Yo! Just dropped a raw convo with Mandy Karlowski a Houdini FX artist who’s been melting CPUs and GPUs since 2011. We go deep on why Maya almost killed her passion, how Houdini saved her soul, and why perfectionism is the silent dream-killer. Plus: real talk on AI panic, freelance red flags, and why VFX is still a damn art-form. If you’ve ever felt stuck between passion and paychecks, hit play.

- Mandy on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-karlowski/

- Join The Generalists

Discord: https://discord.gg/8NZWcu2gTN

- Linktree

All links & tools I use: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist

Timestamps:

00:00 - Mandy’s Origin: From Photoshop procrastinator to FX queen

00:04:24 - Perfectionism Paralysis

00:12:19 - VFX Industry Bloodbath: AI, strikes, and streaming wars

00:17:40 - Maya vs. Houdini: The software showdown we needed

00:28:00 - Freelance Survival: How to say "HELL NO" to bad clients

00:41:07 - Tool Ownership: Who keeps your Houdini magic?

00:53:15 - Burnout & Balance: Touch grass, pet cats, stay human

01:01:11 - Women in VFX: Mandy’s truth bomb on respect & pay

#VFXArtist #HoudiniFX #FreelanceLife