Lighter Darker: The ILM Podcast
Welcome to Lighter Darker: The ILM Podcast, where we focus on the creative process of filmmaking and the art of visual storytelling. Co-hosted by Rob Bredow & Todd Vaziri, and produced by Jenny Ely, join us as we chat with top filmmakers, artists and innovators about their craft, careers, and the collaborative process of bringing stories to life.
Episodes
April 22, 2025 • 55 mins
Recorded with a live audience at Star Wars Celebration in Japan, join our Industrial Light & Magic panel as we commemorate a monumental milestone—50 years of groundbreaking visual effects artistry, production mastery, and technological innovation. In this panel, hear from longtime ILM veterans as they take you on a journey through the company's legendary
achievements.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:02:07] Starting at ILM
[00...
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April 9, 2025 • 70 mins
Bryce Dallas Howard joins us to talk about her experiences and processes as an actor and filmmaker. She also shares her thoughts on recent exciting news from the world of science! You won’t want to miss this one!
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:02:23] Questions from the Mailbag
[00:20:35] Storytelling and Innovation in Filmmaking
[00:41:02] Film Foundations
[00:47:19] Storytelling and Innovation part 2
[00:59:48] The Martini
...
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April 8, 2025 • 31 secs
We are delaying the release of Episode 16 by one day this week because we will be discussing an exciting topic from the world of science that won’t be publicly announced by our usual publishing time. We have a very special guest this week! Bryce Dallas Howard is joining us to talk about her experiences and processes as an actor and filmmaker. Check back tomorrow to download the episode, you won’t want to miss this one!
Learn more ...
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March 25, 2025 • 62 mins
For over 30 years, Vicki Dobbs Beck has been at the forefront of innovative storytelling. This week, she shares her remarkable journey as a leader in this dynamic field, and reminisces about some of her favorite projects.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:02:11] Questions From the Mailbag
[00:08:52] Rejection Letters
[00:22:37] Immersive Innovation
[00:55:58] The Martini
[01:01:03] Outro
Episode Links
Vicki Dobbs Beck - IMDb...
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March 11, 2025 • 63 mins
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:10:31] Skeleton Crew
[00:44:09] Questions From the Mailbag
[00:54:16] The Martini
[01:02:29] Outro
Episode Links
John Knoll - IMDb
Skeleton Crew (TV Series 2024–2025) - IMDb
Colbert Issues 'Green Screen' Challenge to McCainiacs
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - IMDb
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) - IMDb
Inside ILM: Creating the Razor Crest
...
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February 25, 2025 • 66 mins
This week, we’re exploring Virtual Production. Industry experts Shivani Jhaveri and Justin Talley share their insights on when this technology truly shines and, just as importantly, when it might not be the best fit for your project. They also offer tips and advice for working on set and share some of their favorite moments with filmmakers.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:02:12] Questions From the Mailbag
[00:16:42] Set Smart...
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February 11, 2025 • 63 mins
This week, we discuss the work behind two films nominated for Oscars in Best Visual Effects. From the whimsical world of Wicked and the acidic atmosphere of Alien: Romulus—Pablo Helman, David Shirk, and Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser share their insights and learnings in crafting the visual effects behind these blockbuster hits.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:02:45] Questions From the Mailbag
[00:10:36] Alien: Romulus
[00:23:29] Wic...
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January 28, 2025 • 61 mins
Todd and Rob break down the process of how films are selected for nomination in the Oscars' Best Visual Effects category. We discuss highlights from the five nominated films—Alien Romulus, Better Man, Dune: Part Two, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and Wicked—and we revisit the shower door myth.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:01:11] Misinformation Corner
[00:05:36] VFX Oscars Nomination Process
[00:18:32] Nominee Highlight...
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January 14, 2025 • 59 mins
ILM Art Director Amy Beth Christenson (Transformers One, Star Wars Rebels) discusses the complexities and pure joy of working with established Star Wars and Transformers characters while introducing new elements for today’s audiences. Amy shares stories of adapting her portfolio to catch the attention of recruiters and highlights from her 25 years with Lucasfilm and ILM.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:02:06] Questions from th...
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December 31, 2024 • 55 mins
Rob, Todd and Jenny share their own rejection letters and answer some lingering questions from the mailbag. Todd corrects another VFX myth in Misinformation Corner. The team shares their favorite things from the year as we say farewell to 2024 in this bonus episode of Lighter Darker!
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:01:19] Mailbag
[00:07:41] Misinformation Corner
[00:22:30] Rejection Letters
[00:48:33] The Martini
[00:54:15] Ou...
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December 10, 2024 • 56 mins
Join legendary cinematographer Dean Cundey (Apollo 13, The Mandalorian) on our final episode of 2024. From his early days collaborating with John Carpenter on horror classics like Halloween and The Thing to groundbreaking work on Jurassic Park and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Cundey has shaped the visual landscape of cinema. Dean Cundey shares behind-the-scenes stories from the set and personal experiences breaking into the industry.
C...
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November 26, 2024 • 60 mins
This week, we delve into the world building techniques behind two of the year's most anticipated films: Gladiator II and Wicked. VFX Producer Ed Randolph (Gladiator II) and VFX Supervisor Anthony Smith (Wicked) give us behind-the-scenes stories of building these worlds and share insights into some of their favorite shots from their impressive careers.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:10] Intro
[00:03:07] Questions from the Mailbag
[00:17:42]...
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November 12, 2024 • 52 mins
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.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:03:20] Rejection Letters
[00:11:25] Deleted Dreams
[00:17:46] Empathy in Animation
[00...
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October 29, 2024 • 53 mins
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.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:03:45] Questions from the mailbag
[00:16:20] Lighter Darker - origin of the name
[00:19:10] Rejection letters
[00:22:28] Ghostbusters II and the evolution of the artist toolbox
[00...
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October 15, 2024 • 55 mins
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 an...
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October 1, 2024 • 51 mins
Episode Summary
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.
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:01:50] Questions from the mailbag...
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September 17, 2024 • 40 mins
Episode Summary
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!
Chapter Markers
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:01:41] Questions from the mailbag
[00:04:46] What is virtual production?
[00:13:00] Rejecti...
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September 3, 2024 • 43 mins
Welcome to Lighter Darker: The ILM Podcast hosted by ILM Chief Creative Officer, Rob Bredow, ILM Compositing Supervisor, Todd Vaziri, and Producer Jenny Ely who talk about the creative process of filmmaking and the art of visual storytelling.
In our premiere episode Rob and Todd share thoughts on beautiful final shots from films they've personally worked on, along with a few "could-be-better" or CBB moments they didn't want to let ...
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August 22, 2024 • 27 secs
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 Todd Vaziri, ILM Compositing Supervisor, we tell stories from behind the scenes to 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 film...
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