Episode 486 - Ian Dawson - Founder & Executive Producer, IDGRAFX

CG Garage

Ian Dawson’s dream of a Jarvis-style computing interface seems to be coming true. This multi-talented CG veteran began his career in graphic design, before moving into producing and creating flying logos throughout the 90s. He then moved into advertising, and title sequences and VFX sequences for movies including the Iron Man trilogy, Star Wars: Rogue One, and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, picking up work in AR and VR along the way.

Ian talks through his career and the technology that has helped define it, from the obscenely expensive days of Quantel’s PaintBox and Harry systems, to today’s cheap and accessible VFX software and systems. He gives an interesting update on the state of AR and VR systems, which are undergoing a mini-resurgence thanks to Apple’s Vision Pro and Microsoft’s AI integration in its AR systems. Ian also shares advice about the industry, including the pros and cons of profit sharing.