The Generalists with Jack Gutmann

Hey fellow Generalists! I am super excited to share this one. I brought back Nicholas Silveria for a second round, and honestly, this chat turned into a masterpiece! I hope you all will enjoy it!

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links:

- Nicholas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholassilveira/

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro & catching up

1:20 The real-time VFX community

3:00 How Nicholas started his studio

5:00 Surviving the funding drought

8:45 Pricing projects & charging less

12:00 Remote teams & global collaboration

16:00 Unreal Engine’s evolving workflows

20:00 The power of constant learning

23:00 Virtual racing simulation project

28:00 Why limitations can be good

31:00 Tech artists as indie devs

36:00 Networking without events

41:00 Sharing vs. hoarding knowledge

45:00 The importance of authenticity

47:30 Closing thoughts

#GameDev #TechArt #IndieDev

In this episode of The Generalists Podcast, I sit down with Viacheslav Makhynko, Senior Technical Artist and creator of courses on Tech-Art. If you’re curious about the real work of a technical artist and how to start your own path, this episode is for you.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links & Resources:

- Road to Tech Art Course: https://www.reddit.com/r/TechnicalArtist/comments/1dwtg8i/technical_artist_learning_materials/

- Donate to Ukraine: https://u24.gov.ua/donate

- Viacheslav on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viacheslav-makhynko-a25742168/

- Udemy Courses (search “Viacheslav Makhynko” on Udemy)

We cover:

- How Viacheslav transitioned from aviation engineering to game development

- The real day-to-day of technical artists—tools, pipelines, and soft skills

- Why empathy and communication matter more than code

- How he created courses to guide others into tech art

- Staying productive and creative while living in a war zone

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:00 From aviation to games

03:00 Early career as QA tester

05:00 9-month mentorship into tech art

09:00 Creating Road to Tech Art

12:00 Why he built learning materials

15:00 Tool automation in Substance Painter

20:00 Perforce workflow and version control

28:00 Empathy and communication as core skills

33:00 Unreal Fellowship experience

40:00 Learning to build landscapes

47:00 Working under war conditions in Ukraine

53:00 Soft skills and staying resilient

1:00:00 Closing thoughts

In this episode of The Generalists Podcast, I sit down with Regina Reisinger, 3D Artist, Art Director, and Co-Founder of Microbird Games.

Regina shares her path from studying graphic design to leading the indie hit Dungeons of Hinterberg. We cover:

- Building an indie studio during the pandemic

- Lessons learned about scope, burnout, and growing a team

- Why indie development is both thrilling and unstable

- The pros and cons of hiring juniors

- The future of freelance, small teams, and the indie scene

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links

- Dungeons of Hinterberg on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1983260/Dungeons_of_Hinterberg/

- Microbird Games: https://www.dungeonsofhinterberg.com/press/

- Regina on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-reisinger-%F0%9F%94%9C-develop-brighton-58260353/

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:00 Regina’s background and starting Microbird

03:30 Building a studio in lockdown

06:00 How the project grew bigger than expected

09:00 Balancing no-crunch culture with founder crunch

12:00 Learning to prioritize and let go of perfection

15:00 Hiring juniors and growing the team

20:00 Pros and cons of remote vs in-person

25:00 Inspirations: Zelda, Persona, God of War

30:00 Indie trends and the future of freelancing

38:00 Advice for young artists and founders

53:00 Closing thoughts

#IndieGames #GameDevelopment #ArtDirection #WomenInGames #GamedevPodcast #MicrobirdGames #DungeonsOfHinterberg

Today I’m joined by Joppe, a VFX and technical artist. He shares how ADHD shaped his journey into VFX and why blending art and programming is the future of game development.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links:

- Joppe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joppemin/

- Mad VFX: https://www.mad-vfx.com/

- Mad VFX 20% OFF: https://courses.mad-vfx.com/?ref=c2474d 🚨 Code: Jack20 🚨

- Linktree Jack: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist

We cover:

- Why VFX is a perfect fit for ADHD creatives

- How combining art + code gives you an edge

- Why “industry-standard” tools are overrated

- The rise of freelancing & contract work

- The huge gap in education around optimization

- How soft skills often matter more than raw talent

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & disclaimers

01:10 Discovering games as a career

03:00 ADHD & VFX: A perfect match

07:00 The myth of “industry-standard” tools

10:15 Combining art & programming

14:00 Learning Houdini & procedural workflows

18:00 Why portfolios need novelty

22:00 The lack of optimization training

25:00 Freelancing as the future of work

29:00 Soft skills over pure technical skill

33:00 Final advice: Stay curious & keep learning

Welcome to The Generalists Podcast! Today I’m joined by Zoë Klein, Lead Technical & VFX Artist. Co‑founder of SpookiCG, who shares her journey through VR, technical art, and creating healthier workplaces in gaming.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Zoë on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoeklein-spookicg/

SpookiCG Studio: https://spookicg.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & VR beginnings

03:15 Education & mentorship

07:40 Founding SpookiCG for a better culture

12:05 Generalist skills in tech art

16:30 Tackling gender imbalance & toxicity

21:10 Leadership with empathy & adaptability

25:45 Industry-wide call for inclusivity

29:00 Closing thoughts & next steps

Keywords: Zoë Klein, tech art career, VR technical artist, SpookiCG, women in games, women in tech, indie studio leadership, game dev diversity

Tags:

#TechArt #VRGameDev #WomenInGaming #SpookiCG #IndieDev #GameDev #DiversityInGames

Today I’m joined by Aleksandra Rutkowska, Senior Technical Artist at Twin Harbor. Alexandra bridges art, code, and performance, specializing in shaders, VFX, and UI.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links:

- Ben Cloward’s Shader Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/@BenCloward @BenCloward

- Real-Time Rendering (Book): https://www.realtimerendering.com/

- Applied Mathematics for 3D Graphics: https://www.essentialmath.com/book.htm

- Shader Toy: https://www.shadertoy.com/user/iq

- GDC Vault (free talks): https://www.gdcvault.com/free

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & who Alexandra is

02:00 From architecture to games

07:00 Bravery in applying for jobs

10:00 Gender imbalance & application bias

14:00 Why AAA is risk-averse

16:30 The future is freelancing

20:00 Juniors & industry stagnation

25:00 How nature inspires technical art

28:00 Learning shaders (HLSL, Shader Graph)

35:00 Recommended resources & books

40:00 Signed Distance Fields & future innovations

42:00 Closing thoughts

What if lighting could tell stories, guide players, and even reflect your deepest experiences?

In this episode, we talk with Maria Yue a Principal Lighting Artist, BAFTA member, and creative force behind the lighting in games like Far Cry 4, Gears 5, and many more.

Maria’s journey started in photography and stage design, far from the world of games. But when she saw "lighting artist" in the credits of Mirror's Edge, everything clicked. Since then, she’s been shaping emotional, immersive environments in AAA games across China, the UK, the US, and Germany.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links mentioned in the podcast:

Maria's Website: https://mariayue.com/

Maria's Blog: https://www.artstation.com/xiaowantou/blog

Maria's Discord Server: https://discord.gg/NqGDnyNeMN

Maria Yue's Courses:

- Journey of Illusion Course (free): https://www.artstation.com/marketplace/p/Yw9wa/the-journey-of-illusion-chapter-1?

- Journey of Illusion Course 2: utm_source=artstation&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=homepage&utm_term=marketplace

https://www.artstation.com/marketplace/p/Gb6Ob/the-journey-of-illusion-chapter-2?utm_source=artstation&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=homepage&utm_term=marketplace

- UE4 Advance lighting design: https://www.artstation.com/marketplace/p/bpdJd/ue4-advance-lighting-design?utm_source=artstation&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=homepage&utm_term=marketplace

00:00 Intro & Maria’s creative roots

03:20 Role of lighting artists (“makeup” for environments)

08:00 Technical-artistic trade-offs & performance

12:45 Working across UK, US, China & Germany

17:30 Personal health journey & mindset

22:10 Learning fundamentals & photo-based lighting

26:00 Multidisciplinary workflow: VFX, camera, composition

30:00 Navigating global studio cultures

33:40 Lighting pipeline & production crunches

38:10 Building community: BAFTA & Discord

42:00 Maria’s advice to aspiring lighting artists

45:00 Closing thoughts & next steps

game lighting artist, Maria Yue, lighting in video games, unreal engine lighting, real-time lighting, VFX and lighting, game development podcast, women in games, BAFTA games, Far Cry 4 lighting, game art pipeline, emotional storytelling games, 3D lighting workflow, game lighting design tips, game industry diversity, creative resilience, AAA game lighting

Today’s guest is Coralline Charrier, a real-time VFX artist who transitioned from 3D animation to VFX in games. We cover the REAL journey of breaking into VFX as someone mid-career, the mental load, teaching yourself efficiently, and learning how to learn.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links & Resources mentioned

- Coralline on Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/coralline_charrier

- Caroline on BSKY: https://bsky.app/profile/coradventure.bsky.social

- Caroline on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/coralline.charrier/

- Caroline on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coralline-charrier-ba2a2159/?locale=en_US

- Coralline on X: https://x.com/Coralline_Cha

- Ultralearning (Book Recommendation)

- VFX Apprentice: https://www.vfxapprentice.com/a/39323/54Tqp7Ae

- RTVFX Discord (For real-time VFX artists): https://discord.com/invite/v5Tw35kRK2

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & Kora’s Story

03:00 Animation Background → VFX

07:30 How Online Communities Help (or don’t)

14:00 Teaching Yourself Real-Time VFX from Scratch

19:00 The Struggle of Self-Learning While Working

26:00 Why Online Courses Don’t Always Work

32:00 Learning Efficiently: Ultra Learning, Planning & Execution

42:00 Why Environmental Effects Matter

50:00 Kora’s Final Advice to VFX Beginners

55:00 Wrap-up

Keywords:

real-time vfx, how to learn vfx, animation to vfx, VFX learning efficiency, vfx career journey, how to teach yourself vfx, learning real-time vfx efficiently

Hashtags:

#VFX #RealTimeVFX #LearnVFX #GameDev #TheGeneralistsPodcast

In this episode of The Generalists, I sit down with Michał Potakowski (aka Manus) a senior real-time VFX artist who's worked on The Witcher: Monster Slayer, Immortal: Gates of Pyre, and more. He is part of FX Chamber and also works with Mad VFX.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links:

Michał on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micha%C5%82-potakowski-49bb35166/

Michał’s Portfolio: https://www.artstation.com/manusvfx

Jack: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist

We discuss:

Why optimization in real-time VFX is critical

The lack of educational resources for mobile and VR FX

The lonely road of being a solo VFX artist

Building healthy communities in gamedev

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro & Meet Michał

01:00 – Early Days in VR & Mobile

04:00 – What They Don't Teach About Optimization

07:00 – FX for VR, Mobile, and PC

10:30 – GPU vs CPU Explained

13:00 – Implementation vs Creation in FX

16:00 – Networking Inside Studios

21:00 – The VFX Role is Misunderstood

28:00 – Tutorials and the Learning Trap

35:00 – Why Research Skills Matter

42:00 – Community & Real-Time VFX Discord

47:00 – Rethinking Junior vs Senior Titles

53:00 – Final Thoughts & Words of Advice

real-time vfx, game dev podcast, vfx artist interview, unreal engine vfx, unity vfx, mobile game fx, vr vfx, vfx optimization, tech art, fx chamber, vfx career advice, generalist game dev

real-time vfx,vfx artist interview,game vfx,unity vfx,unreal engine vfx,vfx career journey,learning vfx from scratch,beginner vfx tips,vfx workflow,vfx artist story,zana vfx,shader programming,game development pipeline,career change into vfx,vfx community,discord for artists,creative industry tips,vfx artist advice,real-time vfx pipeline,vfx inspiration,women in vfx,indie game vfx,vfx career switch,Ai vs artist,podcast,realtime vfx podcast

#GameDev #RealTimeVFX #VFXArtist #UnrealEngine #Unity3D #GameDesign #VisualEffects #VFXPodcast #TechArt #MobileGames

In this episode, I sit down with Razvan Ciobanu, aka Rez, founder of @voxyde , a leading platform teaching stylized VFX using Houdini and Nuke.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

- Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3VHRDYNMFJ3KW

- Get one of the Courses: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist/shop

Links:

- VOXYDE: https://voxyde.teachable.com/a/aff_fj9p6mg4/external?affcode=2090249_b6u56ogs

🚨Use VX20JACK for 20% off!🚨

- Razvan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razvan-ciobanu-6b0724174/

- Jack: https://linktr.ee/jack.the.generalist

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro: Meet Rez

03:40 Why Houdini?

06:00 Houdini’s Learning Curve (ADHD-Friendly Approach)

13:00 Building Voxyde: Rez’s Journey into Teaching

20:00 The Collaboration Over Competition Mindset

27:00 Using Houdini + Nuke for Gorgeous Results

36:00 The Harsh Reality of the VFX Industry

41:00 The Real-Time VFX Conversation

50:00 Rez’s Future Plans for Courses

58:00 Free Courses Available + Closing Thoughts

Houdini VFX tutorial, stylized VFX, real-time VFX, learn Houdini, visual effects career, Voxyde, VFX courses, Nuke compositing, gamedev VFX

real-time vfx,vfx artist interview,game vfx,unity vfx,unreal engine vfx,vfx career journey,learning vfx from scratch,beginner vfx tips,vfx workflow,vfx artist story,zana vfx,shader programming,game development pipeline,career change into vfx,vfx community,discord for artists,creative industry tips,vfx artist advice,real-time vfx pipeline,vfx inspiration,women in vfx,indie game vfx,vfx career switch,Ai vs artist,podcast,realtime vfx podcast