#025: Beyond the Concept: Giving Life to Characters and Monsters

Game animation is where technology, design, and emotions meet. In Episode 26 of AnsweRED Podcast, Dominika Staniaszek and Maciej Pietras share their perspective on gameplay vs cinematic animation, open-world challenges, and the skills every great animator needs.

In the 25th episode of AnsweRED Podcast, together with Natalia Kosonowska, Senior Character Artist, and Marcin Klicki, Character Art Acting Lead, we discover the world of character and monster artists. If you’re interested in the monsters that defined The Witcher, how fashion can be used in worldbuilding, or the importance of creative responsibility and trust in game development, this is definitely something for you!

In the 24th episode of AnsweRED Podcast, together with Anna Fronckiel, our Recruitment & Employer Branding Director, and Paweł Mielniczuk, Art Director of Project Hadar, our hosts, Sebastian and Paweł explore all sides of recruitment — from building teams and nurturing creative talent, to fostering the culture that keeps RED thriving. Tune in to discover what we look for in candidates, what to avoid during the recruitment process, what defines culture at RED and many more!

In the 23rd episode of the AnsweRED Podcast, our hosts Sebastian Kalemba and Paweł Burza welcome Tomasz Radziewicz — a sculptor whose art bridges the worlds of fine art, games, and storytelling. Beyond the world of monuments, Tomasz has brought his artistry into the realm of games and film, working with CD PROJEKT RED and Platige Image on projects that merge craftsmanship with imagination. They discuss the relationship between the sculptor and their material, what Tomasz’s creative process looks like, the differences between digital vs manual modeling, and much more!

In Episode 22 of AnsweRED Podcast, our hosts Paweł Burza and Sebastian Kalemba are joined by Pav Grochola, FX and Look of Picture Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Perhaps best known for his work on the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse series, Pav shares what it means to bring a bold artistic vision to life, his path into FX, what his job really involves, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

In the 21st episode of the AnsweRED Podcast, our hosts, Paweł Burza and Sebastian Kalemba are joined by Ari Arnbjörnsson, Senior Software Engineer, Developer Relations at Epic Games, known for his boundless energy and ability to connect complex technology with everyday creative challenges.

In the 20th episode of the AnsweRED Podcast, our hosts, Paweł Burza and Sebastian Kalemba are joined by Daniel Martínez Lara, Director of Pepe School Land, a unique animation school based in Barcelona.They talk about the power of small-scale teaching, the importance of creative freedom, and how designing tools with artists in mind can reshape entire workflows. Dive deep into the future of 3D animation, Pepe School Land’s origins, advice for aspiring animators and many more!

In the 19th episode of AnsweRED Podcast, our hosts Sebastian Kalemba and Paweł Burza are joined by Alyssa Zarate, Art Director & Environment Supervisor, and Albert Szostkiewicz, VFX Supervisor. They talked about the craft, creativity, and complexity behind visual effects — both in games and film.

In our special The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 10th anniversary episode of AnsweRED Podcast, our hosts Sebastian Kalemba and Paweł Burza are joined by Marcin Iwiński, co-founder of CD PROJEKT RED and Adam Badowski, Joint CEO and long-time creative force behind our games. On a sentimental journey back to the Continent, they discuss the most challenging aspects of production, how The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt inspired future projects, the make-or-break moments, what makes Adam and Marcin proud 10 years after the premiere, and much more!

In the 17th episode of AnsweRED Podcast, our hosts, Sebastian Kalemba and Paweł Burza, are joined by Alena Dubrovina, Art Director at Larian Studios and Émilie Beauchamp, Associate Art Director at WB Games Montréal. Not only did we hear about their professional experience working on projects like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Gotham Knights, but also about the role of an Art Director in the game dev industry.