In the trailer for Creative Assembly’s upcoming game "Total War: Pharaoh" we meet a rather unlikely game cinematic hero: a scarab beetle. How did Goodbye Kansas come up with that idea and how was the trailer produced? Director Bengt-Anton Runsten, Senior Producer Calum Hart and Executive Creative Producer Jan Cafourek take us behind the scenes of the production, a story that includes boiling dead insects, scanning sun-dried soil and visual inspiration from 3000 old hieroglyphs.

In the trailer for Creative Assembly’s upcoming game "Total War: Pharaoh" we meet a rather unlikely game cinematic hero: a scarab beetle. How did Goodbye Kansas come up with that idea and how was the trailer produced? Director Bengt-Anton Runsten, Senior Producer Calum Hart and Executive Creative Producer Jan Cafourek take us behind the scenes of the production, a story that includes boiling dead insects, scanning sun-dried soil and visual inspiration from 3000 old hieroglyphs.

#70 - Total War: Pharaoh

Welcome to a world where fairies and mythical creatures walk the foggy streets of the late 1800s. In episode 69, Yellow Brick Road’s Nils Lagergren sits down with Executive Producer Matilda Olsson, VFX Supervisor Joel Lindman and Animation guru Staffan Linder to talk about Goodbye Kansas’ VFX production for season 2 of Prime Video’s Carnival Row.How do you make Orlando Bloom fight a giant troll, how do you mocap a flying fairy and how do you transform a human into a wolf?

Welcome to a world where fairies and mythical creatures walk the foggy streets of the late 1800s. In episode 69, Yellow Brick Road’s Nils Lagergren sits down with Executive Producer Matilda Olsson, VFX Supervisor Joel Lindman and Animation guru Staffan Linder to talk about Goodbye Kansas’ VFX production for season 2 of Prime Video’s Carnival Row. How do you make Orlando Bloom fight a giant troll, how do you mocap a flying fairy and how do you transform a human into a wolf?

#69 - Carnival Row

In episode #68 of Yellow Brick Road we take a closer look at the character trailers that Goodbye Kansas produced for Bethesda's and Arkane Studios’ brand new game Redfall. Director Emnet Mulugeta, Art Director Tom Waldton and Illustrator Karl Johnson discuss the creative approach to partly work with a 2D Comic book style, how it feels to revisit characters you haven’t worked with for a while and the importance of team spirit in a production.

#68 - Redfall Heroes

The announcement trailer for Arkane Austin and Bethesda Softworks new game Redfall was released in 2021. Yellow Brick Road’s Nils Lagergren sat down with Goodbye Kansas' Executive Producer Jörgen Lilja, director Emnet Mulugeta and VFX Supervisor Henrik Eklundh to discuss the production of that trailer – and now when the game is released we’re happy to share that conversation with you!So buckle up for some vampire hunting CG adventures!

The announcement trailer for Arkane Austin and Bethesda Softworks new game Redfall was released in 2021. Yellow Brick Road’s Nils Lagergren sat down with Goodbye Kansas' Executive Producer Jörgen Lilja, director Emnet Mulugeta and VFX Supervisor Henrik Eklundh to discuss the production of that trailer – and now when the game is released we’re happy to share that conversation with you! So buckle up for some vampire hunting CG adventures!

#67 - Welcome to Redfall

Follow us behind the scenes of the VFX production for the third and final season of the great post-apocalyptic series “See”. VFX Supervisor Felipe Borges and Senior FX Artist Martin Widö explains how to create huge battle scenes using digital extras and what ingredients do you need to cook a perfect CG explosion.

#66 - See

In episode 65 we dive into Tom Clancy’s world of espionage and action, when Goodbye Kansas VFX Supervisor Jim Parsons and Compositing Lead Olov Samuelsson takes us behind the scenes of the VFX work for season 3 of the Amazon hit series “Tom Clancys’s Jack Ryan”. And follow us down Yellow Brick Road as we retrace the footsteps of on-screen Jack Ryans through the last decades, from Alec Baldwin in “Hunt for Red October” to John Krasinski. Have the old movies stood the test of time?

#65 - Jack Ryan

An efficient pipeline is always important when you produce CG productions and VFX. In episode #64 of ”Yellow Brick Road” we dive into the world of pipeline development – and USD. Pipeline Technical Director Dan Englesson and CG Supervisor Alexis Andersson share insights from the development of Goodbye Kansas Studios new USD pipeline. Why is USD superior to older systems and what are the challenges when you update pipelines?

#64 - Pipeline and USD

Follow us out on the high seas, as director Emnet Mulugeta and VFX Supervisor Henrik Eklundh share stories from the production of the trailer for Ubisoft’s game “Skull &amp; Bones”, produced by Goodbye Kansas Studios.

#63 - Skull & Bones

This week we discuss the coolest space bounty hunters of them all: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black and Faye Valentine in the classic anime series Cowboy Bebop - recently adapted as a live action series on Netflix. Goodbye Kansas Lighting Lead Ivor da Silva talks about his passion for anime in general – and Cowboy Bebop in particular. And what kind of VFX did Goodbye Kansas Studios deliver for the Netflix series?

#62 - Cowboy Bebop

Let’s talk real time production! In episode 61 of Yellow Brick Road, Realtime Artists Tim Hermes and Henrik Melsom discuss Unreal Engine 5, how game engines are changing the VFX industry and how Unreal Engine and its peers are used in the Goodbye Kansas Studios production pipeline. Also: what’s the difference between working on the development of a game and the production of a game cinematic?

#61 - Unreal Engine

In “Yellow Brick Road” we meet the artists behind the visual effects, the magicians “behind the curtain” that bring audiences over the rainbow to worlds where monkeys can fly and nothing is impossible. A podcast about VFX, Games and Movies! Hosted by Nils Lagergren.

Yellow Brick Road

In the third episode of "Yellow Brick Road" we talk about how to design and create brand new worlds, how to take a line from a film script and turn it into a visual experience. This week’s guests know everything about that: Senior Character Designer Daniel Bystedt and Director/Senior Concept Artist Andrée Wallin have worked on many great productions – including Andrée’s short film “State Zero”. Andrée also takes us behind the scenes of the greatest franchise of them all: Star Wars, sharing memories from the production of "The Force Awakens".

#3 - Creating Worlds

It’s hacking-time time in ep 9 of Yellow Brick Road, as VFX Supervisor Cameron Scott and VFX producer Matilda Olsson share memories from the VFX production of the first film ever to combine time travel, Kung Fu, nazis, violent arcade machines, laser raptors and heavily armed female Viking warriors – all wrapped together in glorious 80s VHS style. Welcome the world of “Kung Fury” and VFX in VHS style.

#9 - Kung Fury: the Art of VHS VFX

In episode #45, Yellow Brick Road’s Nils Lagergren meets Daniel Bystedt (Senior Character Artist &amp; Head of Modeling Department at Goodbye Kansas) to discuss his career, tutorials and why the Blender software has become such a big part of his work as an artist.

#45 - Passion for Blender

In episode 11 of Yellow Brick Road we meet the team behind the VES Award nominated effects of the drama series Outlander: VFX Supervisors Filip Orrby and Daniel Norlund and VFX Producer Matilda Olsson. How did they create the storm scenes in the episode “Eye of the storm”, why is it so hard to create digital water and do VFX artists ever get seasick from working with stormy ocean effects like these?

#11 - Outlander: Eye of the storm

The VFX industry is a very international one and many of the artists at Goodbye Kansas Studios in Stockholm have moved here from abroad. In ep 46, we meet three of them: Bidding Producer Julia Ferguson, Pipeline Developer Stephen Hada and Tiffany Johansson from the Frontdesk team. What are the best (and worst) things about working and living in Sweden, what exactly is “fika” and why is company culture so important?

The VFX industry is a very international one and many of the artists at Goodbye Kansas Studios in Stockholm have moved here from abroad. In ep 46, we meet three of them: Bidding Producer Julia Ferguson, Pipeline Developer Stephen Hada and Tiffany Johansson from the Frontdesk team. What are the best (and worst) things about working and living in Sweden, what exactly is “fika” and why is company culture so important?

#46 - Welcome to Sweden

This week we talk about the art of animation with senior animators Christina Sidoti and Cameron Scott. What's the secret behind great animation, how do you convey emotions and how do you give animated characters true life and soul? We discuss the craft behind the magic and reveal our animated film favorites.

#8 - Animation: Motion & Emotions

Let's walk in the footsteps of these iconic beasts together with VFX Supervisors – and Dinosaur geeks – Cameron Scott and Staffan Linder. How has the look of cinema dinosaurs changed over the years, what techniques have been used – and why will the T-Rex always remain king of the dinosaurs – despite those ridiculously tiny arms?

#12 - Cinemasaurs: dinosaurs as moviestars

How do you marry Motion Capture and FX to create a commercial about crash test data and car safety - inspired by modern dance? In episode #43 of our podcast Yellow Brick Road we meet two members of the Goodbye Kansas team that created the visual effects and imagery for the multi-awarded campaign “Volvo: The E.V.A. Initiative”: VFX Producer Linda Öhlund and FX guru Filip Orrby.How was the film made, how do you go about to find the right look for a film like this and how does it feel to be part of such a successful campaign?

How do you marry Motion Capture and FX to create a commercial about crash test data and car safety - inspired by modern dance? In episode #43 of our podcast Yellow Brick Road we meet two members of the Goodbye Kansas team that created the visual effects and imagery for the multi-awarded campaign “Volvo: The E.V.A. Initiative”: VFX Producer Linda Öhlund and FX guru Filip Orrby. How was the film made, how do you go about to find the right look for a film like this and how does it feel to be part of such a successful campaign?

#43 - The E.V.A. Initiative

Ever since 1933 when Felix E Feist released a massive tidal wave on a miniature version of New York in his “Deluge”, the Big Apple has been destroyed countless times on the silver screen. Why is destruction so entertaining and what makes a disaster film truly great? This week’s guests Matilda Olsson and Denys Holovyanko walk us through the history of disaster films, reveal their personal favorites and discuss eternal questions like the impossibly tiny world of Roland Emmerich, single dad heroes and why great miniature effect shots never gets old. Also: the actress who survived the Titanic disaster twice and the secret story of the flying cow in Twister.

#14 - Disaster films

Movies and games are filled with gods, monsters and fearsome beasts, and this week we gather three monster experts to discuss why some monsters are more iconic than others. VFX Supervisor and horror connaisseur Staffan Linder, Director Fred Löfberg and Senior Character Artist Daniel Bystedt reveal their favorite monsters and discuss the noble art of creating gods and monsters.How do you design a successful monster, what makes a monster design timeless and why do some scare us more than others?

Movies and games are filled with gods, monsters and fearsome beasts, and this week we gather three monster experts to discuss why some monsters are more iconic than others. VFX Supervisor and horror connaisseur Staffan Linder, Director Fred Löfberg and Senior Character Artist Daniel Bystedt reveal their favorite monsters and discuss the noble art of creating gods and monsters. How do you design a successful monster, what makes a monster design timeless and why do some scare us more than others?

#5 - Gods and Monsters

It’s zombie slashing time in this week’s episode as we unleash two of Goodbye Kansas zombie experts: VFX producer Matilda Olsson and VFX Supervisor Staffan Linder, with a great passion for all things undead – and especially zombie VFX. Staffan got Emmy nominated for his work on “The Walking Dead” and Matilda has juggled numerous gory VFX shots for both “The Walking Dead” and “Fear The Walking Dead”.How many types of zombies are there? Why are zombies so popular? And in how many ways can you digitally kill off a zombie? Join us for an entertaining half hour in the world of zombies!

It’s zombie slashing time in this week’s episode as we unleash two of Goodbye Kansas zombie experts: VFX producer Matilda Olsson and VFX Supervisor Staffan Linder, with a great passion for all things undead – and especially zombie VFX. Staffan got Emmy nominated for his work on “The Walking Dead” and Matilda has juggled numerous gory VFX shots for both “The Walking Dead” and “Fear The Walking Dead”. How many types of zombies are there? Why are zombies so popular? And in how many ways can you digitally kill off a zombie? Join us for an entertaining half hour in the world of zombies!

#4 - Slashing Zombies

How does it feel to animate a returning character for a commercial, is it like meeting an old friend? What kind of animation style is the most rewarding one to work with, and how do you make a plain egg express feelings?  In episode #42 of our podcast Yellow Brick Road, we discuss a bunch of characters from different commercials. Senior Animator &amp; Animation Director Rickard Engqvist and Supervising Animator &amp; Head of Keyframe Animation Raoul Cacciamani walk down memory lane and talk about characters like the Freddy (“spokeschameleon” for Müller Milch’s Froop), Frank the Sheep (“spokessheep” for Swedish telecom brand Tele2), Vinnie (“spokeshorse” for ATG), the oddball Brilleland eyeballs and the German oldtimer Kleine Hunger (spokesperson for Müller Milch)Also: the toe fungus film that made it to Superball and a trip around the world in an animated puppet world for flygresor.se.

How does it feel to animate a returning character for a commercial, is it like meeting an old friend? What kind of animation style is the most rewarding one to work with, and how do you make a plain egg express feelings? In episode #42 of our podcast Yellow Brick Road, we discuss a bunch of characters from different commercials. Senior Animator &amp; Animation Director Rickard Engqvist and Supervising Animator &amp; Head of Keyframe Animation Raoul Cacciamani walk down memory lane and talk about characters like the Freddy (“spokeschameleon” for Müller Milch’s Froop), Frank the Sheep (“spokessheep” for Swedish telecom brand Tele2), Vinnie (“spokeshorse” for ATG), the oddball Brilleland eyeballs and the German oldtimer Kleine Hunger (spokesperson for Müller Milch) Also: the toe fungus film that made it to Superball and a trip around the world in an animated puppet world for <a href="http://flygresor.se" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">flygresor.se</a>.

#42 - Commercial characters

We’ve all seen Gollum and Andy Serkis dressed in his skintight lycra Motion Capture suit - filled with tiny with balls. But how does Motion Capture actually work and when did it all start? Motion capture veterans Anton Söderhäll and Samuel Tyskling guide us through a day at the Goodbye Kansas Motion Capture studio and discuss the past, the present and the possible future of this amazing technology.

#7 - Motion Capture

Let's get nostalgic and dive into the history of VFX together with two film buffs: VFX Supervisor Staffan Linder and VFX producer Matilda Olsson. Get ready for Georges Méliès, Ray Harryhausen, King Kong and the digital sins of George Lucas. We discuss the evolution of effects and why some of them age well and some don’t. Staffan share memories from his work with Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” and Matilda admits her weakness for VFX from the 80’s.

#6 - Smoke and Mirrors

This week we venture into space – to boldly go where no man has gone before. Or more exactly: we’re going where lots of VFX artists have gone before – because space movies have always been filled with VFX. So why are space films so popular? How do you design black holes and convey light speed? And why is sound so important for an environment where – in reality - no sounds exist?Follow director Laurent Clermont and producer Anton Söderhäll to the far end of the Universe in episode #10 of Yellow Brick Road.

This week we venture into space – to boldly go where no man has gone before. Or more exactly: we’re going where lots of VFX artists have gone before – because space movies have always been filled with VFX. So why are space films so popular? How do you design black holes and convey light speed? And why is sound so important for an environment where – in reality - no sounds exist? Follow director Laurent Clermont and producer Anton Söderhäll to the far end of the Universe in episode #10 of Yellow Brick Road.

#10 - To Space and Beyond

The mission was to show the pre-history of the Persian Gulf in 16K full CG films, involving extinct animals, underwater sceneries and even the cosmic Big Bang that started it all. The result can be seen projected on the huge gallery walls of the brand new National Museum of Qatar in Doha and in episode 41 of our podcast Yellow Brick Road we meet three key members of the Goodbye Kansas team that made it happen: VFX Producer Rebeca Cervantes, VFX Supervisor Filip Orrby and Compositing artist Hannah Myllyoja.

#41 - National Museum of Qatar

In episode #44 the Yellow Brick Road leads straight to Hell, as Senior Animator Staffan Linder and CG Supervisor Hannes Drossel share their stories from Goodbye Kansas’ VFX production for the latest Hellboy film.How do you cope working with effects that include people getting impaled and torn apart by nightmarish demons? And is it true that some CG artists look at cute kitten clips on youtube to wind down after a working day filled with blood and gore? We also talk about other demons in popular culture, including the classic beast in “Curse of the demon” (1957) and Krampus, the hoofed goat demon who might turn up on your doorstep around Christmas if you’re on Santa’s “naughty list”…

In episode #44 the Yellow Brick Road leads straight to Hell, as Senior Animator Staffan Linder and CG Supervisor Hannes Drossel share their stories from Goodbye Kansas’ VFX production for the latest Hellboy film. How do you cope working with effects that include people getting impaled and torn apart by nightmarish demons? And is it true that some CG artists look at cute kitten clips on youtube to wind down after a working day filled with blood and gore? We also talk about other demons in popular culture, including the classic beast in “Curse of the demon” (1957) and Krampus, the hoofed goat demon who might turn up on your doorstep around Christmas if you’re on Santa’s “naughty list”…

#44 - Hellboy and other demons

In episode #13 we meet three experts hellbent on creating the best digital faces in the world: Jonas Törnqvist, Nils Lerin and Sigtor Kildal from the 3D Scan/Face Animation department at Goodbye Kansas in Uppsala. We ‘ll talk about Grand Moff Tarkin in "Rogue One", Björn Borg in “Borg vs McEnroe” and how to scan people with a Vectogrammetry 3D Scanner. How do you create a digital human face that looks totally convincing – and why is it so hard?

#13 - Digital Humans

Everybody is talking about "Real-Time VFX" these days. But what is it and how can it be used? In episode 40 of Yellow Brick Road we meet Goodbye Kansas Head of Real-Time Anton Palmqvist to learn more about the reality behind this buzzword and how it already is changing our industry.

#40 - Real Time VFX

With over 55 million views online, the E3 trailer for CD Projekt Red’s "Cyberpunk 2077" is one of the most successful game trailers of all time. In episode #39 of Yellow Brick Road we meet three members of the Goodbye Kansas team that produced the trailer: director Fredrik Löfberg, Art Director Mikael Widegren and Lead Character Artist Jonas Skoog.

#39 - Cyberpunk 2077

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