A Bunch of Short Guys in partnership with UT Dallas are proud to announce Industry Giants 2024.

We have another amazing lineup of speakers, Portfolio reviewers, Figure Drawing Facilitators and we will soon be opening applications for Artist Alley spots!  Keep checking back as we will update this page as soon as we can.

Dallas, Texas annual Industry Giants conference presented by the nonprofit guild, A Bunch of Short Guys, offers one full day of Inspirational Speakers, Portfolio Reviews, Figure Drawing, Artist Alley discussions and networking. Industry Giants features a distinctive lineup of industry professionals working in animation, visual effects and games.

2024 Special Guests

Randy Pitchford

Randy Pitchford

THE ARTIST”S DILEMMA – Lessons from the Gearbox Founder of the Gearbox Entertainment Company Randy…

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Mindy Johnson

MOVEMENTS IN MOTION: The Transitional Evolution of Animation Artistry & Technology. Award-winning author, historian, filmmaker,…

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Brad Graeber

THE FUTURE OF PITCHING ANIMATION: Navigating Developing Originals and Takes in the Age of IP…

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Leah Hoyer

FROM SURVIVAL TO THRIVAL: Taking Charge of your Animation and Games Career in a Tumultuous…

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Emerson Tung

FROM SKECHBOOK TO ARTBOOK: How I created TANKHEAD. Emerson is an Art Director, Concept Artist…

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2024 Figure Drawing

Ellie Garvey
Ellie Garvey

Elizabeth has worked previously at Reel FX as a Render Wrangler, and at Rooster Teeth…

Michael Mentler

As a master painter, sculptor, draughtsman, designer, photographer and author Michael Mentler’s creative journey has…

Rex Kare

Rex Kare is an artist and educator currently residing in North Texas. Having received his…

Portfolio Reviews

Tomas Gonzalez

Tomas Gonzalez Jr is a seasoned Character Animator with over 20 years of experience in…

Ean Vasquez

a Senior Environment artist at Epic Games on the Fortnite Battle Royale team. I have…

Aaron Walls

Game & level designer since 2008, having worked on titles for the Sony PlayStation (2,…

Benji Raz

Benji is a Motion Designer based in Houston, Texas, with a specialization in Character Animation….

David Chiu

David Chiu is a Character Rigger currently working at id Software. He graduated with both…

In Partnership with

University of Texas at Dallas

Gold Sponsorship

Silver Sponsorship

Animation Mentor
Dallas Film Commission

Bronze Sponsorship

Past Speakers

Alan Chan – Sony Imageworks

Allan McKay – Catastrophic FX

Arman Serrano

Augusto Schillaci – ReelFX

Austin Meyers – The Molecule LA

Bert Van Brande – Reel FX

Bettye Zoller

Bobby Beck – AnimationMentor.com

Brad Clark – RiggingDojo.com

Brad Gabe – Janimation

Brandon and Jarrod Shiflett

Brandon Fricks – ReelFX

Brandon Oldenburg – Moonbot Studios

Brett Briley – Id Software

Bryan Brewer – Cloud Emporium

Bryan Engram – Reel FX

Bryan Godwin - Shade VFX

Chad Sellers-Walt Disney

Chas Naylor – ReelFX

Chris Fowler – Pixar Canada

Chris Olivia – Troublemaker Studios

Chris Williams -Sony Imageworks

Christian Lorenz Scheurer

Dale Carmen – ReelFX

Dan Kuenster – iStation

David Bossert – Walt Disney

David Igo - Sideshow Collectables

David Schaub – Sony Imageworks

David Tart – DNA Productions

Deke Kincade – the Foundry

Ed Hooks – Acting for Animators

Ed Jones – Reel FX

Ed Mendez – Dive Visual

Ed Whetstone Reel Fx

Eliot Lilly

Elise Hatheway

Elizabeth Hitt – Digital Domain

Farhez Rayani – Rhythm & Hues

Francis Vallejo

Frank Abney - Pixar Studios

Fred Gardner Reel FX

Gerard H Baldwin 

Grace Liu - Airship Syndicate

Greg Brown the Foundry

Greg Punchatz-Janimation

George Tsougkouzdis

Harry Michalakeas – Reel FX

Hoyt Yeatman – Whamaphram

Ian Johnson

J. Schuh – Toons N Design

James Gentile – Monolith Productions

Jason Felix

Jason Manley – Massive Black

Jay Hawkins – Epic Games

Jean-Eric Henault – CGChannel.com

Jeff Alcantara – ReelFX

Jeffrey Dates – the Mill NY

Jens Zalzala – Digital Domain

Joan Panis – MPC Montreal

Johan Klingler – AID

John A Davis – DNA Productions

John Carmack – i.d. Software

John Pomeroy - John Pomeroy Productions

Johnny Gibson – Digital Domain

Jorge Gutierrez – ReelFX

Jose Ramirez

Joseph Gilland

Josh Carey – Reel FX

Katie Heckey – Brazen Ent.

Kevin Johnson – Sony Pictures

Kevin Johnstone – Epic Software

Krishnamurti M.Costa – ILM

Lila Martinez - Fox Animation

Lionel Cornelius Jr – Robot Ent.

Loni Peristere – Zoic

Lorin Wood – Gearbox

Luke Olson – Trinity Broadcasting

Marc Gilpin

Mark Simon - Storyboard

Mary Morgan

Michael Mentler – TSOFA.com

Michel Gagné

Miguel Ortega – Spy Films

Mike B Anderson – Simpsons

Mike Mattesi – Author

Miyo Nakamura

Monika Sawyer – Reel FX

Nate Stephens – Sony Santa Monica

Norma Klingler – AID

Orlando Sanchez – The Art Department

Paul Gaboury – Pixologic

Phil Tippett – Tippett Studios

Piyush Patel – Digital Tutors

Rachelle Lewis – Rachelle Lewis Talent

Ramahan Faulk – ReelFX

Randy Pitchford – Gearbox Software

Raul Aparicio – Hammer and Chisel

Renato dos Anjos – Sony Imageworks

Richard Lyons - Naughty Dog

Rita Street – Radar Cartoons

Robby Lamb – Bioware

Ron Clements - Disney Animation

Ronnie Wiliford-Powerhouse Animation

Samantha Youssef – Studio Technique

Sarah Mensinga

Scott Gordon – CafeFX

Scott Kester – Gearbox

Scott Peterson – Digital Anvil 

Shawn Dunn -Weta Digital

Shawn Spetch – Nerve Software

Silvia Pompie – The Simpsons

Stephan Martiniere – id Software

Stephen Hess – Jovian Minds

Stephen Silver

Stephen Steinbach – AID

Steve Emerson – LAIKA

Steve Gaconnier – Janimation

Steve Quentin – 900lbs of Creative

Steve Wang - Onyx Forge Studio

Steven Stahlberg – ZeniMax

T. Dan Hofstedt – Sony Imageworks

Tadao Mihashi – Digital Domain

Terryl Whitlatch – ILM

Tom Bancroft

Tomas Gonzalez

Tony Bancroft

Tony Bonilla – Disney

Tony White – “The Animators Workbook”

Tymon Pitts – Reel FX 

Tyson Murphy – Blizzard Ent.

Will Nicholson