Johnny Han, Emmy nommed VFX Supervisor & 2nd Unit Director, HBO

With 25 years in the VFX industry, Johnny Han has worked in every aspect of VFX, starting in 2000 as a VFX artist on TV commercials, CG supervisor on SMALLVILLE, Houdini TD on SUPERMAN RETURNS, SPIDER-MAN, CG supervisor on PACIFIC RIM, VFX supervisor on HEROES, The film 2012, and now the VFX supervisor and 2nd unit director of HBO’s THE PENGUIN. He’s also directed numerous TV commercials and music videos. Along the way he’s been recognized with 2x EMMY nominations, 8x VES noms with 2x wins, and 1x OSCAR shortlisting for the pioneering use of AI and VFX in the documentary WELCOME TO CHECHNYA. He has served on the boards of the VES, Television Academy, and is also a DGA member.

Danielle Immerman, VFX Producer, Wētā FX

Danielle Immerman was drawn to visual effects production more than two decades ago out of a passion for filmmaking. She joined Wētā FX in 2019 as VFX Producer on Director James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad for which she received an HPA award nomination, proceeding to VFX produce the Marvel TV series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

Most recently Danielle delivered Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes as VFX Producer. Danielle works with prominent clients to deliver large-scale, complex projects and during eleven years at Industrial Light & Magic, she was a VFX Producer on Disney Pictures’ live action Aladdin while based in Vancouver for two years, VFX Producer on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Monster Hunt 2 and The Great Wall while living in Singapore, as well as Associate Producer on Jurassic World and Transformers: Age of Extinction. Throughout this period of ILM’s growth, Danielle contributed to developing smooth and effective production processes and fostered relationships between project teams across locations.

Danielle began her career in 2001 at Animal Logic, where she gained a wealth of experience in a variety of roles. Highlights from this time include working in production on Director Zhang Yimou’s Oscar-nominated films Hero and House of Flying Daggers, which also included onset work. Other early experience includes Director Zack Snyder’s 300, considered a game-changer for visual effects.

Javier Menéndez Platas, VFX Supervisor, PFX

Javier is an experienced VFX professional with a distinguished international career that has taken him from his native Spain through Belgium to Prague, Czech Republic. With a deep understanding of the visual effects industry, he bridges the gap between creativity and technical execution, guiding teams through the complex yet exciting possibilities of VFX. Javier is an invaluable asset to multinational productions, seamlessly navigating global projects with ease. In 2022, his work on  Winning Time earned him a prestigious VES Award and an Emmy nomination, recognizing his contribution to the field. He is currently part of PFX, a leading Czech post-production studio, delivering high-end VFX for major streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and HBO, while collaborating with top-tier productions worldwide.

Kim Davidson, President of SideFX and VES Board Chair

Kim Davidson is the President and CEO of SideFX^®, a company he co-founded in 1987. SideFX is a world-leading innovator of advanced 3D animation and special effects Houdini^® software.

Davidson has received three Scientific and Technical Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2018, he accepted on behalf of SideFX, the Academy Award of Merit for the creation and development of Houdini. In 2015, Davidson was co-recipient of the Canadian Digital Media Pioneer Award, and in 2019 he and other SideFX team members accepted a Technology and Engineering Emmy award in the Cost-Effective Crowd Simulation Tools category.  Davidson was an EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 Ontario Winner; received the J. Wesley Graham Medal in Computing and Innovation from the University of Waterloo; and is a member of Sheridan College Computer Animation PAC (Program Advisory Committee).

Davidson was the first Chair of the VES Toronto Section and has served on the Toronto Section board for eight years. He has served on the global VES Board of Directors for seven years, on the Membership Committee for seven years, as well as a number of VES ad hoc committees. Davidson has also been a VES mentor and played an active role in the Society’s recent strategic planning process on its Impact & Visibility and Globalization sub-committees.