Animator and Digital Painter Adam Howard Part II: The Invisible CG of Birdman | CGI Fridays - Episode 7

CGI Fridays – A Visual Effects Interview Podcast (Season 2 Coming Soon)

Our first two-part episode of CGI Fridays – and if you’ve caught up with Episode 6, you’ll understand why – Australian-born veteran of small and large screen CG is, like many Aussies, a natural raconteur. When we left him he was recalling work on James Cameron’s epic Titanic – which in 1997 overtook Star Wars’ box office records – so it’s appropriate that we rejoin him for CGI Fridays Episode 7 in the climatic final chapter of the Prequel Trilogy.

His full IMDb lists his credits as

Axanar (visual effects supervisor) (announced)

Into the Wolves Den (visual effects supervisor) (pre-production)

The Black Demon (visual effects supervisor) (post-production)

Servant (TV Series) (Post VFX Supervisor - 1 episode)

- Episode #4.1 (2023) ... (Post VFX Supervisor: Powerhouse VFX)

Queer as Folk (TV Series) (visual effects supervisor - 1 episode)

- Babylon (2022) ... (visual effects supervisor)

Lady of the Manor (visual effects supervisor)

Fear of Rain (visual effects supervisor)

The Hurricane Heist (visual effects supervisor)

Powers (TV Series) (visual effects supervisor - 10 episodes)

Pee-wee's Big Holiday (visual effects supervisor)

Self/less (visual effects supervisor)

Away & Back (TV Movie) (on-set visual effects coordinator)

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (visual effects supervisor - uncredited)

My Mistress (additional visual effects)

Prelude to Axanar (Short) (on-set visual effects supervisor)

Cosmos (TV Mini Series documentary) (visual effects consultant - 13 episodes)

So You Think You Can Dance (TV Series) (visual effects artist - 1 episode)

American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (TV Series) (visual effects artist - 16 episodes)

Last Vegas (visual effects supervisor)

The Internship (visual effects consultant)

The 85th Academy Awards (TV Special) (visual effects supervisor - segment "Sally Field and sock puppet sketches", uncredited)

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (visual effects supervisor)

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (visual effects supervisor)

Tower Heist (visual effects consultant)

Unknown (visual effects supervisor)

Season of the Witch (visual effects supervisor: additional photography, Shreveport)

The Social Network (visual effects supervisor: Outback Post)

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Video short) (visual effects supervisor)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (visual effects supervisor: CafeFx)

Punisher: War Zone (on-set visual effects supervisor: Pixel Magic)

Rush Hour 3 (co-visual effects supervisor)

Moola (visual effects supervisor)

Eragon (sabre artist: ILM)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (sabre artist: ILM)

Mission: Impossible III (sabre artist: ILM)

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (sabre artist: ILM)

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (digital artist: ILM)

Jarhead (sabre artist: ILM)

The Island (sabre artist: ILM)

War of the Worlds (sabre artist: ILM)

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (sabre artist: ILM)

xXx²: The Next Level (sabre artist: ILM)

The Pacifier (sabre artist: ILM)

Radius (Short) (visual effects supervisor)

The Day After Tomorrow (sabre artist: ILM)

Van Helsing (sabre artist: ILM)

Peter Pan (sabre artist: ILM)

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (sabre artist: ILM)

Tarzan (TV Series) (visual effects compositor - 1 episode)

Out of Time (inferno artist: additional titles)

Seabiscuit (interactive compositing artist: SPI)

Ghosts of the Abyss (Documentary) (visual effects supervisor: Technicolor/Complete Post)

Children of Dune (TV Mini Series) (visual effects - 3 episodes)

Gods and Generals (visual effects supervisor: Complete Post Inc.)

Life at Five Feet (TV Movie) (visual effects compositor)

Will & Grace (TV Series) (visual effects artist - 53 episodes)

That '70s Show (TV Series) (visual effects - 1 episode)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (digital compositor - uncredited)

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (visual effects: Complete Post)

My Wife and Kids (TV Series) (visual effects)

Britney Spears Live from Las Vegas (TV Special documentary) (visual effects supervisor: opening sequence: Complete Post - uncredited)

Star Trek: Enterprise (TV Series) (lead animator - 1 episode)

Reba (TV Series) (visual effects)

Elvira's Haunted Hills (digital compositor: main title)

Along Came a Spider (digital compositor - uncredited)

Children Are the Music in our Lives (visual effects supervisor)

Monkeybone (visual effects supervisor)

Dracula 2001 (digital compositor)

Bruno (compositing supervisor)

Titus (TV Series) (visual effects)

Chain of Command (visual effects supervisor)

The Magician's House (TV Series) (visual effects supervisor)

Angel (TV Series) (digital compositor: 2001)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) (digital compositor - 98 episodes, 1993 - 1999) (visual effects artist - 1 episode, 1999)

Star Trek: Insurrection (visual effects supervisor - uncredited)

Letters from a Killer (visual effects supervisor: POP Film)

Armageddon (visual effects compositing supervisor)

Doctor Dolittle (digital compositor: POP Film)

Flubber (digital effects compositor - uncredited)

Starship Troopers (digital effects compositor - uncredited)

Titanic (digital compositing supervisor: POP Film)

An American Werewolf in Paris (visual effects animator - uncredited)

The Devil's Advocate (visual effects supervisor: POP Film - uncredited)

Batman & Robin (compositor - uncredited)

Volcano (digital compositing supervisor)

Just Shoot Me! (TV Series) (visual effects artist)

Star Trek: First Contact (visual effects supervisor)

Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) (visual effects artist - 48 episodes, 1995 - 1996) (visual effects animator - 1 episode, 1995)

Broken Arrow (digital effects compositor - uncredited)

The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space (TV Movie) (visual effects artist)

Timemaster (animation supervisor)

Apollo 13 (visual effects animator - uncredited)

Michael Jackson: Video Greatest Hits - HIStory (Video) (visual effects artist: Remember The Time)

Batman Forever (compositor - uncredited)

Fluke (main title design) / (visual effects designer)

Legend (TV Series) (visual effects animator)

Evolver (visual effects supervisor)

Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) (digital compositor - 2 episodes)

Treasure Island: The Adventure Begins (TV Movie) (digital compositor)

Dumb and Dumber (visual effects compositor - uncredited)

MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday (TV Movie) (visual effects animator - uncredited)

Alien Nation: Dark Horizon (TV Movie) (digital compositor)

Dinosaurs (TV Series) (visual effects artist - 65 episodes)

The River Wild (visual effects supervisor)

Where Are My Children? (TV Movie) (digital compositor)

Blown Away (digital effects compositor - uncredited)

Uncovered (visual effects: Digital Magic)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series) (visual effects compositor - 60 episodes, 1992 - 1994) (digital compositor - 11 episodes, 1991 - 1992) (animaton supervisor - 1 episode, 1992) (visual effects animator - 1 episode, 1991)

MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis (TV Movie) (visual effects)

Shrunken Heads (digital compositor: Digital Magic)

The Critic (TV Series) (digital compositor: Digital Magic)

Viper (TV Series) (digital effects compositor)

'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine': Behind the Scenes (Video documentary) (digital compositor)

Philadelphia Experiment II (visual effects animator - uncredited)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (inferno artist: ILM - 3D version 2006)

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (TV Series) (digital compositor)

Brooklyn Bridge (TV Series) (visual effects artist - 7 episodes)

Coneheads (digital effects compositor - uncredited)

Running Delilah (TV Movie) (digital compositor - uncredited)

Super Mario Bros. (digital compositor - uncredited)

Cliffhanger (digital effects compositor - uncredited)

The Sandlot Kids (visual effects animator) / (visual effects compositor)

Journey to the Center of the Earth (TV Movie) (visual effects animator - uncredited)

Warlock: The Armageddon (visual effects artist: Digital Magic)

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (TV Series) (digital compositor)

Martin & Lewis: Their Golden Age of Comedy (TV Mini Series documentary) (digital compositor: Digital Magic)

Toys (visual effects animator - uncredited)

The Jacksons: An American Dream (TV Mini Series) (digital compositor - 2 episodes)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (visual effects animator - uncredited)

Mastergate (TV Movie) (compositor: Digital Magic)

Bebe's Kids (visual effects animator)

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (TV Series) (digital compositor)

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (TV Series) (visual effects animator)

Michael Jackson: Remember the Time (Music Video short) (visual effects artist: Digital Magic)

Simply Mad About the Mouse (Short) (visual effects animator)

MacGyver (TV Series) (visual effects animator - 2 episodes)

Dark Justice (TV Series) (digital compositor)

Family Matters (TV Series) (visual effects artist - 1 episode)

Baywatch (TV Series) (digital compositor: Digital Magic)

Round the Twist (TV Series) (visual effects animator: first series)

While You're Down There (TV Series) (visual effects animator)

Fame and Misfortune (TV Series) (effects animator)

Rock Arena (TV Series) (digital artist - 1 episode)

Woodstock (Documentary) (digital effects compositor: rating card explosion sequence - directors cut, uncredited)