The Allan Mckay Podcast

Activision Blizzard’s history goes back more than 40 years. Two incredible gaming brands Activision and Blizzard Entertainment merged, bringing together the best creative talent in gaming. The acquisition of King in 2016 further strengthened the company’s vision to bring the world together through epic entertainment. Their professional gaming properties include the Overwatch League™, the Call of Duty League™, Hearthstone® Grandmasters, and the World of Warcraft® Arena World Championship, among others. Activision Blizzard Esports also operates Tespa™, the leader in collegiate esports. In this Episode, Activision Blizzard’s Senior Director of Creative Talent Acquisition Robin Alan Linn discusses his three decades of experience in VFX, from starting out as a maquette sculptor at Hanna-Barbera Cartoons to working at Sony Picture Imageworks, Third Floor, Riot Games, Netflix; shares his expertise on building a successful reel and talks about the importance of following your dreams. For more show notes, visit www.al

DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai). DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Dune (October 2021), No Time To Die (October 2021), Ron’s Gone Wrong (October 2021), Last Night In Soho (October 2021), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (November 2021), The Matrix 4 (December 2021), Uncharted (2022), Borderlands (2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2022), The Flash (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). In this Podcast, No Time to Die VFX Sup Charlie Nobl

Founded in 1996, Foundry is a visual effects software development company headquartered in London, with over 300 employees and a presence in the US, China, Japan, Australia and Europe.  They have been developing creative software for the Digital Design, Media and Entertainment industries for over 20 years. Their products -- like Nuke, Mari, Katana, Flix, Hiero, Modo -- are used to create breathtaking visual effects sequences on a wide range of feature films, video-on-demand, television and commercials.  Their clients and partners include major feature film studios and post-production houses such as Pixar, ILM, MPC, Walt Disney Animation, Weta Digital, DNEG, and Framestore as well as automotive, footwear, apparel and technology companies such as Mercedes, New Balance, Adidas and Google. They partner with these companies to solve complex visualization challenges to turn incredible ideas into reality. This is why our software has been integral in the making of every VFX Oscar-winning film, award-winning TV shows

The more we see the result of the success people are having, the more we can get inspired and model our goals after that success. Which is why I think it’s important to follow other successful people: to see what their habits are and if you can apply those habits to get similar results. I also believe you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with. I want to be surrounded by better people because it inspires me. I want to learn from them.  But the problem is that a lot of us want to blame external forces, rather than put in the work that it takes to get better. You’ve got to be in it to win it! You’ve got to be willing to try. But you can’t do any of this if you’re just blaming everyone else.  Nothing is instant! You’ve got to work on it. You’ve got to put in the hard yards! If you run away from your fears, then you’re held captive by them. How will you grow then? But what if you turn the fear into excitement, and it becomes non-negotiable and you lean into it. And that is everything! In t

Eran Dinur is VFX Supervisor, Composer and published author. His career in visual effects began with a fascination for creating 3D natural scenery. Through his early years, he became well known as a VUE expert and innovator. When he joined ILM Singapore, he created visual effects for films such as Iron Man, Star Trek, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Terminator Salvation. After moving to New York, Eran worked at Framestore on Salt and Clash of the Titans. He joined Brainstorm Digital and became a VFX Supervisor in 2011. In this capacity, Eran won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Effects for Boardwalk Empire and two VES Awards for Outstanding Compositing and Outstanding Modeling (for Boardwalk Empire as well). Eran has been leading Brainstorm Digital on numerous films and tv projects, including The Wolf of Wall Street, The Greatest Showman, The Lost City of Z, Hereditary, Boy Erased and many more. In April 2017, Eran published The Filmmak

Richard Edlund is a four-time Academy Award visual effects winner for Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. He is VFX Supervisor, Producer and Cinematographer. Richard was also nominated for Poltergeist, 2010, Ghostbusters, Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Die Hard and Alien 3. He’s won three Academy Technical Awards, the British Academy Award for Poltergeist and Return of the Jedi. He earned an Emmy for creating the visual effects for the original television miniseries Battlestar Galactica and another nomination for Mike Nichols’ Angels in America. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored him with their John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation in recognition of his contributions to the Academy. And the ASC (American Society of Cinematographers) presented him with their esteemed Presidents Award in 2008. He has also received top accolades from the Visual Effects Society, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror

David Adan is an FT TD Lead at Cinesite whose list of credits include Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, American Gods, Mindhunter, Godzilla: King of Monsters, Terminator: Dark Fate, Lost in Space and many more. David’s journey began in 1994 in Cuernavaca, Mexico, when at the age of 16, he started working as an intern at a local PR film. There, he discovered one of the first 3D softwares for PC and immediately started teaching himself how to use it. The local college didn’t offer any studies in visual effects or animation. There were no internet tutorials either. So while studying Photoshop, editing and illustration in class, David learned animation on his own. Every night after school, he poured over any possible books or manuals he could find. Three years later, David decided to go seek training in the U.S. He found himself studying at Digital Hollywood in Santa Monica. He came back to Mexico City with a different perspective and began producing for television. In 2004, he sought his AutoDesk certification; an

In the beginning of your career as junior artists, it’s fight or flight. You will either leave the industry because it’s too hard or you’ll work hard on as many jobs as you can. You need that exit strategy, however, otherwise you will burn out.  It’s the fear that keeps you small. You are afraid of losing jobs if you raise your rates. A lot of the time, you also undervalue yourself. If you put your brand out there and it’s cheap -- even if it’s great quality work -- the clients will still view you as a cheap brand. It’s just pricing psychology. It’s all about the perceived value.  In this Podcast, Allan talks about how and when in your career to raise your rates, pricing psychology and creating a premium brand. For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/327/.

There is nothing worse than burnout. As artists, we work hard, we work long hours, chase tight deadlines. As the expression goes in Blade Runner, “The candle that burns twice as bright, burns for half as long.”  So how do you avoid hitting rock bottom? A lot of the time, burnout is that invisible pressure that comes in a form of stress. It’s not about if you’re going to crash. It’s about when you’re going to crash. There needs to be a break to rest and catch up.  This Podcast was recorded for one purpose: to help you understand the importance of mental health and help you manage yourself when you experience a burnout from time to time. Some of the pointers you’ll find here address: Why it’s important to stay in tune with yourself and know when it’s time to take a break. How to come back from it by taking breaks or doing things that ignite your passion. Why it’s important to identify the light at the end of the tunnel.  In this Podcast, Allan McKay discusses a highly important and timely subject of artistic

Sam Wickert is a director and VFX supervisor who has worked closely with many clients such as Epic Games, Google Daydream, AMD, BlackMagic Design, Universal Orlando Resorts, Redbull, and Discover.  The most exciting projects he has enjoyed working on is the content featured on his YouTube Channel, SOKRISPYMEDIA, which has accumulated over 1.6 Million subscribers and 400+ million views - most notably recognized from its web series, Chalk Warfare. In this Episode, Allan and Sam talk about the journey of being a content creator, imposter syndrome and cycles of creativity, taking pride in your work, the importance of relationships and having your own creative community.  For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/325/.

Erika Burton brings over 25 years of senior-level experience to her role at DNEG. Most recently, she led as EVP, Global Features & Streaming VFX at Method Studios. Prior to that, she held senior leadership positions at major studios, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, PDI / DreamWorks Animation, Digital Domain and Rhythm & Hues.  Erika Burton is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, the Producers Guild of America and the Visual Effects Society. DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai). DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX

Paul Lambert is a Visual Effects Supervisor. He is also the inventor of IBK Keyer in Nuke.  Over the course of his over-two-decade long career, he’s worked on such titles as Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, TRON: Legacy, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, I, Robot, Mission Impossible II, Lost in Space and many, many others. Paul has won two consecutive wins for Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects: one for the 2017 film Blade Runner 2049 at the 90th Academy Awards, and one for the 2018 film First Man at the 91st Academy Awards. DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai). DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy

A lot of the time, artists feel like clients do them a favor by hiring them. The more you understand the ecosystem, the more you start seeing this as a service-based industry: You’re delivering value to your client, they’re delivering value to theirs -- and it goes up the latter. Each step in that latter is a much bigger profit margin. They need their problems solved. They need you as much as you need them.  It’s not just about raising your rates. It’s also about what it is that you’re doing that’s aligning with the client’s needs. How do you give them value? That’s always the trick to communicate. You need to be self-aware about what services you provide. This is the big thing we need to get over: the money friction.  A lot of us get resistance in the beginning. We’re afraid that if we raise our prices too high, we’ll lose our clients. “Raise your rates and scare away your clients” is an absurd idea. Instead, you can raise your rates and if the clients get alienated, they’ve identified themselves as cheap. I

The Harmon Brothers is a marketing firm based in Provo, Utah, that has a history of making viral advertising videos. Founded by brothers Daniel, Neil, Jeffrey and Theron Harmon and CEO Benton Crane, the company creates marketing campaigns that are usually the length of an infomercial — but with a distinct sense of humor. Their campaigns for Squatty Potty and the Purple have more than 100 million views. They have also created campaigns for Poo-Pourri, FiberFix, Camp Chef and several others. Since then, the company launched the Harmon Brothers University where through online courses, Daniel Harmon and Lead Writer Dave Vance share their insight on how to create successful marketing videos. With writer Chris Jones, they also co-wrote the book From Poop to Gold: The Marketing Magic of Harmon Brothers that “reveals the behind-the-scenes magic including their innovative business model [and] one of the biggest secrets behind their success”. In this Podcast, Daniel Harmon the CCO of Harmon Brothers and CEO Benton Cran

You need to be ultra specific in how you define yourself when you’re applying for jobs as an artist. It’s the difference between being front-of-mind and standing out -- or blending in with all the other applications. And it’s something that none of us do. By not niching down -- by not being a specific brand -- you’re missing out on an opportunity to make yourself the ideal candidate for the job. So what are you doing to stand out? How do you make sure your reel doesn’t blend in in the hundreds of other reels? You have to be ultra specific on how to categorize yourself. Because you need to set context for the positions for which you’re applying. It also helps to have your name anchored to the solution to their problem.  The more you’re able to clearly define yourself and associate your skills with something -- the easier it is for your name to resonate when that something is needed. That singles you out as a go-to person. In this Podcast, Allan talks about finding your niche, how to have different niches for d

Peter Chiang is co-founder of DNEG and a prolific and critically acclaimed Visual Effects Supervisor. He is one of the leaders in his field with over 30 years experience in the industry. Starting out as a graphic artist, animator and later visual effects art director, he moved quickly into visual effects supervision on films including Pitch Black (DNEG’s first project), Chronicles of Riddick, Flyboys, The Bourne Ultimatum, Green Zone, John Carter, Total Recall, Pacific Rim: Uprising, as well as Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings and Justin Lin’s Star Trek: Beyond. DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai). DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy Awards® for Best

Knowing when to raise your rates is really critical. A lot of us get the resistance in the beginning. We’re afraid that if we raise our prices too high, we’ll lose our clients. But that’s kind of the idea!  A brand is our position in the market: How people perceive us and whether our clients are willing to pay higher rates. In the beginning, we’ll be taking on lower-paying clients because we’re desperate to get a job after job, after job. But to be profitable in that situation, we’ll have to take on a lot more work. The worst part about it is that cheaper clients are the ones that try to squeeze us for everything or to micromanage us. That goal changes over time, later in our career. The difference between being a successful artist versus an unsuccessful artist is that the artists without a brand are frustrated because they aren’t getting the result they want.  In this Podcast, Allan McKay talks about stages of an artist’s career: from the initial goal when starting out -- to creating a successful brand that

Imagine the world where the global space race never ended. For All Mankind is a thrilling “what if” take on history from Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) spotlights the high stakes lives of NASA astronauts and their families. Jay Redd is a VFX Supervisor on For All Mankind whose extensive resume also includes titles like Contact, Men in Black 3 and Monster House. Todd Sheridan Perry is an On-Set Supervisor on the show with a diverse background in video games, film and television. He’s worked on titles like Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers to Final Destination 5, The Immortals, Total Recall, Resident Evil 5 and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Todd has also worked as a CG Supervisor on Marvel’s Doctor Strange which was nominated for a Best Visual Effects Oscar. On this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews VFX Supervisor Jay Redd and the On-Set Supervisor Todd Sheridan Perry about their work on For All Mankind, making smart decisions on set, balancing between artistry and tech skills, VFX in film versus te

Linus Tech Tips is a passionate team of professionally curious experts in consumer technology and video production which aims to inform and educate people of all ages through entertaining videos. They create product reviews, step-by-step computer build guides and a variety of other tech-focused projects. Taran Van Hemert is a Senior Video Editor at Linus Tech Tips. He is also a Writer, Host and Camera Operator. In this Podcast, Allan McKay and Taran Van Hemert talk about the art of being an efficient editor, the importance of scripting, automation and customized tools, and other tips for successful artists. For more show notes, visit www.allanmckay.com/316/.

A Technical Director handles the technical side, builds scripts, automates tasks or supports their team. Sometimes, they’re the ones handling tricky shots. Sometimes their job is about problem solving. Other times, a TD comes up with a solution when production hits a wall. At the same time, a TD is also an artist.  There’s a huge demand for TD’s because they’re the ones building solutions for projects. A programmer will build a tool thinking about how it should work. But a TD will be a tool knowing how an artist will want it to work. There is a massive difference there! Which is why TD’s are irreplaceable. They do their own job and help others with theirs.  TD’s allow for everyone to do their jobs much better. Which is why they get paid better and why they’re higher in demand. Most of what VFX artists do is problem solving, on budget and on schedule. Part of the reason TD’s are higher in demand is because there’ll always be productions that need a TD to solve a problem.  In this Podcast, Allan breaks down the