Episode 58 - Part 2: Imaginary Friends (IF) Special

The Framestore Podcast is back to close out 2024 with the second of two highlights episodes, just in time for the holidays! 🎄 In this week's retrospective, we reflect on key moments from our second year of podcasting, featuring highlights including the key moments from our Imaginary Friends, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and Ted TV show specials, an in-depth focus on global community and work life balance, and we indulge in one of the podcast's core themes: creativity! So, podcast fans, it's that time once again. Grab a generous glass of mulled wine, maybe a couple of mince pies, and enjoy Episode 60, the second instalment of our Framestore Podcast 2024 highlights!

The Framestore Podcast is back to close out 2024 with the first of two highlights episodes, just in time for the holidays! 🎄 In this week's retrospective, we reflect on key moments from our second year of podcasting, featuring highlights including the Launchpad Insights and Internship programmes, an in-depth focus on leadership - whether it's Framestore's leadership or working with incredible film directors - and we indulge in one of the podcast's core themes: communication and human skills! So, podcast fans, it's that time once again. Grab a generous glass of eggnog, maybe a couple of mince pies, and enjoy Episode 59, the first instalment of our Framestore Podcast 2024 highlights!

The Framestore Podcast, our learning and talent development focused podcast made by Framestore, for Framestore, is back with this weeks second instalment of our 'Imaginary Friends' Special! Join VFX Supervisor Chris Lawrence and Animation Supervisor Arslan Elver, along with this week’s guest co-host, VFX Training Manager Sergio Gonzalez, as we take a deep dive into John Krasinski's latest project, which he both wrote and directed. In today's second part episode, we hear about what the workload was like working on Imaginary Friends, with the team creating the entire movie in just 10 weeks, adding 42 characters across 700 shots, all while supporting the director and handling the editing process. Plus, Sergio reveals the scene in the film that moved him to tears, and Arslan explains that in animation, every eye movement is intentional - nothing happens by accident! We delve deeper into a show where Framestore handled all the visual effects, showcasing what can be accomplished when our full range of creative services is brought together for a feature film - from the Art Department and FPS Team to the VFX crew! Before wrapping up the episode, Chris likens the editing process to "composing a symphony," and we ask Chris and Arslan whether they had imaginary friends as children. Our wonderful 'IF Special' wraps up this year's series of podcast conversations. The Framestore Podcast will be back in the New Year, but first, we'll be releasing a couple of year-end 2024 highlight episodes in November and December. Stay tuned, and thank you for tuning in throughout 2024!

The Framestore Podcast, our learning and talent development focused podcast made by Framestore, for Framestore, is back with another brand-new instalment. This time, we're excited to present a two-part special on Imaginary Friends, with VFX Supervisor Chris Lawrence and Animation Supervisor Arslan Elver! Joining us as our guest co-host this week is VFX Training Manager Sergio Gonzalez, who helps us as we dive deep into John Krasinski's latest project, which he wrote and directed. Chris Lawrence’s 20-year career has taken him from the depths of outer space to the quiet English countryside, earning him an Oscar win and three further Academy Award nominations along the way. He received an Oscar and a BAFTA for his work on Gravity, as well as Oscar nominations for his work as VFX Supervisor on The Martian, Christopher Robin and The Midnight Sky. Beyond his exemplary supervisory career, Chris also helped establish Framestore’s successful Montreal Studio. He served as the studio’s Head, recruiting and managing the teams who worked on titles such as RoboCop and Edge of Tomorrow. Arslan Elver, a self-taught animator, specialises in realistic creature movement and creating nuanced characters. He joined Framestore in 2006, working on Underdog, The Golden Compass, and Primeval. His film credits include Where the Wild Things Are, Clash of the Titans, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Byzantium, Maleficent, and Guardians of the Galaxy. After a stint at ILM, where he worked on Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Arslan returned to Framestore as Animation Supervisor for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. A rare 'behind the scenes' look what it was like working on, and supervising Imaginary Friends. In part one, we explore what led both Chris and Arslan to work on IF, their collaboration with writer and director John Krasinski, and the process of bringing the project to life. They also share behind-the-scenes stories from the set, discussing how each character was distinct and the unique animation challenges posed by developing 42 different characters, each with its own backstory. We discuss Chris and Arslan's favourite shots and sequences from IF, highlighting the collaboration with the global Framestore team to bring the project to life, and how "story first" was at the heart of the production process. Chris and Arslan also reflect on their personal journeys into VFX and animation, sharing what inspired them and their experiences working on both live-action and animated films. Enjoy!

The Framestore Podcast, our learning and talent development focused podcast made by Framestore, for Framestore, is back with this weeks second instalment of our 'Heads of CG' Special!  We're back with Heads of CG for Integrated Advertising (IA) at our London and Los Angeles studios: Johannes Sambs and Jessica Groom Shelton. Across both of this weeks instalments we ask Johannes and Jess to tackle the 'Framestore Podcast Dailies' questions together, providing a rare insight into their creative leadership roles. In today's episode, we tackle common myths about working in VFX, including how Jess often has to correct friends and family who mistakenly assume she's a graphic designer! Johannes clears up the misconception that Heads of CG have "certain powers," and together they explore how visual effects are everywhere—both visible and invisible. We explore the roots of Imposter Syndrome, highlighting how it's something everyone experiences to some extent. Jess and Johannes connect over their love for The LEGO Movie, a project Jess worked on during her time at Animal Logic. We also mention influential mentors and offer some valuable career advice. Enjoy!

The Framestore Podcast, our learning and talent development focused podcast made by Framestore, for Framestore, is back with another brand-new instalment. We're back with another special two-part episode, featuring the Heads of CG for Integrated Advertising (IA) at our London and Los Angeles studios: Johannes Sambs and Jessica Groom Shelton. Across both of this weeks instalments we ask Johannes and Jess to tackle the 'Framestore Podcast Dailies' questions together, providing a rare insight into their creative leadership roles. Bringing nearly two decades of experience from top visual effects studios. As the current  Head of CG, LA at Framestore, Jessica Groom Shelton has previously led creative teams at The Mill and honed her craft in surfacing and grooming at Animal Logic and MPC. With a portfolio that spans blockbuster films and groundbreaking commercials, Jessica is a driving force in the VFX Industry.  Having spent near-innumerable days in the VFX industry, Johannes has been instrumental in creating breathtaking visual effects for some of the world's top brands and projects, only made possible by working alongside some of the world's top VFX artists at Framestore. As a CG expert never fully specialising in a single discipline, he still brings an artistic finesse to every frame. Starting as a freelancer, he now leads the mighty London IA CG team at Framestore. We catch up with Jess and Johannes where we hear about their leadership approaches, both in terms of Jess's recent appointment at LA's new Head of CG, and Johanness's journey as current London CG Head. We discuss the relationships that have made them great leaders, and how the number one priority is the protection of our artists and not losing that connection, which is fostered by working on projects and working with them closely.  We explore the transitions and challenges of shifting from hands-on artistic roles to senior creative positions, where the focus shifts more toward managing people and HR logistics while still staying involved in projects where making informed decisions on creative work is key. Additionally, they share insights about top secret Christmas commercials they’re working on (without revealing too much, of course) and reflect on what they consider to be their big breaks in the VFX industry! This week is a must listen for anyone interested in creative leadership and managing artists at Framestore.

The Framestore Podcast, our learning and talent development focused podcast made by Framestore, for Framestore, is back with this weeks second instalment of our Launchpad Insights Special!  After a late-summer break, we're back with a special two-part episode reflecting on this year's 'Launchpad Insights', Framestore’s immersive work experience. Participants are divided into teams to tackle a simulated client brief and deliver a pitch by week’s end, supported by workshops, masterclasses, panels, studio access, and sneak peeks at live projects for a hands-on, creative hackathon experience. In today's episode, the second of two-parts, we are joined by Ana Asaeva and Abi Binge who were part of our May group, and Matt Nicolas who joined the programme as part of our February cohort. At various stages of study and work, this conversation offers another valuable insights into the significance of entry-level programmes like Launchpad and their influence on the future of the industry. We explore Abi, Ana, and Matt's experiences on this years Launchpad Insights programme, including the influence on their creative work, the Framestore people they connected with, and the networking skills they built. We also get their unique take on the Framestore Dailies questions, including key learnings, lessons learnt and of course, their favourite food! Interested in joining next year’s Launchpad Insights programme? Apply here: framestore.recruitee.com/o/unpaid-wor…ence?lang=en

The Framestore Podcast, our learning and talent development focused podcast made by Framestore, for Framestore, is back with another brand-new instalment. After a late-summer break, we're back with a special two-part episode reflecting on this year's 'Launchpad Insights', Framestore’s immersive work experience. Participants are divided into teams to tackle a simulated client brief and deliver a pitch by week’s end, supported by workshops, masterclasses, panels, studio access, and sneak peeks at live projects for a hands-on, creative hackathon experience. In today's episode, the first of two-parts, we're joined by Catherine Ako from our February cohort, and Vita Franchina from the May group. When Cat joined the programme, she was nearing the end of her school years and faced significant decisions about higher education and pursuing a career in the creative industries. Vita, on the other hand, had just graduated when she joined us in May and was at a pivotal point in deciding how to focus her talents and career direction. We catch up with Vita and Cat since they joined this years Launchpad Insights programme in our London studio this year. With Cat about to embark on a Games Art Degree at Hertfordshire University and Vita currently studying and working in Japan, this conversation offers valuable insights into the significance of entry-level programmes like Launchpad and their influence on the future of the industry. We explore both Vita and Cat's experiences with Launchpad Insights this year, including the software and soft skills they developed, as well as the Framestore creatives they connected with, who remain valuable sources of advice and support. We also get both Cat and Vita's take on the Framestore Dailies questions, including key learnings, lessons learnt and of course, their favourite food!  The Framestore Podcast returns this Thursday with the second instalment of our conversation with our Launchpad Insights alumni, with Anastasia Asaeva and Abi Binge from our May cohort, and Matt Nicolas from Februarys group. Stay tuned! Interested in joining next year’s Launchpad Insights programme? Apply here: https://framestore.recruitee.com/o/unpaid-work-experience?lang=en

The Framestore Podcast, our learning and talent development focused podcast made by Framestore, for Framestore, is back with another brand-new instalment. This week we return to the Art Department for a conversation with Framestore Concept Artist, Jules Darriulat. Jules is a highly respected artist in his field, known not only for creating stunning concepts for Framestore projects but also as the co-founder of Concept 101. In part two, Montreal based Modeller, Pierre-Edouard Merien takes over the pod where he delves deeper into Jules' role, inspirations, challenges and more! We find out about what inspires Jules to continually improve his craft, his definition of creativity and a sneak peek into his process when starting on a new concept.  Jules shares his early inspirations, movies and artists that shaped him as a creative, his views on generative AI, and lots of advice on how to train your creativity and improve your artistic fundamentals. Resources mentioned across both Part 1 (out last Monday) and Part 2: Artists: Darek Zabrocki - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: www.artstation.com/artwork/vDnB1D Jeremy Love - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: www.artstation.com/artwork/rJxQNa Julien Gauthier - The Rings of Power: www.artstation.com/artwork/YBYDz6 Teaching resources: Learn Squared: www.learnsquared.com/ Alex Senechal - Visual Basics course: acms.gumroad.com/l/visualdesign?layout=profile Scott Robertson Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scottrobertsondesign James Gurney Youtube: www.youtube.com/@JamesGurney Concept101: Website: www.concept101.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/concept_101_event/ Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCpxuj0umDSlw0rIGaqfSveQ Jules' portfolio: Artstation: www.artstation.com/julesdarriulat Instagram: www.instagram.com/julesdarriulat/ GOELAND project: www.artstation.com/artwork/AlzO8W

The Framestore Podcast, our learning and talent development focused podcast made by Framestore, for Framestore, is back with another brand-new instalment. This week, we return to the Art Department for a conversation with Framestore Concept Artist, Jules Darriulat. Jules is a highly respected artist in his field, known not only for creating stunning concepts for Framestore projects but also as the co-founder of Concept 101. In today's first part, we dive into the Framestore Podcast Dailies, discussing life as a concept artist, the origins of Concept 101, routes into the industry, and many lessons learned along the way. On Thursday, we hand the mic to this week's guest co-host, Montreal-based Modeller and Launchpad alum Pierre-Edouard Merien, who will explore the craft of concept art in greater depth with Jules. We explore how Jules began his journey as a Concept Artist, the creation of Concept 101, and offer advice on courses, software, mentorship, and other methods for mastering the craft of concept art. What was once a single hidden path has now expanded into twenty! We also discuss Jules' favourite types of art to create, the differences between working in concept art teams for movies and TV shows versus the games industry, and the significance of grasping artistic fundamentals. Resources mentioned across both Part 1 and Part 2 (out on Thursday): Artists: Darek Zabrocki - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/vDnB1D Jeremy Love - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/rJxQNa Julien Gauthier - The Rings of Power: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YBYDz6 Teaching resources: Learn Squared: https://www.learnsquared.com/ Alex Senechal - Visual Basics course: https://acms.gumroad.com/l/visualdesign?layout=profile Scott Robertson Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scottrobertsondesign James Gurney Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JamesGurney Concept101: Website: https://www.concept101.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/concept_101_event/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpxuj0umDSlw0rIGaqfSveQ Jules' portfolio: Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/julesdarriulat Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julesdarriulat/ GOELAND project: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/AlzO8W