Conference
The State of VFX
VFX for Features
ON SITE
König-Karl-Halle
Thursday, May 08, 12:30
AI-Driven De-Aging in HERE
Join Production Supervisor Kevin Baillie and Metaphysic VFX Supervisor Jo Plaete for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how artist-empowering AI transformed Robert Zemeckis’s film Here. This session explores how AI-enabled de-aging technology preserved the performances of Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, and Kelly Reilly, seamlessly spanning decades.
Baillie and Plaete will break down the real-time face-swapping system that allowed actors and directors to see de-aged performances instantly on set, enabling them to truly interact with the VFX process, as well as the AI-driven post-production techniques that allowed Zemeckis to leap over the “uncanny valley.” They will also discuss AI’s broader impact on digital environments, body reconstruction, and enhancing prosthetics for aged characters.
Attendees will gain insights into how AI, when combined with human creativity, can accelerate workflows, expand storytelling possibilities, and redefine VFX pipelines. This presentation will showcase Here as a landmark case study in artist-empowering AI, pushing the boundaries of modern filmmaking.
Kevin Baillie, VFX Supervisor, HERE - Film Production
Kevin Baillie began his VFX career at 18 as a previsualization artist on Star Wars: Episode I. Over the next 27 years, he has left a lasting impact on the industry, supervising groundbreaking work at The Orphanage (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Superman Returns, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and ImageMovers Digital.
In 2010, Kevin co-founded Atomic Fiction, a trailblazing VFX studio behind The Walk, Top Gun: Maverick, and Flight. He has also supervised VFX on Star Trek, Transformers, Welcome to Marwen, The Witches, and Pinocchio, collaborating extensively with director Robert Zemeckis.
Most recently, Kevin served as VFX Supervisor and 2nd Unit Director on Here (2024), pioneering real-time AI-driven workflows for de-aging and digital environments.
Now, as Head of Creative at Netflix’s Eyeline Studios, he continues pushing the boundaries of technology to tell stories that would otherwise be untellable.
Beyond VFX, Kevin founded Conductor Technologies, a cloud rendering company acquired by CoreWeave in 2023. He is a member of the DGA, VES, and AMPAS, where he has served on the VFX Executive Committee multiple times.
