VFX supervisors Ariel Altman and Josh Miyaji share insights into their innovative visual effects work on shows like ‘Mr. Robot,’ ‘Barry,’ and ‘I Know This Much is True.’
AWN is pleased to share the first of a three-part video interview series with key artists from award-winning VFX studio FuseFX discussing the inner workings of some of your favorite shows, from Mr. Robot to Barry to Criminal Minds.
This first discussion features Ariel Altman, a VFX supervisor and pipeline supervisor at FuseFX’s NY office, and Josh Miyaji, a VFX supervisor and lead compositor at FuseFX in LA. In the talk, Altman shares details of his work on an extended Mr. Robot one shot as well as how two Mark Ruffalos shared significant screen time without the use of split screens in I Know This Much is True. Miyaji breaks down his work maximizing a smaller VFX budget wherever possible on Bill Hader’s Emmy Award-winning show, Barry, as well as using FuseFX’s Omnican driving rig on scenes in the series Mom.
In addition, both artists discuss pandemic-related production strategies their teams employ to ensure work is created safely and on-time. They also offer career advice for young professionals, including practical tips on areas of study and focus to better prepare for industry opportunities.
Take a few minutes and enjoy!
FuseFX is an award-winning VFX studio providing services for episodic television, feature films, commercials, virtual, and VR productions. Founded in 2006, the company employs 500+ personnel across seven studio locations: Los Angeles, New York City, Vancouver, and Atlanta. Offices in Montreal, Toronto, and Bogota are serviced by FOLKS VFX, which joined the FuseFX family of brands in 2020.
Altman spends most of his time supervising artists as well as problem-solving creatively with clients. His recent work includes HBO’s I Know This Much Is True, The Blacklist, Kevin Can Wait, Bull, American Made, Luke Cage, and Mr. Robot, for which he received an Emmy nomination in 2014. Part of the studio’s New York team since its launch in 2014, Altman has worked as a compositor and supervisor with credits spanning television, commercials, broadcast media, and music videos. He began his career as a Flame Artist for commercial work at various post facilities in New York, holding staff positions at companies such as 1st Avenue Machine, Headlight Design + Visual Effects, and Sideshow Creative and worked for clients including IBM, Coke, Verizon, HP, Maybelline, L’Oréal, Starbucks, Panera, and Sony.
Miyaji has worked closely with directors, producers, and actors on VFX projects for over a decade. He oversees projects, leads compositing teams, and even assisted in developing FuseFX’s new driving rig, Omnicam. His most recent work includes HBO’s Barry, Good Girls, Mom, and The Kominsky Method. He has worked with some of the most influential names in the industry, including Ryan Murphy, J.J. Abrams, Michael Mann, Chuck Lorre, Shawn Ryan, and Matthew Weiner. His other television supervisor and artist credits include Mad Men, Sons of Anarchy, Masters of Sex, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Criminal Minds, 911, Mayans MC, The Runaways, Timeless, Entourage, 24, Falling Skies, CSI: NY, Alphas, Glee, American Horror Story, and Hell on Wheels for which he received a VES Award nomination for Best Compositing. His feature work includes The Matrix trilogy, White House Down, Sinister, Dark Skies, Grown Ups, Underworld, Faster, School Dance, London Boulevard, Seven Days in Utopia, The Babymakers and David Mamet’s Phil Spector biopic with Al Pacino and Helen Mirren.
This video interview series is produced by AWN and Impact24 PR, a full-service entertainment public relations agency located in Los Angeles, California.
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
