Speakers

Ryo Sakaguchi (he/him) brings over 20 years of industry expertise with the last decade spent at Scanline in numerous roles from CG Supervisor to VFX Supervisor. As one of the Directors of CG, he played a pivotalrole in establishing company workflows and mentoring leads and supervisors. He recently served as theProduction VFX Supervisor on Netflix’s live action adaptation of “Yu Yu Hakusho”, receiving an Asian Content Award nomination for Best VFX. Ryo was a core contributor to the development of multiple Sci-Techaward-winning fx pipelines, and was recognized with a Scientific and Engineering Academy Award in 2008 for the development of a fluid simulation workflow during his time at Digital Domain. Ryo is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

• Talk - A Global VFX Production Challenges of "Yu Yu Hakusho”

  Sat - 15:15 - room1

  Yu Yu Hakusho, based on a popular Japanese manga, is a Netflix live action series about the con-
  flict between humans and the Yokais: Japanese folk tale monsters.

  Due to the volume and the complexity of the creature work, we decided to attempt one of the
  first Global VFX productions for a Japanese project.
  Challenges included bringing in the foreign methodologies to the Japanese culture, building the
  infrastructure to produce a global standard turnover material, and to find the “hybrid” approaches
  between the Japanese and the Hollywood methodologies.
  The talk will cover the challenges first, and then followed by behind the scenes of some of the
  hero sequences.

  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1234200/

Since 2001, Heri Irawan (he/him) began his career in the field of advertising in Austria. Eventually he also developed his skill and has been working in the field of movies and games as a concept artist and Matte Painting.

Heri Irawan received numerous awards from various austrian and international competitions.

https://www.artstation.com/irawan

• Workshop - Life Drawing

  Sun - 15:00 - room1

• Workshop - Life Drawing

  Sun - 14:00 - room1

Andreas Catucci (he/him) is an artist and designer at Panoply, specializing in generative and procedural techniques. His work combines algorithmic methods with a design-led approach, creating detailed and thoughtful visuals. At the forefront of motion design, Andreas continuously pushes boundaries with innovative approaches.

• Talk - The creative process at Panoply

  Sat - 11:15 - room1

  Join Andreas Catucci as he takes you through the creative process at Panoply. Using Houdini as their main tool, Andreas will discuss the methods behind their generative art and procedural designs, emphasizing the relationship between beauty, design, and purpose. With a focus on dynamic scalability and both logical and visual hierarchy, he’ll demonstrate how to create visually striking work. This talk offers insight into Panoply’s approach to ideation and execution, utilizing Houdini to make more with less.

Carina Lindmeier (she/her), known for her fresh and modern digital style, is an award-winning illustrator from Austria. Her work mixes playful and figurative elements with real textures, bold colors, and dynamic patterns. She’s brought her visionary ideas to life for big names like Adobe, Bombay Sapphire, The Wall Street Journal, FC Bayern Munich, Red Bull Media House, and Penguin Random House. Carina’s vibrant art is all about spreading joy and sparking emotions, drawing inspiration from everyday moments, pop culture, and foodie adventures.

Beyond her illustration work, Carina is deeply connected to the creative community. She runs workshops, gives talks at Adobe, and stays active on design-related platforms and at creative festivals. Carina also puts together community events to inspire and support the next generation of creatives.

• Talk - Hi! I'm Carina

  Fri - 15:15 - room1

  A talk about digital illustration

Jonas Sorgenfrei (he/him) has been a senior & lead FX/Pipeline TD at Rise FX in Berlin since 2020. Always interested in Computer Graphics techniques and visuals, his most recent work includes The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Matrix Resurrection & Hawkeye. Additionally he is a Houdini and Computer Graphics instructor at FH Salzburg & FH Wedel.

• Talk - JumpStart as a (FX) TD

  Sat - 10:00 - room1

  This talk will give information to new artists starting in a studio how to be prepared for the production environment. It includes tips & tricks to get into fast workflow, what to keep in mind working with a bigger team and how to present ones work in dailies.
  It will mainly focus on the FX artists working in Houdini and how to master grow in a studio environment.

Thomas Heschl (he/him) is a 3D Artist at Microbird Games – an indie game studio based in Vienna. Together with his team, he worked on the action RPG „Dungeons of Hinterberg“, which they released in July 2024. Thomas and Tran Khiet Van Ho are responsible for creating 3D as well as 2D assets that reflect the four different biomes of the game and the fictional world itself. One of their many tasks in the game studio is to maintain Hinterberg’s unique art style throughout the art assets – and combine it with their own interpretation of the cel-shading look.

• Talk - The Art of Hinterberg

  Fri - 11:15 - room1

  A talk about the art and game design of the game “Dungeons of Hinterberg”

Pablo Dominguez (he/him) @dirtysketch_ is a renowned concept artist celebrated for his contributions to the film and video game industries. His work has shaped the visual identity of numerous high-profile projects across some of the most prominent studios in entertainment.

From blockbuster films and games to hit TV shows, Pablo’s creative vision has reached audiences worldwide. So unless you have been living under a rock you’ve encountered his artistic influence in one form or another.

His impressive portfolio includes projects such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Alien: Romulus, Jurassic World 3, Amazon’s Lord of the Rings, WandaVision, Star Wars: Episode IX, Avengers: Endgame, The Eternals, Aladdin (2019), Captain Marvel, Game of Thrones, Morbius, and more.

• Demo - Live Demo

  Sat - 16:30 - room1

  Pablo Dominguez will demonstrate his process and workflow.

• Talk - Entering the industry & design problem solving

  Sat - 14:00 - room1

  Pablo will be talking about how he entered the industry and worked on major IPs while managing to solve some of the design problems we encounter in daily work.

Werner Reifberger (he/him) is an experienced 3D generalist specializing in environments and modeling, with a strong background in feature films and TV productions. With a focus on crafting immersive digital environments, Werner has worked for major companies including MPC, Scanline VFX, and DNEG, and has even worked on set for films like “Moonfall” as an On-Set VFX Artist. His contributions include projects such as “Foundation,” “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” “For All Mankind,” “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Captain Marvel,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

Werner has lived and worked in cities such as Montreal, Berlin, and Bournemouth, gaining a diverse range of experiences. He holds a Master of Arts in Multimedia Art from the University of Applied Sciences in Salzburg, Austria, and has participated in the Unreal Fellowship from EPIC Games twice. With skills ranging from environment modeling and texturing to real-time production and animation in Unreal Engine, Werner brings an expert touch to every project.

• Talk - Epic Worldbuilding: Turning Digital Environments into Hollywood Stars

  Fri - 14:00 - room1

  Join Werner Reifberger, an experienced 3D environment artist with a rich background in feature films and TV productions, for an insightful journey into crafting truly epic digital environments.

  This talk will focus less on the tools and more on the psychological aspects of why we interpret something as epic, exploring the key elements that turn virtual settings into impactful, memorable backdrops worthy of Hollywood blockbusters. From immersive realism and intricate detail to storytelling through design and atmosphere creation, Werner will reveal the techniques that elevate digital worlds to cinematic greatness.

  Whether you’re an aspiring artist or a seasoned professional, discover how to make your environments stand out, captivate audiences, and become stars in their own right. Don’t miss this opportunity to get inspired and learn from a specialist who’s worked on major projects like “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Captain Marvel,” and “Avengers: Infinity War.”

Tran Khiet Van Ho (she/her) is a 3D Artist at Microbird Games – an indie game studio based in Vienna. Together with her team, she worked on the action RPG „Dungeons of Hinterberg“, which they released in July 2024. She and Thomas Heschl they are responsible for creating 3D as well as 2D assets that reflect the four different biomes of the game and the fictional world itself. One of their many tasks in the game studio is to maintain Hinterberg’s unique art style throughout the art assets – and combine it with their own interpretation of the cel-shading look.

• Talk - The Art of Hinterberg

  Fri - 11:15 - room1

  A talk about the art and game design of the game “Dungeons of Hinterberg”

Jens Lindfors (he/him), Thomas Moor (he/him), and René Vidra (he/him) are the creative heads behind Power Pixel – a multidisciplinary design studio partnering with clients in AAA game/ film productions, board games, and AR/VR projects. Based in Vienna, the studio offers a diverse range of services, including concept art, illustration, 3D modeling, texturing, sculpting, rigging, animation, and rendering. In their Pixel’24 talk “Navigating rough seas – how to run a small studio in international waters”, they will share their innovative tag team approach and how it can help studios compete on the global stage.

• Talk - Power Pixel

  Fri - 10:00 - room1

  A talk about the work of Power Pixel

Jens Lindfors (he/him), Thomas Moor (he/him), and René Vidra (he/him) are the creative heads behind Power Pixel – a multidisciplinary design studio partnering with clients in AAA game/ film productions, board games, and AR/VR projects. Based in Vienna, the studio offers a diverse range of services, including concept art, illustration, 3D modeling, texturing, sculpting, rigging, animation, and rendering. In their Pixel’24 talk “Navigating rough seas – how to run a small studio in international waters”, they will share their innovative tag team approach and how it can help studios compete on the global stage.

• Talk - Power Pixel

  Fri - 10:00 - room1

  A talk about the work of Power Pixel

Jens Lindfors (he/him), Thomas Moor (he/him), and René Vidra (he/him) are the creative heads behind Power Pixel – a multidisciplinary design studio partnering with clients in AAA game/ film productions, board games, and AR/VR projects. Based in Vienna, the studio offers a diverse range of services, including concept art, illustration, 3D modeling, texturing, sculpting, rigging, animation, and rendering. In their Pixel’24 talk “Navigating rough seas – how to run a small studio in international waters”, they will share their innovative tag team approach and how it can help studios compete on the global stage.

• Talk - Power Pixel

  Fri - 10:00 - room1

  A talk about the work of Power Pixel