Jeff Chiba Stearns’ transformative journey is one of a filmmaker whose creative roots trace back to a childhood spent on an orchard in Kelowna. Growing up in a remote setting, Jeff’s early experiences shaped his strong work ethic and artistic aspirations. Alongside apple picking, he was captivated by satellite TV of the 90s and its mix of “Japanimation” and adult cartoons. It was here that Jeff began to develop a style and unique creative voice that was later honed while attending animation school at Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

Ever wondered how a mix of structured logic and creative expression can shape a tech career? Growing up with a mathematician father and an artsy mother, Ginger Alford's unique perspective led her to a vibrant career in software engineering and computer graphics.

Justine Emard is a visual artist whose career is a mix of relentless innovation and defiance of the art world's conventional boundaries. Her story isn't just about creation; it's a narrative that charts her evolution as an artist who integrates the realms of technology, dance, and music into a symphony of digital and physical installations that have captured the international stage.

Jorge R. Gutiérrez is a visionary Mexican filmmaker whose colorful childhood on the US-Mexico border turned into a rich tapestry of storytelling. Growing up in 1980s Tijuana, Jorge faced cultural clashes and tense encounters that sparked his creative fire.

Hear how a serendipitous twist led him to CalArts at just 17 years old, and discover his candid reflections on navigating the animation industry. Jorge talks about the importance of authenticity and how staying true to his roots brought projects like The Book of Life to life.

From the quiet beginnings in a Malaysian town to the vibrant creative landscape of Christchurch, Alyssa Zarate’s journey is one of determination. With a passion for film and a dream to create but no direct line on how to get there, Alyssa’s career began in programming and over the years has evolved into a set of skills that have shaped her and her career.

By his own admission, Wilson Tang’s career path has been anything but linear but one constant has guided his choices: change.

Beginning his career as an architect, his passion for design and the urge to create worlds led Wilson to leap into animation, a step in his career that would make him the ideal candidate for Industrial Light & Magic. Just when he thought he’d made it, his itch to try something new led him to Electronic Arts to build and lead the Need for Speed team.

Growing up in the sprawling serenity of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Amy Tang’s childhood is brimming with rural charm and the purest of pleasures but Amy's dreams and aspirations for the performing arts were bigger than her small-town roots. Her story is one of transformation, from farm life to city dwelling, and how the stark contrast of Winnipeg's urban sprawl shaped her cultural identity and nurtured her dreams of one day gracing the stage as a Disney princess.

Rick Mischel’s journey took him from the electric buzz of Broadway in New York to the sunny embrace of South Florida and now as Founder and CEO of Artists Animation Studio, to Kelowna, BC.

Growing up in the English Midlands, Georgina Hayns defied academic norms, discovering her passion for the arts in a technical college. Her journey reflects the transformative power of parental support and prioritizing passion over conformity.

From childhood struggles to professional success, Georgina's story is a testament to embracing individuality. Her career trajectory highlights the importance of internships, networking, and mentorship. Working with industry giants like McKinnon and Saunders and collaborating with Tim Burton shaped her career and honed her craft.

Zach Lipovsky has early memories of a childhood spent on sets surrounded by the buzz of TVs and master controls, thanks to his mother's career in television. But it was a transformative experience at the tender age of nine when Jurassic Park left an indelible mark on him. The youthful actor-turned-filmmaker invested his early earnings into the digital revolution, teaching himself visual effects and collaborating with a community of budding filmmakers.

Ashley Christine is used to battles, from growing up off the grid in the White Mountain National Forest and contending with the harsh elements of New Hampshire winters to navigating the social media landscape, she has dealt with both physical and mental battles. But how does a young woman go from studying mathematics at university to spending her days making TikTok videos about STEM? 

Growing up among the steel mills of Hamilton, Ontario, Don Perro knew he wanted something different for his life but when his first attempt at getting out failed, he knew he needed to cast his net wider and the result was acceptance at art school in Vancouver where he found his comrades among the misfits studying animation at Emily Carr College of Art and Design (now known as Emily Carr University of Art and Design).

There was little doubt that Lera Nyukalova would be an artist. Her first foray into art was sketching Sailor Moon but her passion and drive to learn and challenge herself led her first to university to study architecture and eventually to make the move from Kazakhstan to Vancouver to further her practice. 

Sam Fell was always drawn to creation and in the 1980s, he found himself in London, studying fine art and making interdisciplinary works of art, junk sculptures with speakers and cassette tapes inside, and eventually adding mechanics to move his works. It was around this time that he rediscovered stop-motion animation and the works of The Quay Brothers and Jan Švankmajer.

Growing up on a dairy farm in Denmark, Brian Leif Hansen assumed he’d spend his life living near where he grew up, perhaps a farmer himself, but the universe had other ideas for him. 

From the moment she learned to read, Audrea Topps Harjo has been a creator, first turning words into worlds in her mind, and then sharing those stories she loved so much with her family as a performer. Her passion led her to filmmaking in various forms, from telling her own stories in her own voice as a director, to helping other creators bring their visions to life.

Starting as a lighter and later designer for concerts and plays in New York City, Athomas Goldberg never imagined he’d be at the forefront of a new form of entertainment but curiosity, necessity and a willingness to take chances have led him to exactly that: a new frontier where live entertainment and technology meet.

Growing up a child of the 80s, Athena Georgaklis loved cartoons and while she knew she wanted to work in film, her career in animation came almost by chance after taking a job as an assistant at the then-fledgling Teletoon. Once she realized that animation was what she wanted to do with her life, there was no turning back.

Hailing from a family with a long history of artists, JM Blay seemed destined to enter the art world. As if predestined, once he started drawing, he never stopped.

His love of art developed into a fascination with photography and movement. Unbeknownst to him, JM had stumbled into the world of motion design and his “weird fascination” became the cornerstone of his career.

Nilo Rodis’ career spans such iconic franchises as Star Wars, Raiders and Star Trek. In fact, his career is so epic, we couldn’t fit it all in onto one episode!

In part one of our exclusive conversation, Rodis discusses his early career working in Detroit’s once-booming car industry, how he came to work with George Lucas, and his unlikely friendship and collaboration with John Hughes.

Simon Barry was a screenwriter working in LA, when he returned to Vancouver and made the switch to TV, helming the barrier-breaking series Continuum. Since then, he has been at the helm of a number of cult-favourite shows including Van Helsing, Ghost Wars and his latest, Warrior Nun which is now streaming on Netflix.

We spoke with Simon about the early days of his career, his passion for genre storytelling and how Warrior Nun came to be.

In 2004, Sean O’Reilly achieved one of his life-long goals and self-published his first comic book under the banner of Arcana Comics. Kade didn’t only do well, it made a profit and 16 years later Sean is still at it, leading Canada’s largest comic book publisher with over 350 titles, as well as an animation studio which produces television series and films based on the studio’s IP.

We spoke with Sean about his passion for comics, his creative process and how his love for technology has driven much of Arcana’s growth over the years.

Gordon Durity has been working in the music industry for decades, and though you may not recognize his name, if you’ve played a video game over the last 20 years, you have probably heard some of his work. As Executive Audio Director at Electronic Arts Canada, Gordon has led the audio production for hundreds of titles.

We spoke with Gordon about his career trajectory, the process of creating music and sound for a video game and the future of video game music.

Brenda Gilbert is the Co-Founder and President of BRON Media Corporation. She’s also a producer, a mother and a woman of colour. How did this small business, founded with her husband Aaron, grow into the multi-faceted company with 60+ productions, offices in 5 cities and numerous awards under their belt?

We speak with Brenda about the early days, navigating being an entrepreneur with young children, and finding the balance between busy work and home schedule.

From Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Wars: Clone Wars, to Cannes Lions-winning global campaigns for Mercedes-Benz, Apple, Canon, Honda, and Sony, BAFTA-nominated composer Takeshi Furukawa's music has accompanied some of the world's most recognized images on screen. His work on the highly acclaimed PlayStation title The Last Guardian has established him as one of the most exciting new voices in the video game industry garnering a Premio Drago d'Oro, an IGN Award, and a GANG Award, as well as nominations at the BAFTA Games Awards, D.I.C.E.