Freefolk appoints Matt Fisher as first head of creative technology

Freefolk has appointed Matt Fisher as its first head of creative technology.

The newly created role has been created to help the studio mesh traditional post production with the latest in emerging technology, says Freefolk. Fisher is tasked with helping reshape the production process for the future, from generative tools to 3D elements.

“The pace of change around AI and adjacent technologies is forcing everyone in VFX to think differently. We wanted someone who could meet that challenge head on,” says Fi Kilroe, CEO of Freefolk. “Matt understands traditional craft as deeply as he understands the technology, and that combination is rare. Creating this role, and giving it to him, is a statement about where we intend to take the business and how we view new technology as an extension of our artists skill, not a replacement for them.”

Fisher has 20 years of hands-on experience, although his career began in music production rather than VFX. “I’ve been a musician for as long as I can remember, and I studied music production before moving into graphic design,” he explains. “I started learning 3D 20 years ago, in my late teens, and worked across freelance jobs before taking on 3D full-time.”

“My department exists to work out how traditional post and these new technologies can fit together, and that requires a deep understanding of the craft, strong technical skills and creative thinking in equal measure,” he continues. “It’s a genuine opportunity to shape future post-production workflows, and change the way media is created. All while preserving the craft that makes this profession so great. One area we’re actively looking to change is how we handle large-scale environments, particularly crowds. Generative 2D and 3D tools show real promise there.”

“We use generative tools in a way clients never see, whether that’s textures, 3D models or 2D elements,” Fisher explains. “We’ve also used AI roto, motion capture and tracking to speed up shot work. New tools let us capture complex objects with a level of realism that would traditionally be very time-consuming and expensive to build, and that’s an area we’re investing significant time in.”

“Generative AI for 2D elements has proven genuinely useful, and the latest image models produce high-quality, controllable results,” he says. “AI coding is another real one, it’s letting artists with little to no coding experience build their own tools and scripts, which opens up endless workflow and speed improvements. Generative video and 3D models are a different story. The quality and control still aren’t there, so it’s paramount in areas like this, we use emerging technology as an extension of traditional tools, not a replacement for them.”

“We’re seeing more clients ask for AI solutions, but it’s rarely a request for a specific technique. It’s a broader question,” Fisher notes. “Everyone is aware of the buzz, but not always aware of what the technology can actually do. What’s clear is the demand for faster post production, and we’re aiming to meet that using all the technology available to us, not just AI.”

“The studios that thrive over the next five years will be the ones that adapt to new technology and find novel ways to integrate it into their pipelines, while pushing visual fidelity,” he says. “Budgets and schedules have shrunk, but expectations on quality have only gone up. Meeting both at once is the job.”