RADiCAL Adds Habib Zargarpour, Joe Marks and Dane Allen Smith to Advisory Board

The three industry leaders bring decades of shared experience to the AI mocap and real-time 3D creation tools developer as it ramps up its product expansion.

(From L-R) Habib Zargarpour, Dane Allen Smith and Joe Marks.

AI motion capture and real-time 3D creation tools developer RADiCAL has added industry leaders Habib Zargarpour, Joe Marks, and Dane Allen Smith to its advisory board. The appointments come as the company experiences a period of accelerated growth ahead of unveiling next year’s product expansions.

“The company will deliver a concerted push in its development of real-time 3D visualization features over the coming months,” said RADiCAL CEO and co-founder Gavan Gravesen. “R&D is central to us – on both product and business strategy. The addition of Dane, Joe, and Habib is going to help take RADiCAL to the forefront of real-time 3D content creation. It’s an exciting time for the team.”

VFX and virtual production supervisor Zargarpour brings 30+ years of experience, having worked with industry giants including ILM, EA Games, Microsoft, and Unity. His work on Twister (1996) and The Perfect Storm (2000) earned him two Oscar nominations and two BAFTAs. In addition, he received a VES Award for the EA-developed racing game Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2006).

In Zargarpour’s latest venture, Digital Monarch Media, he is applying the strategies and technologies he explored in game development to implement new storytelling methods in film.

“I feel that online collaboration tools are going to change the way filmmakers visualize their projects,” said Zargarpour. “I have been looking for a platform that does that effectively and at scale. When I saw what RADiCAL is building, I was instantly excited to join their advisory board. We know a lot of tools have too much complexity, and RADiCAL's approach will remove those barriers.”

Marks, former Wētā Digital / Wētā Tools at Unity CTO, brings over 40 years of experience in applied computing and machine learning. Before Wētā, he served as the executive director of the Center for Machine Learning & Health at Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a vice president and research Fellow at Walt Disney Company, and a research director at Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs (MERL).

"Democratizing and simplifying storytelling has long been a passion of mine, but it's not easy to do,” said Marks. “RADiCAL has made a huge advance in realizing this goal. Anyone can easily create worlds with props and animated characters to communicate ideas, drama, and emotions, even if they have no prior experience in 3D. How cool is that?"

Marks holds a PhD in Computer Science from Harvard University and has expertise in computer vision, AI, CG, video processing, human-computer interaction, and media distribution.

Smith boasts an extensive portfolio in media technology and as a visual effects producer. He has held professorships at Gnomon School of Visual Effects and Chapman University, in addition to in-house roles at Sony Pictures Imageworks (The Amazing Spiderman) and The Third Floor (The Mandalorian, Dune: Part One, Avatar: The Way of Water). Smith is an entrepreneurial tech executive interested in emerging technologies and innovative content creation.

Specializing in AI, XR, VFX, game engines, and virtual production, Smith blends technological proficiency and creative vision while pioneering new storytelling methods. As a business strategist for emergent media and co-founder of Parts + Labor, he integrates Machine Learning and AI into production. He has contributed to projects like Apple TV and Alfonso Cuaron's mini-series Disclaimer. He also played key roles in launching the Mario Kart Attraction in Osaka and producing Charlie Kaufman's Oscar-nominated film Anomalisa. His work has influenced brands like Marvel Comics, Warner Brothers, and McDonnell Douglas, and he is an international consultant on next-generation visual experiences. He established the Virtual Production department at the Gnomon School of VFX + Gaming and his expertise spans the intersection of technology and creative industries.

Commenting on his decision to join the advisory board, Smith explained that “the world is now a blank canvas for artists and entrepreneurs. RADiCAL has seized the opportunity to define this paradigm shift, framing the next revolution in commerce, art, and technology. This is the perfect opportunity to influence the future of content creation.”

Source: RADiCAL

Debbie Diamond Sarto's picture

Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.