There's an influx of new talent at game developer Trilogy Studios. Animator Chad Schoonover recently left Sony Pictures Imageworks, where he created 3D facial and body animation for characters in the upcoming animated feature film, MONSTER HOUSE. He is now leading the animation team at Trilogy. He previously worked for five years as an animator on the UNREAL franchise, the demos for Epic's highly vaunted UNREAL 3 tech, as well as three years at Midway Games, where he pioneered the use of motion capture in the Sports division.
Artificial Intelligence expert Jeff Leggett joined Trilogy to lead the development team for the company's first title, after having spent the past four years as a senior AI engineer on the MEDAL OF HONOR franchise at Electronic Arts. "I am excited to be working in a small, close-knit team environment using next-generation technology (UNREAL 3) to create unique and killer new IP. I wouldn't have left the comfort of EA for just any startup when I got a good look at what Trilogy is working on and the way in which they are working on it, I became really excited about being a part of this company." Leggett was the author of the AI work in the highly acclaimed MEDAL OF HONOR: PACIFIC ASSAULT.
Multifaceted Gunter Erhart spent nearly four years at Rockstar Games before joining Trilogy as a gameplay engineer. His diverse background includes not only AI and UI engineering but also game design on some of the industry's most successful franchises, including SMUGGLER'S RUN II and MIDNIGHT CLUB II and III.
"Chad, Jeff and Günter are tremendous assets to the Trilogy team," said Rick Giolito, president/co-founder of Trilogy. "We've built a really creative environment here where talented game developers can spread their wings and take true ownership and risks that maximize their artistic potential. This kind of exploration and collaboration just isn't possible in a larger studio where deadlines and procedures inevitably stifle creative development."
Privately-held Trilogy Studios (www.trilogystudios.com) was formed in 2005 and is based in Santa Monica, California. Trilogy Studios develops interactive entertainment software for next-generation game platforms and the PC.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
