Laura Martin is an award-winning comic book colorist who has worked at Marvel, DC, WildStorm, CrossGen, and more. After months of scheduling problems, she sat down with Pat to talk all things comics. There was so much to talk about, in fact, that this is going to be part 1 of a 3 part series. Be sure to subscribe or check back often so you don' ...…

Brent Day is an Atlanta-based writer, director, and all-around creative problem solver. He currently resides at Spoke Creative where he has directed video and multimedia projects for leading companies in hospitality, financial services, and information technology. He has been lead copywriter on marketing campaigns, internal communications progr ...…

Welcome to our second annual roundup episode! We sat down at an undisclosed coffee shop to talk about the year that was, and our hopes for the year to come. This format (more conversational and out in the world) is a bit of an experiment for us, something we're going to be testing out and refining going forward. Thank you to everyone who is tak ...…

Sarah Massagee is a UX designer based in Atlanta, GA. She is passionate about creating digital experiences through UX/UI design and Virtual Reality (VR). Our conversation with her is the last of our recordings from SIEGE 2018. Sarah's Website Tripwire UX (Definition) Kennesaw State University Trick 3D General Assembly The Design of Everyday Thi ...…

Dean Velez has had a lengthy career in media and motion graphics. Over that career, he has worked in commercials and marketing and more recently has ventured into VR and gaming. We talked to him at SIEGE about his time at Sprocket Creative, specifically about his recent intensive apprenticeship experiment "The Anvil" and their recent forays int ...…

Michelle Menard is a systems designer with an extensive resume within the game industry. She has worked on board games, video games, social games, and any sort of game design consulting you care to mention. She is a regular presenter at SIEGE, where she was gracious enough to take a break from her crazy schedule to talk to us. Michelle's Linked ...…

The first of four interviews we recorded at SIEGE 2018, William Moritz describes himself as a creative problem solver. He's worked in a huge number of positions in different creative industries in multiple countries. In our interview, he told the story of his time working at an animation house in China. William's LinkedIn SIEGE 2018 - Game Char ...…

We were on a panel at this year's SIEGE (Southern Interactive Entertainment and Games Expo). The panel was titled "Long-Term Collaboration, or How Not to Kill Each Other for Fun and Profit". The initial idea was Pat's, I wrote and submitted the pitch (and the title, of which I am quite proud). Molly and Leah were added to provide a different pe ...…

Dane Cozens is an illustrator and concept artist living in Atlanta, Georgia. He holds a bachelors in communication arts from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Masters in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has done agency work for various government and military organizations, as well as illustrations for book cove ...…

Originally from a small town in Missouri, Edward Louis received a BFA in Media Arts and Animation from the Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago. After graduating he held a number of odd and short term jobs in Chicago and California, before landing at Hi-Rez Studios here in Georgia. He currently works there as a visual FX artist working in the U ...…

Scott Warren is a Lighting Artist working at Tripwire Interactive. An Atlanta native, he started in the game industry as an FX artist at Hi-Rez Studios before transitioning to in-game lighting. Scott has also worked at CCP Atlanta, Xaviant, and Raven Software where he worked on several Call of Duty titles. Scott Warren Tripwire Interactive Comp ...…

Jose Acosta is an Atlanta based film maker and entrepreneur. He is the founder of and Director of Photography for DoubleRaven Studios, where he often adopts many more titles such as Writer, Director, and Editor. He's a rare generalist in an industry of specialists. He also has experience in 3D graphics, animation, visual FX, and teaching. Doubl ...…

Jorge Gaspar is a 3D artist with an extensive background in e-learning, architectural pre-viz and design, and animation. He currently works at Trick 3D doing architectural and commercial work, and previously worked at Floyd County Productions creating 3d backgrounds and assets for the FX show Archer. Jorge has also worked as a graphic designer, ...…

With Pat taking some time off to settle into life with a newborn, we thought we'd try having two guests for this episode! Amanda Dearborn is a 3d artist from Virgina Beach. She's a recent graduate from the Art Institute of Virginia. Tim Smith is a 3d artist originally from Georgia. He graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta, and has worked ...…

It's a new year, so we decided to sit down and talk about the past twelve-plus months and the twenty episodes of this podcast that we've released in that time. We talk a bit about what we've accomplished, milestones both past and planned, and where our sixteen guests are now. Links: Teaching College by Dr. Norman Eng (book) This article discuss ...…

Ken Bock is a 3D artist who currently works at Floyd County Productions doing 3D backgrounds and props for the TV show Archer. Originally from South Carolina, Ken earned his BFA in Game Art and Design from the Art Institute of Atlanta. We talk to him about what he does on Archer, what drives and motivates him, and how he has methodically worked ...…

Marty Walker is a senior animator and technical director at Bento Box Studios in Atlanta GA. Originally from Bowie Maryland, Marty studied animation at the Art Institute of Washington. He worked freelance jobs while in college and has worked as an animator at several studios. His current position at Bento Box has him doing everything from digit ...…

Kathryn Hudson is an Atlanta-based character artist and illustrator who originally hails from a small town in Mississippi. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Belhaven University and a Masters from SCAD, and currently works at Floyd County as a character designer on Archer. She also keeps busy with freelance work for clients such as Dreamworks a ...…

John Clowdus is the owner and designer of Small Box Games, a publisher of cards games based near Atlanta, GA. His philosophy is to stay small, move fast, and produce a high-quality product that his customers will love. He has been running SBG as a one man show (with some occasional help from friends and family) since 2007 and has published and ...…

Chris Bivins is a 2D Generalist who regularly tackles illustration, concept art, storyboards, digital painting, motion graphics, and animation. He's that rare sort of artist who seems to be good at everything he tries, yet still remains humble. Originally from Kansas City Missouri, Chris graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta with an BFA i ...…

Molly Proffitt is the CEO of Ker-Chunk Games, a company dedicated to creating cross-platform, social and casual intellectual properties that empower women players. She has also worked as a game producer and designer on mobile, web, and Facebook projects, focusing on the casual and social games space. She attended The College of Santa Fe and hol ...…

On this special episode of the Creator Forge Podcast, we talk to Creator Forge co-founder Jeremiah Clark about his recent experience of being laid off and searching for work. We discuss the toll this took both financially and emotionally, how he was eventually able to find work, and what happened in between. Jeremiah's web site (years over due ...…

As Director of Game Design for Cartoon Network, Brad Merritt has designed and directed dozens of games for CartoonNetwork.com and AdultSwim.com. While working in the web design industry, Brad started creating Flash games in 1999. He lives in Atlanta, where he is the organizer of the Atlanta Game Developer Meetup and has served as a guest instru ...…

Originally from Florida, Kim Nguyen is an Atlanta based 3D animator. She earned her Masters in Interactive Technology from the FIEA (Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy) after earning her undergrad degree at USF. Her credits include EA Tiburon, Hi-Rez Studios, and now Moon Studios. We discuss her work, her experiences in the industry thus ...…

Originally from Puerto Rico, Fernando Carlos Vazquez Rivera was trained in art at the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design. With 7 seasons under his belt, he is now the Lead Illustrator for FX's hit Animated TV Series, Archer. “Ferni” discusses how he discovered his passion for illustration, how he first broke into the anima ...…

Originally from Puerto Rico, Goni Montes is a prolific Atlanta-based freelance editorial illustrator. His client list includes Men's Health, Rolling Stone, BOOM! Studios, The New York Times, Playboy, Tor, and many many more. Goni discusses how he discovered his passion for illustration, how he first broke into the industry, his creative process ...…

Episode 7G, Creator Forge: Geek Talk. A geeky, off the cuff discussion about the Marvel Cinematic Universe on TV (cut together from a few recordings). Mentioned TV Shows & Movies: Daredevil Jessica Jones Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Batman v Superman Suicide Squad Agent Carter (OK, we didn't mention this one, but it's good) Podcast Credits: Pat Bolli ...…

Pat Bollin is a Concept Artist and Illustrator for the casino game industry. He has been an accomplished web and advertising illustrator, a published comic book artist, and served a 5 year tour as a U.S. Naval Illustrator-Draftsman. He holds BFA and MFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Pat has a passion for learnin ...…

Originally form L.A. (Lower Alabama), Pat Bollin is a Concept Artist and Illustrator for the casino game industry. He has been an accomplished web and advertising illustrator, a published comic book artist, and served a 5 year tour as a U.S. Naval Illustrator-Draftsman. He holds BFA and MFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and ...…

Originally from Miami, FL, Darnell Johnson is a super talented Illustrator, character designer, and visual development artist based in Atlanta, GA who recently made the bold leap from the relative stability of studio life in the casino game industry to a full-time career as a freelance artist. Darnell discusses the steps he has taken to forge a ...…

Animator, Recruiter, and Consultant Allyssa A Lewis is most noted for her animation on over 75 episodes and promos of FX's Emmy winning series "Archer", NBC's "30 Rock", and Animation Domination. She is also the CEO and Founder of the animation resource and staffing agency, My Animation Life, primarily focusing on the career placement and portf ...…

Originally from Maine, Jeremiah graduated from The Art Institute of Atlanta with a degree in Game Art and Design, and has parlayed his knowledge and natural interests into a career as a game producer in the casino games industry. He has the rare quality of being both highly creative and highly organized at the same time, which are some of the q ...…

Originally from Colorado, David Riddle is a Senior Character Artist on Hi-Rez Studios' online game, Smite. David has a deep knowledge of traditional art techniques, especially sculpting, that he has utilized in his career in 3D art. He has a huge technical knowledge base that he shares with us in the first half of the interview. Then we transit ...…

Creator Forge is an educational organization dedicated to offering instructional media focused on how to prepare for work in creative fields in entertainment industries. This podcast is a chance for us to explore the question "What forges great professional artists?" We'll find out by interviewing professional artists and promising young art st ...…