Date: Sunday, November 17th
Time: 11:00am 12:45pm
Venue: Mezzanine Meeting Room M3

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Speaker: Josh Simmonds, Method Studios, Australia
Nick Tripodi, Method Studios, Australia
Alex Halstead, Method Studios, Australia

Abstract: Murderous shapeshifter “It” resurfaces to terrorize the residents of Derry, Maine in Warner Bros.’ “IT Chapter Two.” While this ancient evil force often assumes the form of deranged clown Pennywise, it also manifests in ways that exploit a victim’s greatest fears. Hear from Method Studios’ creative leads as they break down their collaboration with Director Andy Muschietti and Production VFX Supervisor Nicholas Brooks to realize some of the film’s most twisted moments with frightening phobia-driven visuals.

Speaker(s) Bio:
With extensive on-set experience across visual effects-heavy feature film, advertising and episodic television projects, Josh Simmonds is both a talented artist and valued production partner. He not only ensures that projects handled by Method Studios look amazing, but also advises on-set supervisors on best-practice technical approaches to data acquisition for the VFX pipeline, keeping budgets and timelines on track. Josh also oversees in-studio FX shoots for generating elements such as dust, liquid and fire, allowing artists to generate more authentic and interesting results. A Melbourne native, Josh held various animation and VFX roles in London and Sydney before joining Iloura, now Method Studios, in 2004. Since then, he’s led many large-scale features for the studio, including “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water,” “Gods of Egypt,” “Ghostbusters,” “Underworld: Blood Wars,” “John Wick: Chapter 2,” “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” and “Aquaman,” as well as independent productions including “The Boy” and “Judy and Punch,” for which he served as on-set VFX supervisor. He was also instrumental in the creation of the loot train battle sequence in “The Spoils of War” episode of “Game of Thrones,” which earned him an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award for Best Visual Effects. Most recently, Josh served as VFX Supervisor for Method’s work on “IT Chapter Two.” His current projects include “Downhill,” “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” and “The Conjuring 3.”

Nick is one of the industry’s finest creature and character animators, with a diverse portfolio that ranges from anthropomorphic stuffed animals to photoreal cavalry and digital humans. As the head of Method Studios’ Animation Department, he supervises teams of artists across various disciplines and projects, and relishes in extraordinary challenges. His recent credits include the creation of the Stanley spider head, Kersh witch and Paul Bunyan statue in “IT Chapter Two;” aliens Luca and Pawny in “Men in Black: International;” Mera digital doubles and Black Manta animations in “Aquaman;” and the complex albino rhino sequence in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” Nick began his career in visual effects as an animator at Iloura, now Method Studios, in 2008, and worked his way up the ranks, honing his skillset on projects such as “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which was nominated for the Best VFX Oscar; “Ted;” and “Ghostbusters.” Upon moving into a leadership role, Nick has continued to lead his teams to success, earning a 2017 Annie Award nomination for Outstanding Character Animation in a Live Action Production for his digital horse and soldier work on the Emmy Award-winning “Battle of the Bastards” episode of “Game of Thrones.”

Alex is an effects mastermind who’s aptly skilled at spearheading the creation of realistic digital phenomena, from collapsing structures and dragon-breathed fire to a crushing mountain of dirt, rippling sand or exploding Legos. With a keen eye for subtle detail, he’s charged with realizing some of the most impactful and memorable moments of a project, and his talents ensure final shots are both action-packed and believable to fully resonate with audiences. Alex has been an integral part of the Method Studios team since August 2016, where his work includes “Game of Thrones” episode “The Spoils of War,” for which he helped craft the loot train battle sequence; “Tomb Raider;” “Jumanji: Welcome the Jungle;” “Aquaman” and “IT Chapter Two.” A passionate storyteller who enjoys visually pushing the envelope, he got his start in visual effects as an FX artist working on video game cut assets and cinematics. From there, he fine-tuned his abilities across simulations, particles and volumetrics, working on projects for Sony Pictures Imageworks and Animal Logic, among others.

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