My road to Industrial Light & Magic

(I mention portions of this story in my TED talk on YouTube)

I was 10 years old when I first saw the T-1000 melt through the checkerboard floor in James Cameron’s film Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Industrial Light & Magic’s epic visual effects were life-changingly awesome. I remember pointing at the screen in awe and saying to my parents, “Mom, Dad... I'm doing that with my life.” Throughout my childhood, I continued to develop my fascination with computers and skill in mathematics, focusing like a laser beam on my goal. I spent countless hours researching, planning and learning the skills I would need to earn a job at ILM.

My passion led me to the University of Waterloo, where I studied Computer Science through its world-renowned Co-Op program. My career dreams took flight during my internships at Alias|Wavefront, where I joined the development team for Maya®, the Oscar® award winning 3D software product. Following my time at Alias, I moved to Emeryville, California to join Pixar Animation Studios. At Pixar, I gained further career momentum as both a Production Engineer and a Modeling and Shading Technical Director, learning from some of the most talented artists in the world.

It’s often said that an overnight success is 15 years in the making. From the moment I discovered my passion, to the day when I started living my dream as an R&D Engineer at ILM, were 15 years of focus and determination… and a couple extra helpings of enthusiasm. :)

Credit List

The Marvels (2023): ILM StageCraft Production Technology (Marvel)
The Creator (2023): ILM StageCraft "Brain Bar" and Technology (20th Century)
Ahsoka [Season 1, Ep.1-8] (2023): ILM StageCraft Technology (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
The Mandalorian [Season 3, Ep.1-8] (2023): ILM StageCraft Technology (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023): ILM StageCraft Development and Technology (Marvel)
Willow [Season 1, Ep.5-8] (2022-2023): ILM Technology (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Obi-Wan Kenobi [Season 1, Ep.1-6] (2022): ILM StageCraft R&D (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
The Batman (2022): ILM StageCraft R&D (Warner Bros.)
The Book of Boba Fett [Season 1, Ep.1-7] (2021-2022): ILM StageCraft R&D (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
The Mandalorian [Season 2, Ep.1-8] (2020): ILM StageCraft R&D (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
The Mandalorian [Season 1, Ep.1-8] (2019): Virtual Production R&D (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
The Midnight Sky (2020): ILM StageCraft R&D (Netflix)
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019): ILM Research & Development (Lucasfilm)
Avengers: Endgame (2019): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
Bumblebee (2018): Technology (Paramount)
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018): ILM Research & Development (Amblin/Legendary)
Ready Player One (2018): ILM Research & Development (Amblin/Warner Bros.)
Black Panther (2018): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017): ILM Research & Development (Lucasfilm)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017): ILM Research & Development (Paramount)
Carne y Arena (VR) (2017): Technology Support (Legendary/ILMxLAB)
Kong: Skull Island (2017): ILM Research & Development (Legendary/Warner Bros.)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016): Digital Artist (Lucasfilm)
The Star Wars After Show (TV) (2016): Self (Lucasfilm/Verizon)
Doctor Strange (2016): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
Deepwater Horizon (2016): ILM Research & Development (Summit/Participant Media)
Warcraft (2016): ILM Research & Development (Legendary)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016): ILM Research & Development (Paramount)
Captain America: Civil War (2016): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
The Revenant (2016): ILM Research & Development (New Regency)
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015): ILM Research & Development (Lucasfilm/Bad Robot)
Ant-Man (2015): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
Batkid Begins (2015): Cast, Additional Photography, Indiegogo Sponsor, Special Thanks (Warner Bros./New Line/KTF Films)
Jurassic World (2015): ILM Research & Development (Amblin/Legendary/Universal)
Tomorrowland (2015): ILM Research & Development (Disney)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
Strange Magic (2015): ILM Research & Development (Lucasfilm)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014): ILM Research & Development (Paramount)
Lucy (2014): ILM Research & Development (Canal+)
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014): ILM Research & Development (Paramount)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): ILM Research & Development (Marvel)
Noah (2014): ILM Production and Technical Support (Paramount/Regency)
Pacific Rim (2013): ILM Research & Development (Warner Bros.)
The Lone Ranger (2013): ILM Research & Development (Disney)
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013): ILM Research & Development (Paramount/Bad Robot)
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013): ILM Research & Development (Paramount/MGM)
The Avengers (2012): ILM Research & Development (Marvel/Paramount)
Battleship (2012): ILM Research & Development (Universal)
Cowboys & Aliens (2011): ILM Research & Development (Universal/DreamWorks)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (2010): ILM R&D Games Engineering (LucasArts)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009): ILM Research and Development (DreamWorks SKG/Paramount)
Wall-E (2008): Shading Technical Director intern - Sets department (Disney●Pixar)
Ratatouille (2007): Production Engineering (Disney●Pixar)