From Toy Story to WALL-E: A 30 Yr Career in Animation - John Lee (Art Director, Ex-Pixar & Skydance)

From Starcraft 2 to Building a New RTS - Tim Morten (CEO @ Frost Giant Studios, Ex-Blizzard, EA)

He helped build StarCraft II. Now he’s building the future of RTS.In this episode, we talk to Tim Morten (CEO of Frost Giant Studios, ex-Blizzard)—a veteran game developer who worked on StarCraft II, God of War, Activision titles, and more.We break down how game development is changing forever—especially with the rise of AI tools, solo creators, and faster production pipelines.👉 Can one person really build a game now?👉 Are AAA studios at risk?👉 Is RTS making a comeback?Tim shares what he’s seeing from inside the industry—and why the next generation of games will look very different.

From Toy Story to WALL-E: A 30 Yr Career in Animation - John Lee (Art Director, Ex-Pixar & Skydance)

In this episode, we sit down with John Lee — former Art Director at Pixar and Skydance Animation — who has spent over 30 years working on some of the most iconic animated films of all time, including Toy Story, WALL-E, Cars, and Hercules. John shares his journey from a high school student discovering art for the first time to working inside Disney and Pixar during some of the most transformative moments in animation history. We go behind the scenes of how these films were actually made — from hand-painted backgrounds at Disney to the shift into 3D at Pixar — and what it was like being part of that transition. We also dive into: * What it was like working on films like Mulan, The Incredibles, and Cars * How Pixar’s storytelling and production process works * The evolution of animation pipelines over the last 30 years * What artists really think about AI — and how it compares to past tech shifts like motion capture * Advice for artists and creators navigating a rapidly changing industry One of the biggest takeaways: every new technology feels disruptive at first — but over time, it becomes just another tool in the creative process. If you're interested in animation, game development, or the future of creative work, this episode is packed with insights from someone who’s seen the industry evolve from the inside.

From Marvel Heroes to 3D AI Pipelines - Tyler Fermelis, Creative Dir. @ Kaedim (Ex Laika, Netflix)

In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Fermelis, Creative Director at Kaedim, whose career spans over two decades across games, film, and cutting-edge AI.From working on Marvel Heroes and major films like Happy Feet and Spider-Man 3, to building stop-motion pipelines at LAIKA and sculpting for Netflix’s Wendell & Wild, Tyler has been at the intersection of art and technology his entire career.Today, he’s helping shape the future of 3D creation at Kaedim, combining AI with artist-driven workflows to redefine how 3D assets are made.We dive into:- His journey from traditional art to technical pipeline building- What it was like working on Hollywood films and game titles- The story behind Polymorph (his SIGGRAPH-presented tool for 3D printed puppets)- How AI is transforming 3D art—and what artists are getting wrong- Why “learning how to learn” is the most important skill in creative tech- The future of creativity in the age of AIIf you’re a 3D artist, game developer, or curious about where AI meets creativity, this one’s for you.

He Left Mobile Games to Build His Own Game - Damià Ferràndiz (Creative Lead @ Univrse, ex-GameHouse)

After 7+ years in mobile games, Damia Ferrandiz walked away to build the kind of game he actually wanted.Today, he’s:• Creative Lead at Univrse, creating immersive VR experiences• Co-founder of Omaet Games, building an indie narrative game from scratchIn this episode, we talk about:• How he broke into narrative design• Leading a writers’ room in games• Why game stories start from the ending• His approach to using AI in creative work• And what it really takes to go indie

Why AI Won’t Replace Game Artists – Damiano De Cataldo, Former Vehicle Lead at Gameloft

In this episode, we speak with Damiano, Art Director at Gameplay Galaxy and former Vehicle Lead at Gameloft, where he worked on major racing titles including Asphalt 8 and Asphalt 9. We explore where AI meaningfully accelerates 3D workflows — rapid iteration, repetitive execution, and production support — and where it completely fails to replace creative judgment. “If you don’t know what you want, the tool will control you.” From AAA racing titles to restructuring art teams and testing 3D AI tools in production, Damiano breaks down: – Why execution is easier to automate than direction– The difference between cool outputs and actually usable assets– Why pipelines, not creativity, are often the real bottleneck– How leadership matters more than ever in the AI era This conversation is for game developers, 3D artists, creative directors, and anyone building at the intersection of AI and production.