it up as a high level player in popular games like League of Legends and World of Warcraft.

Robert's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArgentanLaw

Hearthhead: http://www.hearthhead.com/

Hearthstone Top Decks: http://www.hearthstonetopdecks.com

Frank’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/phoenixred

Kristen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

In this episode, we speak with Robert Daniell, a recent graduate from Case Western Reserve, looking to tackle IP law in video games.

Robert Daniell is a recent law grad, avid gamer, and a writer for Hearthhead and Hearthstone Top Decks, two of the most well-known sites for guiding you through Blizzard’s Hearthstone card game. During his time as a student, Robert’s worked with Ryan Morrison of Morrison/Lee, who’ve plied their trade being innovators and leaders in the realm of video gaming, esports, and technology law, and when he wasn’t doing that, he’s been tearing it up as a high level player in popular games like League of Legends and World of Warcraft.

Robert's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArgentanLaw

Hearthhead: http://www.hearthhead.com/

Hearthstone Top Decks: http://www.hearthstonetopdecks.com

Frank’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/phoenixred

Kristen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

In this episode, we speak with Pamela Horton, host for GameStop TV, co-creator of ToasterGhost, and Facebook Gaming partner.

Pam is an effervescent personality, introduced to video games around the age of 5. She's been an avid gamer, with a special place for JRPGs, MMOs, and sandbox titles like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy XI, World of Warcraft, and Minecraft. She's a media professional in the industry and is best known for her hosting and live work, as well as her worth with Nintendo of America as Bayonetta, but has also made cameos on Last Week Tonight as "Sexy John Oliver." She's worked with Broken Lizard on Super Troopers 2, and had several notable YouTube collabs.

Pam's Twitter: https://twitter.com/PamelaHorton13

Pam's Website: https://www.neratrite.me/

ToasterGhost YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/toasterghost

Pam's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/pamelahortonstuff

Pam's Facebook Gaming Page: https://www.facebook.com/pamelahorton13/videos/?ref=page_internal

Pam's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/pamelahorton13

Frank’s Twitter: twitter.com/PhoenixRed

Kristen’s Twitter: twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit

In this episode, we speak with Pamela Horton, host for GameStop TV, co-creator of ToasterGhost, and Facebook Gaming partner.

Pam is an effervescent personality, introduced to video games around the age of 5. She's been an avid gamer, with a special place for JRPGs, MMOs, and sandbox titles like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy XI, World of Warcraft, and Minecraft. She's a media professional in the industry and is best known for her hosting and live work, as well as her worth with Nintendo of America as Bayonetta, but has also made cameos on Last Week Tonight as "Sexy John Oliver." She's worked with Broken Lizard on Super Troopers 2, and had several notable YouTube collabs.

Pam's Twitter: https://twitter.com/PamelaHorton13

Pam's Website: https://www.neratrite.me/

ToasterGhost YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/toasterghost

Pam's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/pamelahortonstuff

Pam's Facebook Gaming Page: https://www.facebook.com/pamelahorton13/videos/?ref=page_internal

Pam's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/pamelahorton13

Frank’s Twitter: twitter.com/PhoenixRed

Kristen’s Twitter: twitter.com/MiniWhiteRabbit