The Spark Cast by The Spark podcast is a production of the Spark Computer Graphics Society.

May 23, 2024 S06E10: Amy Tang: People Whisperer

Growing up in the sprawling serenity of Portage la

Prairie, Manitoba, Amy Tang's childhood is brimming with

rural charm and the purest of pleasures but Amy's dreams

and aspirations for the performing arts were bigger than

her small-town roots. Her story is one of transformation,

from farm life to city dwelling, and how the stark

contrast of Winnipeg's urban sprawl shaped her cultural

identity and nurtured her dreams of one day gracing the

stage as a Disney princess.

In our conversation, Amy shares the unpredictability of

her career, from the world of voice acting and a career in

the healthcare sector which started as a part-time job

that evolved into a passion for supporting individuals

with intellectual disabilities. The entirety of her

experience has led her to her current position as a

supervising producer, supporting and leading artists to do

their best work.

Episode Links:

Mainframe Studios

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC.

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix.

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · Sony Pictures Imageworks · The Little Dev Shop · WildBrain Studios.

BYTE: Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School · Wētā FX.

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia · INFilm.

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.

51 min

May 09, 2024 S06E09: Rick Mischel: Empowering Creative Talent

Rick Mischel’s journey took him from the electric buzz of

Broadway in New York to the sunny embrace of South Florida and

now as Founder and CEO of Artists Animation Studio, to

Kelowna, BC.

His early days as a Club Med kids' club counselor and a number

of other unexpected roles laid the foundation for an

extraordinary path through the entertainment realm, a journey

that brought him to Vancouver for a tenure at Rainmaker

Studios, where he faced the daunting challenge of steering the

company away from the brink of disaster. He shares the bold

decisions, the difficult layoffs, and the personal sacrifices

made to keep the dream alive. It's a tale of resilience and

leadership, where transparency and respect become the

keystones of a remarkable recovery.

His career in the boardrooms of Technicolor and Sony Pictures

ImageWorks, and his pivotal role in the animation renaissance

at Bardell have all led to this latest challenge: the

formation of Artists Animation Studio where Rick looks forward

to continuing a legacy of fostering a culture of creativity

and innovation.

Episode Links:

Website

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC.

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix.

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · Sony Pictures Imageworks · The Little Dev Shop · WildBrain Studios.

BYTE: Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School · Wētā FX.

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia · INFilm.

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.

54 min

April 25, 2024 S06E08: Dawn Fidrick: Taking Creative Leaps

Dawn Fidrick's journey from the vibrant stages in Drexel

Hill to the dynamic film sets of New York City is one of

taking chances and seizing opportunities. Raised on the

East Coast, Dawn shares how early experiences sparked her

love for performing. Following the tragic events of 9/11,

she found herself in New York, embarking on a 12-year

adventure in the city and transitioning from stage to

screen.

Dawn reveals the serendipitous moments that shaped her

career in New York's film and theater scene. From

responding to an ad that led to a key indie film project

to a chance encounter in a coffee shop that turned into a

lifelong partnership and filmmaking journey. She shares

her growth from assistant director to producer and delves

into her experience with the project Signs of

Life, highlighting the emotional journey and

strategies for maintaining momentum post-completion.

Whether you're an artist or a fan of behind-the-scenes

stories, this episode promises a rich blend of personal

anecdotes and professional insights from Dawn's journey in

the creative arts.

Episode Links:

Website

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC.

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix.

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · Sony Pictures Imageworks · The Little Dev Shop · WildBrain Studios.

BYTE: Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School · Wētā FX.

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia · INFilm.

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.

1 hr 21 min

April 11, 2024 S06E07: Faruk Heplevent: No Happy Accidents

Faruk Heplevent's story begins with a passion for

photography and a neighbour's friend who needed an

apprentice. The mix of technical and creative appealed to

the young enthusiast and the precision and technicality he

learned in those early years paid off as his career

developed. Faruk was one of the few individuals who could

process film on the go - a skill that set him apart from

other photographers.

Rather than being angry after losing a job to CG, he saw it

as the future for the industry and started The Scope, a CG

studio dedicated to automotive marketing. He didn't know how

a CG studio works, what tools and equipment he would need or

how he would find artists but he had an idea: bring the

creative to CG-generated automotive marketing.

While The Scope didn't begin as a tech company, Faruk and

his team have embraced new technology to help drive their

core value of creativity. If a tool can be used to help

artists be more creative and deliver better assets to

clients, it's worth exploring. The result is not only an

award-winning studio but one that consistently innovates.

Their latest achievement is Scope City, a procedurally

designed full CG city location.

In this conversation, Faruk shares insights into how

technology changed and continues to change the marketing

landscape, finding work-life balance and discusses other

use-case scenarios and the future for Scope City.

Episode Links:

Website

Company LinkedIn

Instagram

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC.

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix.

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · Sony Pictures Imageworks · The Little Dev Shop · WildBrain Studios.

BYTE: Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School · Wētā FX.

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia · INFilm.

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.

1 hr 14 min

March 28, 2024 S06E06: Georgina Hayns: Fostering Creative Passion

Growing up in the English Midlands, Georgina Hayns defied

academic norms, discovering her passion for the arts in a

technical college. Her journey reflects the transformative power

of parental support and prioritizing passion over conformity.

From childhood struggles to professional success, Georgina's

story is a testament to embracing individuality. Her career

trajectory highlights the importance of internships, networking,

and mentorship. Working with industry giants like McKinnon and

Saunders and collaborating with Tim Burton shaped her career and

honed her craft.

Delving into the intricacies of puppetry, we explore

armature-making, resilience, leadership in creative teams and the

culmination of all her training coming together in Guillermo del

Toro's Pinocchio. Georgina's experiences offer a rare glimpse into

the elusive world of stop-motion animation.

Episode Links:

Instagram

IMDb

ShadowMachine

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC.

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix.

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · Sony Pictures Imageworks · The Little Dev Shop · WildBrain Studios.

BYTE: Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School · Wētā FX.

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia · INFilm.

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.

55 min

February 29, 2024 S06E05: Zach Lipovsky: Ripple Effect Master

Zach Lipovsky has early memories of a childhood spent on sets

surrounded by the buzz of TVs and master controls, thanks to

his mother's career in television. But it was a transformative

experience at the tender age of nine when Jurassic

Park left an indelible mark on him. The youthful

actor-turned-filmmaker invested his early earnings into the

digital revolution, teaching himself visual effects and

collaborating with a community of budding filmmakers.

In this chat, Zach speaks candidly about the highs and lows of

an artist's life, emphasizing the importance of finding joy in

the journey and not just the destination. We touch on the

delicate act of juggling personal creative projects with

commissioned work, offering insight into how these endeavours

can fuel each other. The power of collaboration comes to the

forefront as well, with anecdotes about successful

partnerships that illustrate the potential when combining

forces in the film industry. Additionally, we discuss the

crucial aspects of pitching and preparation for filmmakers,

including a riveting account of how a dramatic pitch meeting

landed Zach a job directing the upcoming Final

Destination film.

Episode Links:

Website

Instagram

IMDb

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · The Little Dev Shop · Sony Pictures Imageworks · WildBrain Studios

BYTE:Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School · Wētā FX

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia · INFilm

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH

59 min

February 15, 2024 S06E04: Ashley Christine: STEM is Life

Ashley Christine is used to battles, from growing up off the

grid in the White Mountain National Forest and contending with

the harsh elements of New Hampshire winters to navigating the

social media landscape, she has dealt with both physical and

mental battles. But how does a young woman go from studying

mathematics at university to spending her days making TikTok

videos about STEM?

In our conversation with Ashley, she shares her fascinating

transition from small-town life to a career in mathematics,

her unexpected path to becoming a STEM content creator, and

the importance of personalized guidance in this field. She

shares insights into her approach to dealing with online

toxicity and negativity and the resilience it takes to promote

STEM education effectively.

Episode Links:

Website

TikTok

YouTube

Instagram

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · The Little Dev Shop · Sony Pictures Imageworks · WildBrain Studios

BYTE:Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH

1 hr

February 01, 2024 S06E03: Don Perro: Animation Mentor

Growing up among the steel mills of Hamilton, Ontario, Don

Perro knew he wanted something different for his life but when

his first attempt at getting out failed, he knew he needed to

cast his net wider and the result was acceptance at art school

in Vancouver where he found his comrades among the misfits

studying animation at Emily Carr College of Art and Design

(now known as Emily Carr University of Art and Design).

It was here that Don fell in love with education and he set a

goal for himself: work in the industry for a decade and then

turn his life to teaching, a goal he achieved just shy of his

10-year plan.

In our lively discussion, Don recounts some of the experiences

that shaped his career, from the string of rejection letters

and bad interviews that nudged him in the direction of finding

his true calling, to his experience setting up the

world-renowned animation program at Capilano University and

his 20+ year career as an educator.

Episode Links

Website

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC.

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix.

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · The Little Dev Shop · Sony Pictures Imageworks · WildBrain Studios.

BYTE:Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School.

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia.

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.

1 hr 25 min

January 18, 2024 S06E02: Lera Nyukalova: Driven to Create

There was little doubt that Lera Nyukalova would be an

artist. Her first foray into art was sketching Sailor Moon but

her passion and drive to learn and challenge herself led her

first to university to study architecture and eventually to make

the move from Kazakhstan to Vancouver to further her

practice.

Lera found solace and inspiration in the dynamic urban

landscape of the city, keeping a visual diary that would

eventually become "Visual Diaries," a collection of paintings

that span a decade of personal memories, emotions, and the

ever-evolving beauty of Vancouver.

In our conversation with Lera, she shares her tale of growth,

harnessing both familial encouragement and the sprawling

resources of internet forums to refine her craft amidst the

biting critiques that shaped her resilient spirit. She also

shares insights into the blending of job-honed techniques with

bold forays into 3D modelling, all while maintaining the

integrity of her vision against the relentless tick of the

clock.

Episode Links

Website

Instagram

TikTok

IMDb

Facebook

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC.

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic.

KILOBYTE: Bardel Entertainment · Industrial Light & Magic · The Little Dev Shop · Sony Pictures Imageworks · WildBrain Studios.

BYTE:Cinesite · DigiBC · Vancouver Film School.

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia.

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.

1 hr

January 04, 2024 S06E01: Sam Fell: From Junk to Clay

Sam Fell was always drawn to creation and in the 1980s, he

found himself in London, studying fine art and making

interdisciplinary works of art, junk sculptures with speakers

and cassette tapes inside, and eventually adding mechanics to

move his works. It was around this time that he rediscovered

stop-motion animation and the works of The Quay Brothers and Jan

Švankmajer.

Sam taught himself stop motion and eventually, found himself

making the trek from London to Bristol, the home of Aardman

Animations. He felt at home in the artist-driven studio where he

continued to hone his craft and storytelling from Peter Lord,

before embarking on his career as a director.

In our conversation, Sam shares his road to the director’s

chair, from his early days as a directionless teen in London to

working with Peter Lord in the early years of Aardman to his

move into CG and the blending of tech and tradition that has led

to his latest feature film Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

Episode Links

Website

IMDb

Watch Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Host: Marina Antunes

Opening & Closing Credits by: Michael Edlund

Produced & Edited by: Joshua Peterman

Thank you to our sponsors!

TERABYTE: Creative BC.

MEGABYTE: Animal Logic · Capilano University · Netflix.

KILOBYTE: Atomic Cartoons · Bardel Entertainment · Doberman Pictures · DNEG · Image Engine · Industrial Light & Magic · The Little Dev Shop · Mainframe Studios · Sony Pictures Imageworks · WildBrain Studios.

BYTE: Animasia BC · CMPA BC · Digi BC · NOX VFX · Rotomaker · Scanline VFX · Vancouver Film School · Versatile Media · Walt Disney Animation Studios · Wētā FX.

PARTNERS: ACM SIGGRAPH · SIGGRAPH Asia.

ORGANIZERS: Spark CG Society · Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH.

1 hr 3 min

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