AEAF Speaker Program 16-17 August 2016
Matt Aitken, VFX Supervisor WETA Digital, INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE – KILLER QUEEN
Dennis Jones, VFX Supervisor at RSP, X-MEN: APOCALYPSE - QUICKSILVER EXTRACTION
Glenn Melenhorst, Emmy-nominated VFX Supervisor, Iloura on GAME OF THRONES
Paul Butterworth VFX Supervisor Animal Logic
Simon Maddison VFX Supervisor Cutting Edge
Colin Renshaw VFX Supervisor / Co-founder Alt.vfx
Simon Bronson Motion Designer / Head of Design Method Studios, Melbourne
Tim Clapham Motion Artist, Luxx
AEAF Awards
click read more for full details of all the talks
AEAF Speaker Program 16-17 August
The Virtual Future of VFX
The role of visual effects and digital artists is changing rapidly. AEAF brings together expert speakers from the VFX, animation and post production industries to talk about new trends, past experience and upcoming projects over two days that culminate in the AEAF Awards night.
Speakers include VFX Supervisors, Creative Directors, Motion Designers, Directors and Producers who will enlighten you with new, creative approaches to their work and insights into the projects they have contributed to.
Find out how to create successful VR imagery and projects.
Learn tips, tricks and shortcuts to increase your creativity and productivity.
Network with your peers and future colleagues and employers.
Be inspired by experts with vision and experience.
Gather with the stars at the AEAF Awards Night
All finalists’ entries will be screened at the AEAF Awards event on 17 August, when the winners in each category will be announced. The AEAF Awards night is a great, fun night out and an opportunity to mingle with the VFX and post production community.
Who should attend?
VFX, CG, Motion Graphics and all Digital Artists and Supervisors, Animators, Directors and Producers.
AEAF 16 - 17 August 2016
Register to attend AEAF 2016
4pm 17 August
INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE – KILLER QUEEN
Weta Digital’s VFX Supervisor Matt Aitken will be speaking at AEAF 2016, sharing details of his team’s work on ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’. In particular, Matt will discuss Weta Digital's creation of the Alien Queen in 'Independence Day: Resurgence', focussing on the showdown with the Queen at Area 51. He will uncover some of the unique FX simulation work and new innovations with their skydome lighting setup, as well as some of the techniques that allowed Weta to move through a large number of all CG shots.
11am 17 August
X-MEN: APOCALYPSE - QUICKSILVER EXTRACTION
Dennis Jones
VFX Supervisor Rising Sun Pictures
Dennis Jones is one of the artists responsible for the fantastic effects that made Marvel’s Quicksilver of the X-Men an unforgettable character for fans around the world, winning a VES Award in 2015. At AEAF, Dennis will give a detailed behind-the-scenes look at how the Studio created the exciting 'Quicksilver Extraction' scene from X-Men: Apocalypse. In it, Quicksilver uses his hyper-speed ability to rescue students from the exploding X-mansion. The combination of practical and visual effects contributed to the realism of the scene. Working with VFX Supervisors John Dykstra and Matt Sloan, RSP used an array of off-the-shelf and proprietary tools to deliver an amazing, immersive scene that is bigger and bolder than the previous award-winning Quicksilver scene from X-Men: Days of Future Past.
VR EXPLODED - a Virtual Ride through Liquid, Reflective Blocks and Crystal Simulations
VFX Supervisor Simon Maddison
& VFX Artist, TD and Supervisor Mathew Mackereth
Cutting Edge
4pm 16 August
Simon Maddison and Mathew Mackereth will show and talk about their latest VR project, a virtual ride through an environment of liquid, millions of reflective blocks and dazzling crystal simulations. Simon is excited about VR as a new format and technique for reaching audiences, not least because so much about the VR medium is still undiscovered - both how to produce VR projects, and the applications for using it. The project has been an adventure for both of them, as he says, “Anything is possible… we are still learning.” Among Australia’s most experienced, sought after VFX Supervisors. Simon has worked on films from Marvel’s ‘Avengers’ and ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ to ‘Charlotte’s Web’. Read an interview with Simon Maddison here.
Mathew Mackereth
Cutting Edge's Mathew Mackereth is an AFI-nominated Visual Effects Artist, Technical Director and Supervisor. He holds an MA in Visual Effects and Animation from AFTRS and has worked in a diverse array of CG roles as a VR CG Supervisor, Character Rigger, Pipeline TD, Compositor and Lighting Artist.
GAME OF THRONES - Episode 'BATTLE OF THE BASTARDS'
Glenn Melenhorst
VFX Supervisor
Iloura
2pm 17 August
With a background in design and traditional 2D animation, over the last 28 years Glenn Melenhorst now oversees Iloura’s film projects as VFX Supervisor concept to completion. Most recently, Glenn led the Iloura team on their Emmy-nominated work for ‘Battle of the Bastards’, the crescendo episode of Season 6 of HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’. In his talk, Glenn will share the team’s techniques in creating and managing exciting, photoreal shots for the show. Working on the episode’s tremendous battle sequence, Iloura’s team combined 3D visual effects and hand animation to realize the production’s vision. The battle required numerous collisions between photoreal horses and riders, 3,000-strong armies and close-up shots of live-action actors and sets composited with CG humans and animals and massive crowd simulations. Hundreds of assets – CG armoury, weapons, flags, saddlery, body parts and environmental assets such as blood, mud, smoke, fire and mist – were also needed to augment the plate photography.
Glenn has also recently completed work on a beloved franchise making its long-awaited return, 'Ghostbusters'. His credits include supervising a crew of over 100 as the sole 3D Animation Vendor on ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water’ for Paramount Pictures. www.iloura.com.au
The Art of Visual Effects and The New Production Model
Colin Renshaw
VFX Supervisor Co-founder Alt.vfx
17 August - Re-schedule from 12pm to later in the afternoon.
Colin Renshaw and his team have been responsible for producing instantly recognizable commercials such as Tooheys 'Nocturnal Migration', Budget Direct 'Captain Risky' and Honda 'Dream Run' – all AEAF winners or finalists. Colin's unorthodox management style has earned him many friends and admirers. He actively cultivates young, creative minds, sitting on several committees that frame curriculae for advertising and design industry training. He has spearheaded internships at Alt for the best and brightest trainees, resulting in job opportunities for emerging artists.
Prior to Alt, Colin spent two years working as a VFX Supervisor at Cutting Edge in Brisbane and two years as a Compositor and VFX Supervisor at Animal Logic in Sydney. altvfx.com
NEW TECHNIQUES IN MOTION GRAPHICS
Simon Bronson
Motion Designer / Head of Design
Method Studios, Melbourne
3pm 16 August
Simon Bronson will speak about exciting new techniques and tools he has developed for motion graphics. Based on some of his own recent projects, he will show how he has used motion capture with Cinema 4D, and leveraged plug-ins like Plexus and Particular to make digital work look less digital. He has also been discovering unusual new online sources of inspiration ranging from Instagram to 8bit Photo Lab.
With over 15 years in design and post production, Simon draws upon his photographic, sound and editing background in his main title design and motion graphic work.
He’s worked for branding agencies in London, broadcast design houses in Sydney, and currently leads the design team at Method Studios, Melbourne. In 2015 Simon was asked to speak at NAB in Las Vegas in addition to Adobe’s AEWorld in San Jose. He also runs Melbourne Motion, a group that highlights local artists regularly showcasing their work around town. An early adopter of Form, Particular and Plexus, Simon’s personal experiments and tutorials on Vimeo and Aescripts inspire up-and-coming effects artists in animation. His work is featured in the trades such as iDN magazine as well as Pausefest and AGDA conferences. Read an interview with Simon Bronson here.
simonbronson.com
methodstudios.com.au
TITLE SEQUENCE DESIGN
Scott Geersen
Director and Titles Designer
Substance
2pm 16 August
After more than 15 years in the industry at Animal Logic, Cutting Edge, Heckler, Engine, Ink Project and others, Scott Geerson now helms his own company, Substance. Full of imagination, his motion graphics and titles work tackles clients’ challenges in distinctive ways. Scott's title sequence designs have been finalists or winners over several years at AEAF, the Create Awards, New York One Show, AGDA Awards and more.
Collaborating first-hand both on set and in the studio with agencies and production companies, Scott has worked across TV series and feature films to commercials and now VR. His VFX and design have contributed to many awards, and featured in publications such as Stash, Motionographer, Australian Creative, Desktop and Computer Arts UK. His work has screened globally at events such as Pausefest, SXSW, Promax, Young Guns, the Sydney Film Festival and Tropfest. sbstnc.co
DECONSTRUCTING GAME CINEMATICS - From Gears of War to Lego Star Wars
12pm 16 August
Plastic Wax
Head of Production Mick Hammell and Producer Ally McLean will be putting together their collective experience and expertise in games cinematics production and promotions to reveal what it takes to produce the top notch campaigns for games that Plastic Wax is known for.
Mick Hammell
Head of production
Plastic Wax
Mick Hammell has worked in the Film, CG and VFX industry for over 15 years. He is also a veteran of the Australian feature film, animation, experiential and live theatre production industries. Currently focussed on emerging technologies and media at Plastic Wax, Mick is working with clients such as Oculus, Facebook and Valve on VR productions as well as a new generation of real time, in-engine film experiences.
Since joining Plastic Wax as Production Manager in 2011, Mick has overseen the planning and execution of all cinematic projects from franchises such as ‘LEGO: Dimensions’, ‘Homefront’ and ‘Warhammer 40,000’ through to long form pre-rendered and in-engine CG for series such as Saints Row, Darksiders and Bioshock.
Ally McLean
Producer
Ally McLean is a digital producer at the forefront of gaming and technology, having represented the likes of Microsoft and Crystal Dynamics for Tomb Raider, Blizzard Entertainment for Heroes of the Storm, CD Projekt Red for the Witcher 3 and Hi-Res Studios for SMITE. A new addition to the Plastic Wax team, Ally was named one of Australia and New Zealand's most influential women in games in 2016 by MCV Pacific and is an active advocate for the Australian and global games industry, being a regular speaker at prestigious gaming industry expos and tradeshows globally everywhere from Cologne to the Caribbean. Ally specialises in social and web driven content, as well as community building and digital marketing. plasticwax.com
Paul Butterworth
Visual Effects Supervisor - Director
Animal Logic
Paul will share the innovations and creative processes as they evolved on his
most recent projects at Animal Logic
3pm 17 August
Paul Butterworth brings to AEAF his extended experience of working in design, animation and visual effects that give him an edge when creating highly original, signature looks for blockbuster movies that make characters and scenes stand out for the audience. Throughout his career, he has never stopped looking beyond traditional solutions, developing approaches to VFX projects based in graphic design and problem-solving. His style is identifiable in signature looks from films such as the Bifrost Bridge from ‘Thor’, the Orrery from ‘Prometheus’, which earned him a BAFTA nomination, and the archers from ‘The Hunger Games 2: Catching Fire’. At AEAF Paul will talk about his creative survival guide, illustrated with several different case studies along the way to show it in action, and also share some of his own backstory about how he got where he is today.
Paul is VFX supervisor and commercials directs, working most recently on two Marvel productions, 'Captain America: Civil War' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2'. Paul's earlier work at Animal Logic includes sequences on 'Unbroken', 'Avengers: Age of Ultron', and 'The Divergent Trilogy: Allegiant' and 'Insurgent'. Before taking his current role at Animal Logic, Paul founded and ran FUELVFX, also working as VFX supervisor and director. animallogic.com Read an interview with Paul, here.
VR/360 PRODUCTION
THE PRACTICALITIES OF CREATING VIRTUAL REALITY
Tracey Taylor
Executive Producer and General Manager
The Pulse
11am 16 August
Tracey Taylor will be talking on VR/360 project production and her experience in the practicalities of creating virtual reality. She has been working as Executive Producer and General Manager at The Pulse for the last three years, where she has completed nine VR and 360° format projects in the last year, with more coming up.
Tracey started working in large screen, interactive experiential projects at Spinifex Group, where she spent seven years before heading off to work at David Atkins Enterprises, a company of directors and designers led creatively by music-theatre director, choreographer and producer David Atkins. DAE works with all types of visual content producers to create live productions for events, such as opening ceremonies, corporate and theatrical shows. Read an interview with Tracey Taylor here.
CINEMA 4D AND AFTER EFFECTS MOTION GRAPHICS
Innovative use of Cinema 4D and After Effects
Tim Clapham
Creative Director Luxx
10am 17 August
Expert motion graphics artist Tim Clapham will share insights and practical tips at AEAF on turning your talents and skills into a successful business and sharing them with others. Tim's company Luxx is a boutique motion graphics and 3D animation studio in Sydney, creating inspired, innovative design for broadcast, advertising and digital delivery, and content that is technically challenging while maintaining innovation and high quality.
But Tim isn’t just a multi-disciplinary director, designer and animator - he is an industry-recognised expert and renowned trainer, paying meticulous attention to detail. Alongside Luxx, he runs helloluxx training and tutorials website for professional Cinema 4D artists.
Evolving from a solid foundation in traditional animation in both Film and Video, Tim soon transitioned into the digital domain and has forged a solid career in the world of Motion Graphics. With over 15 years of industry experience, he has worked with a wide range of global advertising agencies and broadcast networks, producing technically challenging content while maintaining innovation and high quality. luxx.com.au
PRODUCING LONG FORM ANIMATION
Practical advice on how to get long form projects off the ground and into production
Stefan Wernik
Co-Director of The Magnificent Itch
10am 16 August
Stefan Wernik will talk about the significance and value of producing long form animation projects - TV series and films - and how the Australian industry will benefit and grow through focusing on long form story and character development. He will also discuss the process and techniques involved in getting this kind of project going and into production.
Stefan was a Director in the design and animation industry in England for 10 years before emigrating to Australia. He has worked on several kids' TV series as director and worked in development in on numerous others. Based in Sydney, he directed many TVC's as a freelancer. His films have been shown at festivals around the world and he has been nominated for and won many awards. Now, as Co-Director of The Magnificent Itch he has brought his visual style to many projects. Read an interview with Stefan Wernik here. themagnificentitch.com.au
16 August
AEAF VR Hub - VR projects for you to experience throughout the event
10am 16 August
PRODUCING LONG FORM ANIMATION
Practical advice on how to get animated features, TV series and other long form projects off the ground and into production.
Stefan Wernik
Co-Director of The Magnificent Itch
themagnificentitch.com.au
11am 16 August
VR/360 PRODUCTION
THE PRACTICALITIES OF CREATING VIRTUAL REALITY
Tracey Taylor, Executive Producer
and General Manager The Pulse
experiencethepulse.com
12 noon 16 August
FROM GEARS OF WAR TO LEGO STAR WARS - DECONSTRUCTING GAME CINEMATICS
Mick Hammell Head of production and Ally McLean Producer
Plastic Wax
plasticwax.com
1pm LUNCH BREAK & Networking
2pm noon 16 August
TITLE SEQUENCE DESIGN
Scott Geersen
Director and Titles Designer
Substance
sbstnc.co
3pm 16 August
NEW TECHNIQUES IN MOTION GRAPHICS
Simon Bronson
Motion Designer / Head of Design - Method Studios, Melbourne
simonbronson.com
methodstudios.com.au
4pm 16 August
VR EXPLODED - A VIRTUAL RIDE THROUGH LIQUID, REFLECTIVE BLOCKS AND CRYSTAL SIMULATIONS
Simon Maddison VFX Supervisor Cutting Edge
and Mathew Mackereth
cuttingedge.com.au
5pm 16 August
PANEL SESSION - with the day's speakers
IS OUR FUTURE REALITY VIRTUAL? - VIRTUAL & AUGMENTED REALITY - IMMERSIVE PRODUCTIONS
5:30pm 16 August
NETWORKING and R&R in the Chauvel bar
17 August
10am 17 August
CINEMA 4D AND AFTER EFFECTS Innovative use of Cinema 4D and
After Effects in creating motion graphics
Tim Clapham
Creative Director
Luxx
luxx.com.au
11am 17 August
X-MEN: APOCALYPSE - QUICKSILVER EXTRACTION
Dennis Jones
VFX Supervisor Rising Sun Pictures
www.rsp.com.au
17 August - Re-schedule from 12pm to later in the afternoon.
The Art of Visual Effects and The New Production Model
Colin Renshaw
VFX Supervisor Co-founder Alt.vfx
altvfx.com
1pm LUNCH BREAK & Networking
2pm 17 August
GAME OF THRONES - Episode 'BATTLE OF THE BASTARDS'
Glenn Melenhorst
VFX Supervisor
Iloura
iloura.com.au
3pm 17 August
Paul Butterworth
Visual Effects Supervisor - Director
Animal Logic
animallogic.com
Paul will share the innovations and creative processes as they evolved on his
most recent projects at Animal Logic
4pm 17 August
INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE – KILLER QUEEN
WETA Digital
Matt Aitken VFX Supervisor
Matt will discuss Weta Digital's creation of the Alien Queen in this year's Independence Day: Resurgence focusing on the showdown with the Queen at Area 51. He will uncover some of the unique fx simulation work and new innovations with their skydome lighting setup as well as some of the techniques that allowed Weta to move to a large number of all CG shots.
5pm 17 August
DISRUPTION - The future of VFX
PANEL SESSION with AEAF's speakers.
Virtual production and the collaboration between the Director and Visual Effects studios from the outset of the film making process.
5:30pm 17 August
Drinks Reception & networking
7-8:30pm 17 August
AEAF AWARDS
After Awards drinks and networking