2025 VES Texas Board of Managers Election Form
OFFICIAL BALLOT – BOARD OF MANAGERS ELECTION
For the March 2025 – February 2026 Term
- Official Deadline: Febuary 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM PST
- Voting is open to Current VES Members with primary addresses within the Texas Section ONLY
Candidate names are listed in random order. Please vote for ALL the candidates you feel would best serve the Section Board of Managers. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be elected.
Candidate Statements and Bios are listed below the ballot.
Colin Campbell
Job Title or Description: Remote Compositing Supervisor/Lead/Senior
Candidate Statement:
I am running for re-election for the Texas Section Board of Managers. I’ve been a member of the VES over 20 years. I have 12 years of experience with the larger global board of directors. I’ve also been the section’s inaugural chair. I am running for re-election primarily for continuity as our section continues to grow and get its legs underneath it. We are still in a formative stage and figuring out what resources we have available to us in order to put on the types of events that the other established sections hold.
My priorities for the section when first setting things up are, and continue going forward:
1.) Membership Growth – We have to continue to grow member numbers if we are going to be a stronger section. We need to recruit both from within and outside of the state.
2.) Outreach – Reaching out to our state legislators, film commissions, advocacy groups, educational institutions, and other related industry groups. Making these organizations aware that not only is there an organization of artists in the visual effects fields in Texas, but how important our work is to the imaging industry as a whole. Continuing to work with our new friends and contacts in these organizations to advocate for and bring more awareness and visibility to visual effects production in the state.
3.) Events – More meaningful educational and social events. I want us to have fun and have a section others want to come to.
Joseph Hall
Job Title or Description:
Visual Effects Director
Currently the vfx director at Absurd ventures. Overseeing multiple real-time projects.
Candidate Statement:
I would love to represent and contribute in helping grow VES presence in the TX area. Continue to help embolden the chapter members and pursue ways to enhance and grow our commitment to education growth and strengthen our presence and awareness in the state.
With multiple years of leadership withing my companies and projects and the skills and knowledge of partnerships and brand strategy. Which I feel would be a strong portion of continuing to establish our ever growing industry and our Texas Chapter.
Mark Nazal
Job Title or Description: Chief Creative and Co-Founder at SurrealArts Multimedia Group, Executive Producer and VFX Supervisor at Ionart Studios
Candidate Statement:
I would love the opportunity to bring my unique experiences –from starting out as an artist to leading various VFX departments, as well as supervising and producing on several milestone projects toward the group’s success. My experience has given me a deep understanding of both the creative and technical aspects of visual effects, along with essential success strategies for navigating today’s globally competitive market.
In addition to my expertise in the field, I am deeply passionate about fostering emerging talent as evident in my involvement with talent development initiatives at the Television Academy where I was able to actively mentor and support up-and-coming artists, helping to shape the next generation of industry professionals. I am eager to bring that same commitment to our section, cultivating a collaborative environment where new talent can thrive.
Furthermore, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to business development efforts, leveraging my industry experience and network to help attract new projects and expand our section’s reach.
Brandon Carmichael
Job Title or Description: Executive Creative Director
Candidate Statement:
As an Executive Creative Director co-leading an in-house MediaLab team at an award-winning architecture firm, I specialize in visual storytelling, immersive experiences, and integrating emerging technologies. My work blends traditional filmmaking, AI-driven workflows, and real-time rendering into architectural visualization and experiential design. Collaborating with industry veterans like Ludo Michaud (Spy Kids, X-Men Origins), I push the boundaries of storytelling and experiential design.
Beyond my work, I host The Square podcast, where I explore design and technology’s evolving role in storytelling. My experience in mentoring creative teams and structuring career pathways would help shape a forward-thinking board that fosters innovation, education, and collaboration.
Possible Ideas (I aim to help VES expand its influence, empower members, and remain at the forefront of creative innovation):
Mentorship & Career Growth – A structured program connecting emerging artists with industry veterans for guidance and portfolio reviews.
AI in VFX – Panels exploring AI’s role in storytelling, automation, and creative workflows.
Public Engagement – A “Behind the Pixels” speaker series featuring live breakdowns of effects work.
Alan Chan
Job Title or Description: Senior Lookdev Artist, Blizzard Entertainment
Candidate Statement:
I’ve been in the VFX industry for a little over 30 years now — got my start working at Amblin Imaging for an impressively long 30 minutes! (ask me about it sometime at the next meetup) With stints at Digital Domain, Station X, Sony Imageworks, Digital Domain 2.0, ReelFX and currently working remotely for Blizzard Entertainment, I’m now settled in Texas and looking to help make a difference for the VFX industry here locally.
We spent a good amount of time in 2023/2024 mobilizing the local vfx gangs to spin up the Texas section of the VES, and I look forward to continuing to help organizing events and to-dos here. Yeehaw!
Stephen Steinbach
Job Title or Description: Storyboard Artist / 2D Animation
Candidate Statement:
Thank you for your consideration. I was the Lead Instructor/ Program Chair for the Media Arts and Animation & Game Art and Design programs at the Art Institute of Dallas since January 2000. I have been an instructor, administrator, and course developer for the Art Institutes 23 + years prior to the school closing on September 22,2023. I have been teaching and building course curriculum for online courses for over 15 years. I have over 20 years of experience in Toonboom Harmony, plus 10 + years in Adobe Animate. My background prior to teaching was at two Game Art studios and Warner Bros Feature Animation work on such films as The Iron Giant. I have a BFA in Character Animation at California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) and an MFA in Computer Arts at Florida Atlantic University. In addition, I have my certification for course development from Wiley, and currently creating instructional videos for Knowledge City for both Maya and Adobe Illustrator.
Below are some links to website and industry links:
http://steinbachart.com/
Knowledge City – MAYA 2022
https://www.knowledgecity.com/en/search-results?query=maya
For the Last 25 years, I have worked to build our animation program alongside with Mike Eudy, who specializes in in 3d Modeling at the Art Institute of Dallas.
Reference: Leslie Baughman – President – Miami International University of Art and Design.
lbaughman@aii.edu
214-601-5731
Currently I am Senior Multimedia Consultant for Children’s Hospital – AKA 2d animator / Illustrator
Stephen Steinbach