About
Welcome to my website. I’m a VFX/3D artist & software developer with a focus on FX and a background in computer science. I'm now based in Berlin. Previously, I worked in both film and advertising in London for several years.
I'm happiest where art and technology meet, and especially enjoy working on the "far-off" side of things, where adding just the right amount of tech can create art that you would not otherwise be able to achieve.
I work at the intersection of FX, rendering and pipeline using mainly Houdini combined with various renderers and other technologies. My work stretches from simulations (pyro/RBD/procedural setups/Vellum/...) to development in Python (architecting and developing a full pipeline for Houdini/Nuke/Maya combined with Deadline) as well as more technical C++ development (such shaders and renderer procedurals e.g for Arnold).
In the past I've worked on high-end projects in many parts of the pipeline from assets (creature look development for a feature film) to large destruction shots all the way to the occasional compositing, primarily in advertising, but also in episodic and film.
I have also collaborated on interactive installations and VR projects, and am always interested in new ways of using technology to create art.
This unique combination of knowledge of VFX software with a deep technical background allows me to design and implement solutions for more complicated shots either by combining existing tools in unexpected ways or extending them with custom code.
Software
Beside my day to day tools of Houdini, Nuke, Arnold, Python, C++ I also have production experience with Maya, Katana, Renderman/RIS, OpenGL, OpenFrameworks.
Coding
- C/C++ and OpenGL (including the Arnold and Houdini APIs, plugins for the Deadline render manager)
- Python/numpy, especially in a VFX context
- Rust
Education
- Computer Science at TUM and ETHz
- Visual Effects at Filmakademie BW
Work
In the past:- MPC Film (I was the main person responsible for Detective Pikachu’s look)
- MPC Advertising, working on campaigns for Henessy, easyJet, Heineken, Qatar Airways, OPPO, as well as the Ghost in the Shell film
- FX Artist at Untold Studios, working on projects for John Lewis, Playstation as well as Netflix.
- FX Lead at Black Kite Studios
- I'm freelance now, so open to interesting projects across VFX, ideally remote or hybrid, but can also collaborate in person in the Berlin area.
Contact me via e-mail at m.ruegenberg [at] picodesign [dot] de