VFX Online
Year End Special Interview – Mark Spindler, VFX supervisor and Head of Compositing, Pixomondo Frankfurt
December 18, 2019 – With 2019 coming to an end, VFX Online presents a series of Special Interviews that highlight some of the VFX and Animations artists’ favorite works of this past year. These interviews touch on their favorite VFX and Animated shows of 2019, memorable events from the last 12 months and artists’ expectations for 2020 in VFX/Animation.
Mark Spindler is a VFX supervisor and Head of Compositing at Pixomondo’s Frankfurt office. He began his PXO career in 2012 as a compositor after completing his master’s degree in Media Production. While at PXO, Mark has worked in various compositing capacities on such films as The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Justice League, and Bridge of Spies. On the television/streaming side, his work includes Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian. Mark has received numerous accolades, including two VES nominations for his work on Game of Thrones.
Today, Mark Spindler talks to VFX Online about his experience about VFX and Animation Industry.
// From Mark Spindler, VFX supervisor and Head of Compositing, Pixomondo Frankfurt
How do you describe yourself professionally?
I strive for the best possible result for each shot I’m working on, but always try to approach it in a pragmatic way and not over-complicate things.
What sparked your interest in visual effects?
Watching “Jurassic Park” as a kid, and also watching the making of “Jurasic Park”.
How did you enter in this industry? What was the key to getting inside?
A lecturer at my university organized a trip to FMX (an annual Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media conference in Stuttgart), which is where I got in contact with Pixomondo. I guess the key to getting a job was to have a convincing showreel and a bit of luck.
What was your favorite VFX and Animation Film of 2019?
VFX: “Alita: Battle Angel” and “Lion King”
Animation: “Toy Story 4”
What do you think will be the evolution of VFX and Animation Industry over the next few years?
I think that machine learning will have a growing impact, especially in non-creative tasks like roto, keying, tracking, etc.
What was the most unusual comment or feedback you received in 2019?
We were asked to “gore up” a shot of someone’s head being smashed and got some photos of real head injuries as reference – which some of our co-workers could only bear to look at in thumbnail size because of the VERY graphic content.
What is your best professional memory or professional experience of 2019?
Bringing Pixomondo’s 8-year-journey (and my personal 7-year-journey) of working on “Game of Thrones” to an end.
How has your experience been working at Pixomondo?
Working in VFX is all about the people you work with, and luckily Pixomondo has the best colleagues one could hope for. They are like one big family and can turn any project into an enjoyable experience – even the stressful ones.
Which film you’re excited to watch in upcoming years?
Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune”
What are your expectations for 2020?
To hopefully work on some exciting new (or recurring) projects.
What will be your ‘dream project’ to work on?
I’m curious about Amazon’s Middle Earth series, that could be fun to work on. Or just any movie by Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve or Steven Spielberg.
What advice would you give to someone who wishes to get in to this industry?
Be passionate about what you do! Be curious about the real world and how it works, because understanding the real world makes it much easier to recreate it. And be aware that sometimes supervisors or clients will have different creative opinions than you, but don’t let that get you down.
What is your Holiday Greeting Message for Christmas 2019 and New Year 2020?
I wish everyone a joyful end of the year with some time to unwind, happy holidays and an exciting new year!
We would like to thank Mark Spindler for taking the time to talk to us. If you would like to know more about him, check him out on and IMDB.
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