An evening at UCSB ..

Weeks before the tragedy that took place in Isla Vista, I had the opportunity to sit with Mariana Acuña-Acosta and Daniel Lay, aka VFX Soldier in the Pollack Theater at UCSB for a discussion sponsored by the Carsey-Wolf Center's Media Industries Project (MIP). The MIP had been holding a two-day conference called "Precarious Creativity" that was focused on discussing issues in today's film and television industry.

The video above is of the keynote discussion on visual effects that was held on April 25th

We have hopes that the state of visual effects in California will see a revival if AB 1839 makes it to law.

Even now, there are smaller boutique studios sprinkled across the east valley and in Santa Monica and Culver City that are doing more visual effects. But the big places -- Digital Domain and Rhythm and Hues -- no longer exist as they once did.