Allan McKay

Allan McKay

Technical Director / 30 yrs

Los Angeles, CA

Hire Me

VFX Consultant

God of War: Ragnarök (2022)

Visual Effects

Bloodshot (2020)

Poster Artist

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Visual Effects Technical Director

Asylum (2015)

Senior FX Technical Director

Halo: The Master Chief Collection (2014)

VFX Supervisor

Destiny (2014)

FX Animation And Simulation Lead

The Equalizer (2014)

Senior Effects Technical Director

Need for Speed: Rivals (2013)

Visual Effects

Dracula 3D (2013)

Visual Effects

Metallica Through the Never (2013)

Visual Effects

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Senior Effects Technical Director

Star Trek: The Video Game (2013)

Visual Effects Supervisor

God of War: Ascension (2013)

FX Artist

Beautiful Creatures (2013)

Technical Director

Flight (2012)

Senior Effects Technical Director

Looper (2012)

Senior Effects Technical Director

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

FX Lead Digital Artist

Priest (2011)

Technical Director

The Last Airbender (2010)

VFX Technical Director

Daybreakers (2010)

FX Artist

2012 (2009)

Visual FX

Prototype (2009)

Effects Lead

BioShock (2007)

Effects Lead

Full Auto 2: Battlelines (2006)

Visual Effects

Idlewild (2006)

Technical Director

Superman Returns (2006)

3D Artist

The Big Empty (2005)

Consultant

Neverwinter Nights: Kingmaker (2005)

Visual Effects

Super Bowl XXXIX (2005) (2005)

technical director

Son of the Mask (2005)

technical director

Blade: Trinity (2004)

Senior FX Technical Director

Call of Duty: Finest Hour (2004)

Visual Effects

In The Rough (2004)

Technical Director

A Cinderella Story (2004)

Visual Effects Animator

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

Senior FX Technical Director

Paycheck (2003)

Technical Director

Inspector Gadget 2 (2003)

Senior Technical Director (Staff Positio

George of the Jungle 2 (2003)

Technical Director

Seconds to Spare (2002)

Work History
  • FX

    Ntropic

    November 2015 - December 2015
    Santa Monica, CA

    Came on to work on an art installation project, creating almost 10 minutes of simulated fire for a London art exhibit.

  • VFX Sup

    Imaginary Forces

    August 2015 - September 2015

    I got credited VFX Supervisor on the project - but I was basically just creating FX for the project.
    I came on to work with their amazing team - creating all of the VFX elements for the 'Secrets' promo spot for Manhattan Season 2. The turnaround period was extremely fast considering the shots and the amount of work, but it was a blast to get to work with these guys again.

  • Freelance FX

    Blur Studio

    March 2014 - August 2014
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Just wrapped on a lot of the major VFX shots for the new Halo game, creating 65 minutes of CG in less than 6 months
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F7OgOCzph4

    Also helped out a little on Tom Clancy's The Division
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EreJszhLgRo

  • FX Lead

    Zero VFX

    October 2013 - February 2014
    Greater Boston Area

    Working on Denzel's new film.

  • Visual Effects Supervisor

    Juniper Jones

    July 2013 - September 2013
    Los Angeles, CA

    Witches of East End Trailer - Created all of the visual effects for this piece, involving nearly 20 visual effects shots of photorealistic simulated fire. Initially also sup'ing on set however there was a schedule conflict.
    To keep all of the talent 'safe' the fire was all created digitally in Fume FX. Also using special software developed for this project which wouldn't have allowed the complexity of the fire to really be possible.

  • Senior Effects Technical Director

    Atomic Fiction

    July 2013 - August 2013
    Los Angeles, CA

    Need for Speed - Feature Film
    Currently in production - but created an extremely fast turnaround complicated shot in under 3 days for temps involving simulating digital fire at high velocity.

  • Effects Lead

    Imaginary Forces

    May 2013 - June 2013
    Los Angeles, CA

    Metallica - Through the Never
    Created the film logo for the production company involving photorealistic heavily directed simulated fire burning over a flag full screen film res stereo for this 30 second piece.
    Warcraft the movie - Comicon Teaser
    Created a tight turnaround teaser trailer for Comicon's announcement of the movie. Creating photorealistic CG fire and developing tools to handle the large amounts of simulations needed.

  • VFX Supervisor

    Prologue Films

    February 2013 - June 2013
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    VFX Supervisor managed a total of 5 FX artists, developed all of the pipelines and tools throughout the production. During that time our team was highly praised and delivered flawlessly throughout the production. As well as picking up additional work that had been originally given to other high profile studios to handle.
    I built many tools and plugins to help speed production up, as well as training some of the staff, dealing with directors and production and scheduling the project. Creating large amounts of water simulations, rain interaction, clouds, smoke, dust, sand storms and other effects.

  • Visual Effects Supervisor

    Plastic Wax

    January 2013 - March 2013
    Los Angeles, CA

    Civilization 5 Cinematic - Created massive nuclear explosion for the recreation of the Manhattan project, for the high profile cinematic for the game's release.
    V.E.G.A Game Cinematic, managed one other VFX Artist and created pipelines, tools for rolling out massive quantities of visual effects in a manageable manor for the cinematic, primarily fire, expulsions, smoke, lasers, debris and other effects.

  • Atomic Fiction

    December 2012 - January 2013
    San Francisco, CA

    Star Trek 2 - Worked on all of the FX for a massive shot of a frozen moment in time, camera pulling through it for the high profile feature film. Creating over 100 FX elements involving smoke, fire debris and sparks. Managed one other artist for the project.

  • Visual Effects Supervisor

    Imaginary Forces

    2013 - 2013
    Los Angeles, CA

    God of War: From Ashes Superbowl Spot - Brought on from conception for initial discussions with the director, art director and producer as well as involved on set during the shoot and handling all of the 3D ash shots for God of War piece.
    Managed one other artist and one additional generalist toward the end of production. I was responsible for creating all of the ash effects as well as in some shots texturing and animation. This involved record amounts of fracturing debris and heavy 5 day long rigid body simulations. I presented a talk at Autodesk University on this subject in Vegas discussing my involvement. Also dealt directly with client and director, and managing the production from our end (ie. buying machines, setting up office, software, and other overhead).

  • Vsual Effects Supervisor / Consultant

    Blind

    2013 - 2013
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Collaborated on a pitch for a vfx heavy tv commercial
    developed various videos and contributed to the treatment, creating backgrounds and other contributions
    participated in the presentation to client

  • Technical Director

    Encore VFX

    2013 - 2013
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Castle
    NCIS

  • freelance Visual Effects Supervisor & Consultant

    Catastrophic FX

    May 2005 - 2013
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    bid, produced and supervised projects and teams as well as supervised on set. Created pipeline and artist tools, worked on vfx shots as well as managed small and large teams for feature films and tv commercials.

  • Visual Effects Supervisor

    Relevant VFX

    2012 - 2012
    Los Angeles, CA

    HESS TV Commercial - Supervising VFX, overseeing other artists and building pipeline solutions for the production
    The Wind - Worked on an internal pitch for Warner Bros for a feature film involving heavy amounts of groundbreaking effects using new technology and troubleshooting ways to efficiently be able to get simulations to work within the heavy technical demands required.

  • Senior Effects Technical Director

    Atomic Fiction

    2012 - 2012
    san francisco, ca
  • Technical Director

    Atomic Fiction

    2012 - 2012
    San Francisco Bay Area
  • Plastic Wax

    2012 - 2012
    Greater Los Angeles Area
  • Technical Director

    The Ant Farm

    2012 - 2012
    Los angeles

    Turtle Beach

  • Visual Effects Supervisor

    567 vfx

    2012 - 2012
    Toronto, Canada Area

    White Doves - Young Empires (Music Video)

  • Effects Lead

    Pixomondo

    2012 - 2012

    Beautiful Creatures
    VFX Look dev Twister
    Lightning Impacts, Tool Dev

  • Professor at FXPHD

    FXPHD

    December 2010 - February 2011

    Fume FX Workshop at FXPHD

  • Technical Director

    Psyop

    2011 - 2011
    Greater New York City Area

    Minute Maid - Commercial

  • Atomic Fiction

    2011 - 2011
    San Francisco Bay Area
  • Lead Technical Director

    Relevant VFX

    2011 - 2011

    Managed all of the FX for various high profile projects and feature films

  • Technical Director

    Encore VFX

    2011 - 2011
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    The River

  • Lead Technical Director

    Relevant VFX

    2011 - 2011
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Similo (Short Film)

  • Lead Technical Director

    Relevant VFX

    2011 - 2011
    Greater Los Angeles Area
  • Visual Effects Supervisor

    Catastrophic FX

    2011 - 2011
    Greater Los Angeles Area
  • Technical Director

    Catastrophic FX

    2011 - 2011
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Cadillac - TV Commercial

  • Consultant

    Psyop

    2011 - 2011
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Nescafe - TV Commercial
    Consultation on overall Psyop Studio Pipeline with IT department

  • CG Workshop Instructor

    CG Society

    2006 - 2011

    One of their key instructors
    Majority of my workshops would sell out within 72 hours
    I was the first to be able to increase cost and head count in the classes as well as help in improving ways to attract students
    Ran over 15, 8 week workshops on subjects such as Realflow, Fume FX, Particle Flow and various other subjects

  • Senior Effects Technical Director

    Spy Post

    April 2010 - June 2010

    working on Priest, making things go boom

  • Effects Lead

    Farmer Brown

    March 2010 - April 2010

    worked on game cinematic creating most of the FX

  • Technical Director

    Industrial Light & Magic

    October 2009 - March 2010
    San Francisco Bay Area

    The Last Airbender - Feature Film

  • Farmer Brown

    2010 - 2010
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Star Wars Battle Front II - Game Cinematic

  • Effects Lead

    Spy Post

    2010 - 2010
    San Francisco Bay Area

    Priest - Feature Film

  • Spy Post

    2010 - 2010

    I was FX Lead on Priest, managing the other FX artists, as well as creating many of the biggest shots on the project, primarily creating fire, and destruction/demolition. And creating various tools, and helped build their pipeline for the studio at least in regards to how 3ds max plugged

  • Effects Lead

    Psyop

    2010 - 2010
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Fable 3 - TV Commercial
    Airforce - TV Commercial

  • Technical Director

    METAphrenie

    2010 - 2010
    Los Angeles

    Asia Games - Special Event

  • Visual Effects Supervisor

    Artificial Army

    2010 - 2010
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Rev Theory - Music Video

  • Effects Lead

    Buck

    2010 - 2010
    Greater New York City Area

    grimbergen - TV Commercial

  • Effects Lead

    LUXX Studios

    2010 - 2010

    Hawx2 - Video Game Cinematic

  • Senior FX Technical Director

    Pixomondo

    2010 - 2010
    Berlin Area, Germany

    2012 - Feature Film

  • Senior Effects TD

    Pixomondo

    February 2009 - May 2009

    Beautiful Creatures - worked on creating a massive tornado primarily doing the look dev/R&D for the project

  • Special Effects Art Guru / Senior Effects Supervisor

    Radical Entertainment

    2008 - 2009
    Vancouver, Canada Area

    Protoype - Video Game

  • Production Supervisor

    Popular Mechanics

    2006 - 2009
    Greater New York City Area

    Cover art for many issues of Popular Mechanics Magazine and feature articles

  • Master Class Speaker / Freelancer

    Autodesk

    January 1900 - December 2008

    Consistently speaking and doing demos for Autodesk, as well as one of their key speakers for most siggraph Master Classes and events around the world and hired for consulting with various studios in Australia.
    Awarded as Autodesk Master (apparently voted the highest out of all the Max Masters) in 2007 San Diego SIGGRAPH.
    Also responsible for creating all of the FX elements for 3D Studio Max 2010.

  • Senior FX Supervisor / Special FX GURU

    Radical Entertainment

    May 2008 - October 2008

    Working as part of the advaned visual group in building pipelines, overseeing and controlling the future FX pipelines for the studio and rolling out to all of their games.

  • Occasional freelance speaker and various services

    Autodesk

    March 2003 - October 2008

    Presented Autodesk products allover the world at major events, presenting as an expert of the product, holding master classes, keynotes, panels and demos.
    Hired by Autodesk for various projects including creating massive FX asset library that now ships with 3ds max. Also consulting with various clients of theirs including WETA.

  • Owner

    Catastrophic

    September 2005 - May 2008

    film studio

  • Owner / Director

    Catastrophic VFX

    June 2005 - May 2008

    film studio

  • On site training

    Frantic Films

    February 2008 - February 2008

    Intense 3 day training session training a majority of Frantic Films FX TD's and staff on many advanced FX based subjects, such as fluids, digital fire, particles, scripting, crowd, volumetrics and procedural animation and modeling.

  • Effects TD

    Tronic

    2008 - 2008

    FX Lead on a large tv commercial for Spec Ops creating lots of destruction, fluids, particles and other effects.

  • Effects Lead

    Tronic

    2008 - 2008
    Greater New York City Area

    Spec Ops - Game Cinematic

  • Sequence Supervisor + Effects Lead

    Catastrophic FX

    2008 - 2008
    Brisbane, Australia

    Daybreakers - Feature Film
    Catastrophic FX / Co-Production w/ Kanuka

  • Executive Producer

    THQ

    2008 - 2008

    Warhammer - Game Cinematic Pitch

  • Visual Effects Supervisor / Producer

    Catastrophic FX

    2008 - 2008

    McDonalds Game Cinematic
    Supervised team of 15 artists

  • Consultant & Supervisor

    Liquid Animation

    January 2006 - July 2007

    on multiple occasions came in to consult on upcoming projects and expansion of their pipelines, as well as a few 911 calls involving taking over supervision of one project to get back on track towards the end.

  • Effects Technical Director

    MokMe Studio

    March 2007 - June 2007

    VFX for a Subaru commercial

  • Effects Supervisor

    eyeball

    February 2007 - May 2007
    Greater New York City Area

    Bioshock TV Commercial
    Interviewed artists for the project
    helped out with the script treatment
    R&D and Look dev
    trained artists

  • Effects Lead

    Mok films

    2007 - 2007
    Greater New York City Area

    Subaru TV Commercial

  • Effects Lead

    Plastic Wax

    2007 - 2007
    Sydney, Australia

    Bioshock - Game Cinematics

  • Effects Lead

    RealtimeUK

    2007 - 2007

    Autorobotica - Game Cinematic

  • Effects Lead

    Frantic Films

    2007 - 2007
    Los Angeles

    Asylum - Feature Film

  • Freelance FX Technical Director

    Blur Studio

    June 2006 - November 2006

    Worked on several game cinematics and a couple of their short films, one which received an oscar nomination. Warhammer 40k: dawn of war, bioshock trailer, halo wars, in the rough, gopher broke, amongst many others.

  • Senior Effects Technical Director

    Iloura

    February 2006 - May 2006

    Nightmares and Dreamscapes - Stephen King episodic
    Citroen TV Commercial
    ferrero rocher Commercial

  • Speaker

    Ubisoft

    February 2006 - February 2006

    3 day intense training course teaching all of their senior staff and art directors/technical directors on subjects for visual effects for cinematics and realtime games.

  • Effects Lead

    SEGA

    2006 - 2006

    Medieval 2 - Game Cinematic

  • Plastic Wax

    2006 - 2006
    Sydney, Australia

    Pyro Cops - Game Cinematics
    Darkness - Game Cinematics
    Justice League - Game cinematics

  • Technical Director

    Twitch

    2006 - 2006
    Sydney, Australia

    Kung Fu - Cinematic

  • Technical Director

    Reel FX

    2006 - 2006
    Dallas/Fort Worth Area

    Boz The Bear - Animated Feature Film

  • Senior Effects Technical Director

    Reel FX

    2005 - 2006

    FX for Boz the bear and other projects

  • Senior Technical Director

    Frantic Films

    January 2005 - September 2005

    Helped form Frantic Films Australia and work on set for Superman Returns as a liaison between Frantic Films and the Director/Production team for Superman. Also working on a lot of the key sequences for Superman and helping develop the look for some of the key shots. Other than Superman working on IdleWild and various other feature films. As well as perviously Paycheck and Scooby Doo 2.

  • FX Technical Director

    Shadows in Darkness

    March 2005 - July 2005

    Developed all of the FX for multiple video game cinematics

  • Consultant

    Act3 Animation

    2005 - 2005

    Visual effects and FX pipeline development for Neverwinter nights cinematic

  • Effects Technical Director

    ProMotion Studios

    2005 - 2005

    Created visual effects for various high profile projects, including large crowd simulation projects, water simulations and various other effects

  • Effects Technical Director

    Shadows in Darkness

    2005 - 2005

    Panzer Elite - Cinematics

  • Visual Effects Artist Lead

    Studio Promotion

    2005 - 2005
    Sydney, Australia

    Go Talk - Cinematic
    Heavy Crowd Simulations

  • Lead Visual Effects Artist

    Promotion Studio

    2005 - 2005
    Sydney, Australia

    Toyota DNA - Commercial

  • Artificial Army

    2005 - 2005
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    The Suffering (Music Video)

  • Senior Effects Technical Director

    Frantic Films

    2005 - 2005

    Slither - Feature Film (Pitch)

  • Senior FX TD

    Frantic Films

    2005 - 2005

    The Big Empty (Short Film)

  • Senior FX Technical Director

    Frantic Films

    2005 - 2005

    IdleWild - Feature Film

  • Senior Effects Technical Director

    Frantic Films

    2005 - 2005
  • Senior Effects Technical Director

    Reel FX

    2004 - 2005
  • technical director

    Digital Dimension

    2003 - 2005

    Worked on notable shots for feature films such as Blade 3, Cinderella Story, Son of the Mask and various others

  • Senior FX Technical Director

    Blur Studio

    2004 - 2004
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Gopher Broke (Oscar Nominated)
    In The Rough
    Warhammer: Dawn of War (Cinematic)
    Call of Duty (Cinematic)

  • Senior FX TD

    Digital Dimension

    2004 - 2004
    Los Angeles

    Exorcist 2 - Pitch for Feature Film
    Superbowl (Received Emmy award)
    Son of the Mask - Feature Film
    Shady Acres - Production Co. Logo
    Blade Trinity - Feature Film

  • Lead Effects Technical Director

    TigarHare

    2003 - 2003

    FX Lead, designed the look and pipeline and managed FX team under high pressure environment accommodating over 40 heavy VFX shots in just over 2 months for a high profile game cinematic.

  • Technical Director

    Frantic Films

    2003 - 2003
  • Effects Technical Director

    Digital Dimension

    2003 - 2003
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Cinderella Story - Feature Film

  • Senior FX Technical Director

    Frantic Films

    2003 - 2003
    Greater Los Angeles Area
  • Visual Effects Supervisor

    T Mation

    2003 - 2003

    Dark Age of Light - Feature Film

  • Effects Lead

    Tigar Hare Studios

    2003 - 2003
    Los angele

    Temple of Elemental Evil - Game Cinematic

  • Technical Director

    Whoodoo Studios

    2003 - 2003
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    McGuyver - tv series

  • Senior FX Technical Director

    Ambience

    2003 - 2003
    Sydney, Australia

    Toyota Scion - TV Commercial

  • Senior Technical Director (Staff Position)

    Cutting Edge

    2001 - 2003

    Lord of the rings - Pitch
    Inspector Gadget 2 - Feature Film
    George of the Jungle 2 - Feature Film
    Seconds to Spare - Feature Film
    Brains Trust - TV Commercial
    Discovery Channel - Pitch
    Silverchair The Greatest View - Music Video
    Ice Break TV Commercial
    Fruitloops Commercial
    30+ commercials and special projects

  • Senior Technical Director

    Cutting Edge

    2001 - 2003

    Pretty much 'was' the FX department there. Creating all of their visual effects, anything to do with dynamics, simulations, crowds, particles etc. I created lots of FX in maya and 3ds max,

  • Effects Technical Director

    Ambience Entertainment

    2000 - 2002

    Over 100 commercials, R&D and various other tasks

  • Effects Artist / Generalist

    Ambience Entertainment

    2000 - 2002

    Created FX for over 30 commercials
    Also worked as a generalist, modeling, animating, compositing, tracking and everything else, both in 3ds max and maya

  • Ambience

    2000 - 2001
    Sydney
  • Effects Artist

    Half Brick

    2000 - 2000

    Created original logo for video game company, as a favor

  • Instructor

    Qantm College

    1999 - 2000
    Brisbane, Australia

    Instructor, as well as ran classes for beginner and advanced classes on video games
    helped create curriculum Bachelor of interactive entertainment
    taught diploma of IT games development, Womens Diploma of multimedia

  • Visual Effects Artist

    Smarty Arts

    1999 - 1999

    The Novice - Short Film

  • Jr 3D Artist

    Infogrames

    1999 - 1999

    Loony Tunes Space Race - Video Game

  • 3D Artist

    Ozisoft

    1998 - 1998
    Brisbane, Australia

    Created all graphical interface and design ideas for their multimedia platform for HDTV, essentially similar to what we now have for ps3 and xbox for handling media, digital content etc. As we were designing ideas and building an operating system for future HDTV systems, in the late 90's before they were officially released

  • 3D Artist

    Valve Corporation

    1997 - 1998

    Team Fortress 2 / Half Life (Video Game)