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A Glimpse from FMX 2025 with Morten Moen

In May this year, Morten Moen, Associate Professor at Kristiania University College, attended the renowned FMX conference in Stuttgart – a leading gathering for professionals in visual effects (VFX), animation, and immersive media. Together with five colleagues, he represented the research project Kontroll AI, which explores how artificial intelligence can be integrated into creative production workflows – without losing human control.

AI in Production: Between Control and Creativity

AI was a red-hot topic at this year’s conference, and it quickly became clear that both academic and industry professionals are grappling with the same questions: How do we maintain creative control when using AI? And how can we use AI as a tool – rather than a replacement for human-made art, expression, and innovation?

According to Moen, for many, the solution is not to generate full videos using AI, but to use the tools to develop CG assets and then move forward using the traditional production pipeline. The big ethical dilemma with AI-generated content remains: Can it truly be considered art, or is it just a copy of a copy of a copy?

– “There’s something a little sad about the creative process disappearing,” says Moen. “For us, it’s about finding methodologies that allow us to stay in control and preserve creativity. We’re not interested in rolling the dice and getting a random set of images back — we want to shape a deliberate artistic expression.”

A New Focus on “Computer Arts”

Kristiania University College also had its own stand at FMX, where they presented a new bachelor’s program in Computer Arts. The program combines elements from VFX, 3D graphics, animation, and game design, and now embraces a broader international perspective. The university’s goal is to attract international students, something Moen is optimistic about. The first semester will see 60 to 80 students start together, with the program branching out in the second semester to allow students to specialize and follow their individual paths.

A new master’s program in Media Arts is also on the way.

– We’re already seeing interest from international students, which is exciting. At the same time, we’re working on translating our curriculum and VFX compendium into English to make it accessible to everyone, Moen explains.

An Industry in Flux

One of the most engaging debates at the conference focused on the current state of the VFX industry. Participants included Scott Ross, former CEO of Industrial Light & Magic, senior VP at Lucasfilm, and founder of Digital Domain, as well as David Li, chairman of Dream Machine and the world’s most active VFX investor. Li presented an overwhelmingly optimistic view of the industry’s future, especially in relation to AI, while Ross maintained that the industry has always been bad and always will be. (paraphrasing -Moen)

Joseph Bell showcased the site vfxAtlas.com, presenting data and statistics that highlighted both decline and emerging opportunities. Statistics that lie freely available as a pdf on his website for interested parties.

– “We’ve seen closures among some major players, while virtual production (VP) is gaining attention. Interestingly, it now seems that the education sector is the main driving force behind VP, rather than the commercial market. Commercial use is seeing a downward trend,” says Moen.

AI as a Tool – Not a Replacement

Moen emphasizes that, as of now, AI works best as a tool, not as a replacement for creative professionals.

– “We use AI, but only for specific parts of the process.
There’s still a strong need for people who can think, shape, and create. What we want is for our students to find jobs where they do more than just write prompts.”

However, he acknowledges that some job categories, such as rotoscoping, may disappear or be drastically reshaped in the near future.

– “It’s hard to predict, and the development moves fast. It’s crucial that we prepare our students for a flexible future where technology changes rapidly – but where their insight and creativity still hold great value.”

All impressions from FMX mentioned above are Moen’s own.
This interview was conducted and written in Norwegian and translated with the help of chatGPT.

Loke Prisen is the Norwegian VFX & animation industry’s annual gathering to honor the people, projects, and studios that define our creative field.

7. June 2025

-The Loke Award Committee

The announcement of a new “Starship Troopers” film directed by Neill Blomkamp has generated excitement online, and with good reason. This anticipation is rooted in the original film’s legacy. Visually from the early days of VFX and thematic, the relevance of its message in today’s world. And then there’s Blomkamp’s distinctive filmmaking style: Grounded in reality, gritty, realistic, and often shot with documentary-like, over-the-shoulder storytelling. What isn’t there to be excited about?

The original 1997 films bugs were brought to life using a blend of practical models and CGI. Designs were digitized using custom 3D scanners and refined within Softimage. A lot of new ground was made in the creation of this film, like matchmove with the team collecting precise camera movement data on set, allowing CGI elements to be accurately composited into the film. Realistic lighting, as digital models were carefully lit to match the cinematography of the practical shots, improving believability. Not to forget the new techniques for animating complex crowds, and insect rigs that could be controlled and animated with physical riggs by the animators.

Sony is behind the new adaptation, which is not a remake of Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 film, but rather will go back to the 1959 novel as source material.  

-Hollywood Reporter

Even though the new film might not share the same esthetique as the 1997 fillm, there is room in this article for a little trip down memory lane and this behind the scenes video. Enjoy!

Neill Blomkamp’s Visionary Direction

Neill Blomkamp, a South African-Canadian filmmaker, is known for his science fiction films that blend realistic visual effects with social commentary. He started out as a 3D artist and animator and has animation credits from Stargate SG1 and 3000 miles to Graceland, among others. His notable directorial works include “District 9,” “Elysium,” and “Chappie.” Blomkamp has previously blown us away, with his knowledge of how to plan for and film for VFX. As he experiments, chooses a path and executes the process that combines naturalistic and photo-realistic, story-driven computer-generated effects. His films often address themes like xenophobia and social segregation. (Neill Blomkamp – Wikipedia)

In 2017, Blomkamp founded Oats Studios, an independent film studio focused on producing experimental short films. The goal was to distribute these films via platforms like YouTube and Steam to gauge audience interest and feedback, determining which concepts could be expanded into feature films. This approach reflects Blomkamp’s commitment to innovative storytelling and visual experimentation.

Expectations for the New Adaptation

Given the original film’s cult status and its innovative visual effects, the new “Starship Troopers” has high expectations to meet. However, Blomkamp’s track record suggests he is well-equipped to deliver a film that honors the original’s legacy while introducing contemporary visual storytelling techniques. His ability to blend thought-provoking narratives with cutting-edge visual effects could result in a “Starship Troopers” that resonates with both longtime fans and new audiences.

The upcoming “Starship Troopers” film, under Neill Blomkamp’s direction, holds promise not only for its potential visual spectacle but also for its capacity to engage with enduring and relevant themes. By leveraging his experience in creating immersive, socially conscious science fiction, Blomkamp is poised to deliver a film that both honors the original and offers fresh perspectives for today’s viewers.

This article was a collaboration between a human and an AI. Most of the text was written by an author, edited by an AI and finalized by a human. Sources are: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neill_Blomkamp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oats_Studios
https://deadline.com/2025/03/starship-troopers-neill-blomkamp-1236327071/

On February 4th, we held our annual meeting (Årsmøte) to review the past year, discuss future plans, and gather valuable feedback from our members.

Chairman Transition

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First and foremost, we thanked Morten Moen for his pivotal role in founding the association and for his excellent leadership as chairman over the past years. Morten stepped up and brought extensive industry knowledge and an inspiring network to our board. As he steps down, we are excited to welcome Stephanie Erso as our new chairman. We look forward to her fresh perspectives and continued dedication.

Review of 2024 Activities

Stephanie reviewed the key activities of 2024, highlighting the success of our AI seminar and the subsequent industry award show. We also discussed the association’s financial status and our commitment to delivering quality events. During the meeting, we used among other things, a show-of-hands poll to gather feedback, which revealed a strong interest in:

• More meetups and academic content
• Earlier event start times
• New event formats, such as a dedicated Christmas party for self-employed artists, trailer and clip discussion nights, and casual show-and-tell sessions

Venue Considerations

Another important topic was whether Tilt remains the ideal venue for our events. Due to Tilt’s strict 20-year-old-only policy, some student members have been unable to attend key presentations. Additionally, while the current financial arrangement with Tilt has been manageable, there are indications that prices may soon increase. We therefore encouraged attendees to help us identify a cost-effective, centrally located venue with ample space for talks and networking.

If you have any comments or suggestions regarding these topics, please don’t hesitate to contact us through our About page.

-Birtles

Thanks to the students that showed us what they have been creating
during their time at the different institutions. It was a good show with some impressive visuals!
We are hoping to make this an anual event, so if you are a student and wish to join us for next
years student showcase, its never to late to start screenrecording for the behind the scenes shots

Thanks to all students who graced us with and presented their work:

• Jan Daviknes, BA VFX, Høyskolen Kristiania
• Johanne Sofie Nilsen, VFX-produksjon, Fagskolen Kristiania
• Martin Haugen, VFX-produksjon, Fagskolen Kristiania
• Sina Ghavidel, tar Master på Universitetet i Sør-Norge
• Casper Verschuure, BA VFX Høyskolen Kristiania
• Sondre Fagerborg og Sebastian Sveen, BA VFX Høyskolen Kristiania
• Mathias Indrevær og Andreas Haugom, BA VFX Høyskolen Kristiania

Group effort from 3rd year students, VFX Høyskolen Kristiania

• Sean Rowlands
• Jo Westby Thorsen
• Brage Willms
• Harald Søberg
• Helle Brovold
• Ådne Storhagen

We also showed a cut together reel of material from several students:

• Jonas Bråten Larsen ,1.-klasse VFX Høyskolen Kristiania
• Marlene Øvrebø Larsen, 1.-klasse VFX Høyskolen Kristiania
• Arthemis Manzoori, 2.-klasse 3D Høyskolen Kristiania
• Alexander Brevik-Hove, 2.-klasse 3D Høyskolen Kristiania

Looking forward to what you can show us next year!

On the 8th of June we were happy to see the fruits of our labour come to fruition! It was an exciting day of perspectives and talks on AI in general, showcasing tools that are being used now in the aid of filmmaking, and talks of what to expect in the future. After half a year of planning it was nice to experience the collected reasoning, assurances and viewpoints, and see the creative industries gather and disguss. Truly inspiring!

After a brief introduction by Morten Moen, head of the VFX assosiation, Morten Goodwin took us through the inner workings of AI and machine learning, explaining how the technology has been pushing boundries and how it has developed in the last six years. It was a fascinating talk on how machines learn and adapt and how information is handled in an AI model. Theodor Groeneboom showcased how he works with different AI tools in various productions and how those tools help him develope ideas and preproduction material. Groeneboom gave us a greater understanding of the significance of open source contributions and the way they can shape our industry. There was so much information regarding said tools that I think that would make a cool article in itself! Jan Christian Frugård showed us his plans for the future of filmmaking, demonstrating how he intends to create a shortfilm using many new AI tools to test and develop new ways of making film, and widen the path that we tread today. He was looking for audience partisipation and was open to help and input from the entire industry, having already secured some finances from NFI. Johannes Skoog showed us how virtual production is a big part of the future of filmmaking and how AI and VP can go hand-in-hand. He gave us examples of projects passed, and spoke of how AI can streamline some processes. He wrapped up his talk with a Q&A session with many insightfull points about his work.

After the seminar we had a paneldebate consisting of important figures in the industry, discussing the future, with their thoughts on AI and the way forward. As it turns out, the panel was in agreance on most points and the debate was less debate-y than first antisipated. In a way we all agreed with the points made and concluded somewhat in unison. AI is a tool to be used, but we will have to take caution on the road to fast results.

After feedback from you, our audience, we are happy to announce that the talks during the AI seminar-day will be in English. With this change, we hope that we can reach an even wider audience, and inspire everyone with a footing in the creative industry to come, regardless of language!

Johannes Skoog is one of the founders of VP Nordic, offering flexible solutions in Virtual Production (VP) throughout Scandinavia. Virtual Production is a technology where digital environments and visual effects are created and manipulated in real time during filming, giving filmmakers the unique opportunity to see and interact with these elements directly on set. This results in greater creative freedom and efficiency in film production.

Our roster is full and our program is available here! We are very excited to be joined by Johannes Skoog amongst others to fill our day with mind expanding knowledge and perspective! Get your tickets today!

Mr. Groeneboom brings 20 years of visual effects for feature films, broadcast projects and commercials. He is known for several awards (VES, Amanda ++) for work on Gravity, Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy, among others. Groeneboom is founder and supervisor at Rebel Unit in Bergen – a small creative boutique with an emphasis on creative visual development and exploration with procedural and algorithmic computation.

We are up in the clouds! So excited to see Groeneboom present his talk on the creative usage of of AI in visual effects. Cant wait! Can you?

With over 20 years of experience in the film industry, Jan Christian Frugård will share his insights and demonstrate how he uses ChatGPT4, Midjourney, and his own bots to conceptualize and visualize projects in his work as a director at our seminar.

Another thrilling catch for our seminar day, with an interesting bag of knowledge and a diverse set of skills and experience! We are looking forward to Frugård talk and enrich our future at the seminar, on the 8th of june. Have you gotten your tickets yet?

As a director with over two decades of extensive experience in film production, I am deeply committed to advancing the integration of Artificial Intelligence within the industry. My career spans a broad spectrum of responsibilities overseeing creative processes from inception to completion.

My hands-on experience as a 1st AD and Editor has endowed me with a profound understanding of film set dynamics and the intricacies of post-production. 

Currently, I am exploring the use of AI in film production. My venture, 'Kreativ KI', is dedicated to developing tailored AI solutions that streamline production processes and enhance creative outcomes. I envision these tools as future essentials for the industry, transforming conventional workflows into more efficient, innovative practices.

-Jan Christian Frugård