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Building Success as a 3D Artist
Live Q&A with Tomas Sackmann. Hear how a Think Tank graduate moved through film, games, and real-time production to build his own creative technology studio in Dubai.
September 15, 2026 · 9:00 AM PDT · Online via Zoom
An honest look at building a lasting 3D career. AI, real-time workflows, studio ownership, and what makes an artist stand out when Tomas hires
About
TTTC
20 years training the finest artists. Think Tank Training Centre is one of the VFX schools with the highest placements in the industry. Over 100 placements in the past 10 months, in the shortest period of training.
Behind each program, webinar or in-person event is the same philosophy. It's a drive to give CG artists the tools and mentoring they need to expand their vision and build meaningful connections in the industry.
What You'll Hear
An unfiltered view of building a 3D career that lasts.
Tomas Sackmann will share the path from Think Tank graduate to film and game production, Head of CGI, and studio founder—plus his candid view on AI, real-time workflows, hiring, and creative entrepreneurship.
- Film, games, and real-time pipeline realities
- Where AI and automation fit in production
- What founders look for when hiring artists
Inside the Conversation
Topic 1
Defining Success
- From Think Tank graduate to studio founder
- How Tomas's definition of success changed
- Building a flexible long-term career
Topic 2
AI & Future Tech
- An honest view of AI in production
- Automated tools and artist value
- How real-time technology changes the work
Topic 3
Artist to Entrepreneur
- Moving from major studios into ownership
- Launching Calima Lab in Dubai
- Creative freedom and business building
Topic 4
Film vs. Games vs. Real-Time
- How character pipelines differ
- Offline VFX and real-time cinematics
- Working across formats and teams
Topic 5
Hiring & Portfolios
- What makes junior artists stand out
- What Tomas looks for when he hires
- Live questions from the audience
What It Covers
- Building a career across film, games, and CGI
- AI, automation, and future production tools
- Real-time Unreal Engine workflows
- Launching and running a studio in Dubai
- Hiring signals for junior and senior artists
- Direct audience Q&A with Tomas
Featured Guest
Tomas Sackmann
Think Tank graduate · Founder and Director, Calima Lab
Tomas is a character artist and creative director whose career spans film, games, and real-time production. After working with Digital Domain, DNEG, and Tencent, he founded Calima Lab in Dubai and now builds high-end digital characters and real-time experiences with his own team.
Selected experience and credits
- Former Head of CGI at Tencent
- Digital Domain
- DNEG
- Stranger Things 4
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Dune: Awakening
- Path of Exile 2
Scholarships Available
Think Tank Training Centre currently has a partial scholarship initiative. This event is simply helping spread the word; scholarship availability, eligibility, and award decisions are handled separately from registration for this live talk.