An Evening with MakeMake | Creating 3D Visuals for Title Sequences & Commercials

A Los Angeles native, Kirk Shintani earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UCLA prior to completing Gnomon’s Generalist program. Over the last 21 years, he has worked on hundreds of commercials for clients such as Apple, Nike, Lexus, and Coca-Cola, as well as numerous title sequences including the Emmy Award-winning “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon” for HBO. Kirk is currently a Creative Director at Elastic, developing new content and exploring ways to creatively leverage new technology to tell better stories.

Andy Wilkoff, a 26-year visual effects industry veteran, has worked on feature films, and game cinematics, but has focused on commercials since 2008. With a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from the University of Cincinnati, he's a humble master of dad humor and a self-proclaimed "well-seasoned" expert. Andy manufactures e-bike accessories and enjoys 3D printing, watching horror movies with his family, and testing his taste buds with insanely hot sauces. His self-deprecating wit and undeniable talent make him a go-to guy for both stunning visuals and laughter.

Mike Bettinardi is an accomplished Visual Effects Artist from Las Vegas, NV. He graduated from USC's School of Cinematic Arts in 2013 with a major in Film Production, specializing in writing and directing. Since then, he's honed his skills as a self-taught 3D artist, working on a variety of high-profile projects. Mike launched his career in MakeMakes's Vault department, quickly transitioning to the CG department where he mastered camera tracking, began learning Houdini, and transitioned into FX. Today, he's a seasoned 3D artist currently developing a short at MakeMake using Unreal Engine 5.