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Fonco Studios CEO Fon Davis: ILM, Industry Future, & Remembering Grant Imahara
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I’m especially excited to share this episode of The Staffa Corner Podcast. We invited Fon Davis, an Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) alum and CEO of Fonco Studios, to pull back the curtain on how practical effects still shape modern storytelling, even as LED volumes, motion capture, and 3D printing redefine the industry. From R2-D2 restorations to full-scale builds that never make the final cut, Fon’s stories reveal the discipline, research, and creative grit that keep movie magic alive.
Fon also tackles the big industry question: has technology cost the craft its soul? His answer is grounded and optimistic. At Fonco, traditional art meets robotics, CNC, laser cutting, and 3D printing, then returns to sanding, painting, and electronics that sell scale under real lights. Practical builds now live on LED stages; hybrid workflows create new kinds of “real.” We talk working with colleagues like Adam Savage and the late Grant Imahara, whose legacy fuels STEAM education. If you love world-building, behind-the-scenes problem-solving, and the mindset that turns impossible into inevitable, this conversation will stick.
Enjoyed the episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves making-of stories, and leave a quick review to help others discover us.
Follow Fon Davis on Instagram HERE
Learn more about Fonco Studios HERE
Click HERE to learn more about the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation.
Support the show
Check out previous episodes.
Film Director Brendan Gabriel Murphy on Navigating Hollywood Dreams and Indie Film Realities.
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By Greg StaffaSend a text
I’m especially excited to share this episode of The Staffa Corner Podcast. We invited Fon Davis, an Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) alum and CEO of Fonco Studios, to pull back the curtain on how practical effects still shape modern storytelling, even as LED volumes, motion capture, and 3D printing redefine the industry. From R2-D2 restorations to full-scale builds that never make the final cut, Fon’s stories reveal the discipline, research, and creative grit that keep movie magic alive.
Fon also tackles the big industry question: has technology cost the craft its soul? His answer is grounded and optimistic. At Fonco, traditional art meets robotics, CNC, laser cutting, and 3D printing, then returns to sanding, painting, and electronics that sell scale under real lights. Practical builds now live on LED stages; hybrid workflows create new kinds of “real.” We talk working with colleagues like Adam Savage and the late Grant Imahara, whose legacy fuels STEAM education. If you love world-building, behind-the-scenes problem-solving, and the mindset that turns impossible into inevitable, this conversation will stick.
Enjoyed the episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves making-of stories, and leave a quick review to help others discover us.
Follow Fon Davis on Instagram HERE
Learn more about Fonco Studios HERE
Click HERE to learn more about the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation.
Support the show
Check out previous episodes.
Film Director Brendan Gabriel Murphy on Navigating Hollywood Dreams and Indie Film Realities.