Podcast Episodes
45+ Years | 500+ Film and TV credits | 135+ Awards
SINCE 1975
Welcome to Lighter Darker: The ILM Podcast, where we focus on the creative process of filmmaking and the art of visual storytelling. Hosted by ILM Chief Creative Officer Rob Bredow and ILM Compositing Supervisor Todd Vaziri, we share behind-the-scenes stories that illustrate the many crafts that come together to create a motion picture, TV series, or special venue project.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional, an aspiring filmmaker, or a fan of immersive experiences, Lighter Darker provides valuable insights, inspiration, and a deeper appreciation for the artists behind the projects we undertake at ILM in visual effects, animation, and immersive entertainment. We have a terrific lineup of special guest filmmakers who join the team for upcoming episodes to discuss the creative process of filmmaking and the art of visual storytelling.
Ep 006: Ultraman: Rising with Shannon Tindle and Hayden Jones
Director Shannon Tindle (Kubo and the Two Strings, Lost Ollie) and VFX supervisor Hayden Jones join us to discuss the role of empathy in animation. We talk about Tindle’s latest film, Ultraman: Rising as well as the importance of collaboration and infusing personal experiences into characters and storytelling.
Ep 005: Ghostbusters II with Bill George
For this special Halloween Edition, we flash back to Ghostbusters II with VFX legend Bill George who shares stories from the model shop. We talk with Bill about the evolution of visual effects over his 40-year career.
Ep 004: Twisters with Lee Isaac Chung and Ashley Jay Sandberg
Director Lee Isaac Chung (Minari, Twisters) and executive producer Ashley Jay Sandberg (Twisters, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) discuss working together to balance science and storytelling with their latest film, Twisters. They share stories from the set, including real-life challenges from Mother Nature. The filmmakers and the Lighter Darker hosts chat about films that inspired them to choose their career paths and some roadblocks they faced along the way.
Ep 003: Camera and Composition
Beth D'Amato, ILM digital paint supervisor, joins Todd and Rob to discuss their favorite camera moves, compositions, and notable oner’s. Beth shares how she got her start in VFX and we learn that sometimes, "We will keep your resume on file" is a good thing! The ILM pros answer questions about basic VFX terminology, and we bust an internet myth.
Ep 002: Transformers One with Josh Cooley
In this episode, the Lighter Darker team welcomes director Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4, Transformers One) to talk about combining humor and heart in filmmaking as he does so well in his films. Josh shares the story of getting his dream shot at Pixar and how he almost had a very different job!
