LEVEL UP KL 2026 · SPEAKER PROPOSALS
LEVEL UP KL 2026 · SPEAKER PROPOSALS
LEVEL UP KL 2026 · SPEAKER PROPOSALS
THREE SESSIONS
THREE SESSIONS
THREE SESSIONS
FOR LEVEL UP KL
FOR LEVEL UP KL
FOR LEVEL UP KL
Proposals from Hello Giant Studios for the Industry Conference and
Masterclass Workshop programmes, Kuala Lumpur, 14–16 October
2026.
Proposals from Hello Giant Studios for the Industry Conference and
Masterclass Workshop programmes, Kuala Lumpur, 14–16 October
2026.
Proposals from Hello Giant Studios for the Industry Conference and
Masterclass Workshop programmes, Kuala Lumpur, 14–16 October
2026.
SUBMITTED BY
SUBMITTED BY
SUBMITTED BY
HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
DATE
DATE
DATE
AUGUST 13, 2026
AUGUST 13, 2026
AUGUST 13, 2026
SPEAKERS
SPEAKERS
SPEAKERS
JONATHAN BERUBE · DAN BUNTING
JONATHAN BERUBE · DAN BUNTING
JONATHAN BERUBE · DAN BUNTING
CONTACT
CONTACT
CONTACT
DAN@HELLOGIANT.COM
DAN@HELLOGIANT.COM
DAN@HELLOGIANT.COM
THREE PROPOSALS, ONE INTENT
THREE PROPOSALS, ONE INTENT
THREE PROPOSALS, ONE INTENT
Hello Giant Studios is a creative-led games company founded by two senior operators — a Call of Duty Game Director and Studio Head, and a cinematics and visualization director from Blizzard, the Avatar sequels and prestige television. Dan Bunting spoke at Level Up KL 2025 and both principals return in 2026.
These three sessions were chosen for one audience in particular: the region’s 3D art, cinematics and co-development community. Each is built to leave that room with something it can use on Monday.
Hello Giant Studios is a creative-led games company founded by two senior operators — a Call of Duty Game Director and Studio Head, and a cinematics and visualization director from Blizzard, the Avatar sequels and prestige television. Dan Bunting spoke at Level Up KL 2025 and both principals return in 2026.
These three sessions were chosen for one audience in particular: the region’s 3D art, cinematics and co-development community. Each is built to leave that room with something it can use on Monday.
Hello Giant Studios is a creative-led games company founded by two senior operators — a Call of Duty Game Director and Studio Head, and a cinematics and visualization director from Blizzard, the Avatar sequels and prestige television. Dan Bunting spoke at Level Up KL 2025 and both principals return in 2026.
These three sessions were chosen for one audience in particular: the region’s 3D art, cinematics and co-development community. Each is built to leave that room with something it can use on Monday.
AT A GLANCE
AT A GLANCE
AT A GLANCE
#
#
#
SESSION
SESSION
SESSION
TRACK
TRACK
TRACK
SPEAKER(S)
SPEAKER(S)
SPEAKER(S)
LENGTH
LENGTH
LENGTH
1
1
1
Blizzard to Avatar: Twenty-Five Years of
Blizzard to Avatar: Twenty-Five Years of
Blizzard to Avatar: Twenty-Five Years of
Conference —
Conference —
Conference —
Jonathan Berube
Jonathan Berube
Jonathan Berube
40 + 10
40 + 10
40 + 10
Making Yourself Necessary
Making Yourself Necessary
Making Yourself Necessary
talk
talk
talk
min
min
min
2
2
2
The Shot Before the Shot: Film-Grade
The Shot Before the Shot: Film-Grade
The Shot Before the Shot: Film-Grade
Masterclass
Masterclass
Masterclass
Jonathan Berube
Jonathan Berube
Jonathan Berube
3 hrs
3 hrs
3 hrs
Visualization for Game Teams
Visualization for Game Teams
Visualization for Game Teams
3
3
3
Small Teams, Big Pipelines: What AI Actually
Small Teams, Big Pipelines: What AI Actually
Small Teams, Big Pipelines: What AI Actually
Conference —
Conference —
Conference —
Bunting, Berube +
Bunting, Berube +
Bunting, Berube +
60 min
60 min
60 min
Changed in Production, and What It Didn’t
Changed in Production, and What It Didn’t
Changed in Production, and What It Didn’t
roundtable
roundtable
roundtable
regional practitioners
regional practitioners
regional practitioners
1 · BLIZZARD TO AVATAR
1 · BLIZZARD TO AVATAR
1 · BLIZZARD TO AVATAR
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF MAKING YOURSELF NECESSARY — INDUSTRY CONFERENCE TALK
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF MAKING YOURSELF NECESSARY — INDUSTRY CONFERENCE TALK
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF MAKING YOURSELF NECESSARY — INDUSTRY CONFERENCE TALK
Jonathan Berube joined Blizzard in 2004 and founded a department that did not exist.
Twelve years later he left the top of that ladder to start over with James Cameron.
Jonathan Berube joined Blizzard in 2004 and founded a department that did not exist.
Twelve years later he left the top of that ladder to start over with James Cameron.
We are glad to be programmed into whichever of these best serves the agenda, and equally glad to adjust length or format. If only one is taken, our recommendation is the masterclass — it is the session with the most direct capability transfer to the region’s studios.
We are glad to be programmed into whichever of these best serves the agenda, and equally glad to adjust length or format. If only one is taken, our recommendation is the masterclass — it is the session with the most direct capability transfer to the region’s studios.
We are glad to be programmed into whichever of these best serves the agenda, and equally glad to adjust length or format. If only one is taken, our recommendation is the masterclass — it is the session with the most direct capability transfer to the region’s studios.
In 2004 Jonathan joined Blizzard’s cinematics team and founded its Matte Painting Department — a discipline the studio did not yet have. Over the following twelve years he art-directed VFX across World of Warcraft, StarCraft II and Diablo III, work seen by hundreds of millions of people. Then he left, spending five years in pre-production with James Cameron on the Avatar sequels, and later art-directing visual effects on Stranger Things and Westworld.
This is not a showreel. It is an honest account of how a 3D artist becomes a creative leader: how to find the unowned gap in a pipeline and take it before anyone assigns it to you; what changes when you stop making the image and become responsible for it; which skills genuinely travel between film, television and games and which are traps; and how to recognise the moment to leave the top of a ladder and be a beginner again.
In 2004 Jonathan joined Blizzard’s cinematics team and founded its Matte Painting Department — a discipline the studio did not yet have. Over the following twelve years he art-directed VFX across World of Warcraft, StarCraft II and Diablo III, work seen by hundreds of millions of people. Then he left, spending five years in pre-production with James Cameron on the Avatar sequels, and later art-directing visual effects on Stranger Things and Westworld.
This is not a showreel. It is an honest account of how a 3D artist becomes a creative leader: how to find the unowned gap in a pipeline and take it before anyone assigns it to you; what changes when you stop making the image and become responsible for it; which skills genuinely travel between film, television and games and which are traps; and how to recognise the moment to leave the top of a ladder and be a beginner again.
WHAT THE AUDIENCE TAKES AWAY
WHAT THE AUDIENCE TAKES AWAY
WHAT THE AUDIENCE TAKES AWAY
• How to identify the unowned problem in a studio’s pipeline and turn it into a role — the most reliable move for converting service-side craft into creative authority.
• What changes when you become responsible for the image rather than making it, and the skills no art programme teaches.
• Which craft skills transfer between film, television and games — and which are media-specific traps that cost people years.
• How to build creative authority from inside a co-development or service studio, where the IP belongs to someone else.
• How to judge when a role has stopped growing you, and what leaving well looks like.
• How to identify the unowned problem in a studio’s pipeline and turn it into a role — the most reliable move for converting service-side craft into creative authority.
• What changes when you become responsible for the image rather than making it, and the skills no art programme teaches.
• Which craft skills transfer between film, television and games — and which are media-specific traps that cost people years.
• How to build creative authority from inside a co-development or service studio, where the IP belongs to someone else.
• How to judge when a role has stopped growing you, and what leaving well looks like.
• How to identify the unowned problem in a studio’s pipeline and turn it into a role — the most reliable move for converting service-side craft into creative authority.
• What changes when you become responsible for the image rather than making it, and the skills no art programme teaches.
• Which craft skills transfer between film, television and games — and which are media-specific traps that cost people years.
• How to build creative authority from inside a co-development or service studio, where the IP belongs to someone else.
• How to judge when a role has stopped growing you, and what leaving well looks like.
FIT
FIT
FIT
The career question in this room is not “how do I get better at the work.” It is “how do I move from executing someone else’s vision to directing my own.” Jonathan has made that transition twice, in two media. He also sits on the advisory board of the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games and Animation and has contributed to its CG and animation curriculum — he has taught this material, not only lived it.
The career question in this room is not “how do I get better at the work.” It is “how do I move from executing someone else’s vision to directing my own.” Jonathan has made that transition twice, in two media. He also sits on the advisory board of the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games and Animation and has contributed to its CG and animation curriculum — he has taught this material, not only lived it.
The career question in this room is not “how do I get better at the work.” It is “how do I move from executing someone else’s vision to directing my own.” Jonathan has made that transition twice, in two media. He also sits on the advisory board of the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games and Animation and has contributed to its CG and animation curriculum — he has taught this material, not only lived it.
Audience:
Audience:
Audience:
3D artists, technical artists, art leads, animation and cinematics teams, students and recent
3D artists, technical artists, art leads, animation and cinematics teams, students and recent
3D artists, technical artists, art leads, animation and cinematics teams, students and recent
graduates. All levels.
graduates. All levels.
graduates. All levels.
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
16:9 projection, stage audio for video playback, confidence monitor, clicker. Can compress to 25
16:9 projection, stage audio for video playback, confidence monitor, clicker. Can compress to 25
16:9 projection, stage audio for video playback, confidence monitor, clicker. Can compress to 25
minutes.
minutes.
minutes.
2 · THE SHOT BEFORE THE SHOT
2 · THE SHOT BEFORE THE SHOT
2 · THE SHOT BEFORE THE SHOT
FILM-GRADE VISUALIZATION FOR GAME TEAMS — MASTERCLASS WORKSHOP
FILM-GRADE VISUALIZATION FOR GAME TEAMS — MASTERCLASS WORKSHOP
FILM-GRADE VISUALIZATION FOR GAME TEAMS — MASTERCLASS WORKSHOP
Big-budget film locks a shot before anyone builds it. Most game teams build first and fix later, and pay for it in the schedule.
Big-budget film locks a shot before anyone builds it. Most game teams build first and fix later, and pay for it in the schedule.
Big-budget film locks a shot before anyone builds it. Most game teams build first and fix later, and pay for it in the schedule.
The most expensive mistake in 3D production is building something well before deciding whether it was the right thing to build. Film-scale visualization exists to prevent exactly that, and the discipline scales down much further than most teams assume.
Jonathan Berube spent twelve years directing cinematics at Blizzard and five years in pre-production with James Cameron on the Avatar sequels, where the visualization pipeline effectively is the production. This workshop takes that discipline apart and rebuilds it at small-team scale: how to design and lock a shot before expensive work starts; how to structure environment and matte-painting strategy so one build serves multiple shots; how to run a review-and-approval loop that surfaces problems in hours instead of weeks; and why lighting and colour are production decisions long before they are aesthetic ones. Participants work a real sequence through from blockout to locked shot.
The most expensive mistake in 3D production is building something well before deciding whether it was the right thing to build. Film-scale visualization exists to prevent exactly that, and the discipline scales down much further than most teams assume.
Jonathan Berube spent twelve years directing cinematics at Blizzard and five years in pre-production with James Cameron on the Avatar sequels, where the visualization pipeline effectively is the production. This workshop takes that discipline apart and rebuilds it at small-team scale: how to design and lock a shot before expensive work starts; how to structure environment and matte-painting strategy so one build serves multiple shots; how to run a review-and-approval loop that surfaces problems in hours instead of weeks; and why lighting and colour are production decisions long before they are aesthetic ones. Participants work a real sequence through from blockout to locked shot.
The most expensive mistake in 3D production is building something well before deciding whether it was the right thing to build. Film-scale visualization exists to prevent exactly that, and the discipline scales down much further than most teams assume.
Jonathan Berube spent twelve years directing cinematics at Blizzard and five years in pre-production with James Cameron on the Avatar sequels, where the visualization pipeline effectively is the production. This workshop takes that discipline apart and rebuilds it at small-team scale: how to design and lock a shot before expensive work starts; how to structure environment and matte-painting strategy so one build serves multiple shots; how to run a review-and-approval loop that surfaces problems in hours instead of weeks; and why lighting and colour are production decisions long before they are aesthetic ones. Participants work a real sequence through from blockout to locked shot.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS TAKE AWAY
WHAT PARTICIPANTS TAKE AWAY
WHAT PARTICIPANTS TAKE AWAY
• A repeatable blockout-to-lock process a team of five can run without dedicated previs staff.
• How to structure environment and matte-painting assets so one build serves multiple shots — the core cost lever in cinematic production.
• A review-and-approval loop that forces expensive mistakes to the surface early, and the specific questions that do the forcing.
• Why lighting and colour decisions belong at the front of a schedule, not the end.
• What genuinely transfers from film visualization into real-time and in-engine work, and what does not.
• A repeatable blockout-to-lock process a team of five can run without dedicated previs staff.
• How to structure environment and matte-painting assets so one build serves multiple shots — the core cost lever in cinematic production.
• A review-and-approval loop that forces expensive mistakes to the surface early, and the specific questions that do the forcing.
• Why lighting and colour decisions belong at the front of a schedule, not the end.
• What genuinely transfers from film visualization into real-time and in-engine work, and what does not.
• A repeatable blockout-to-lock process a team of five can run without dedicated previs staff.
• How to structure environment and matte-painting assets so one build serves multiple shots — the core cost lever in cinematic production.
• A review-and-approval loop that forces expensive mistakes to the surface early, and the specific questions that do the forcing.
• Why lighting and colour decisions belong at the front of a schedule, not the end.
• What genuinely transfers from film visualization into real-time and in-engine work, and what does not.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STUDIO THAT IS BRIEFED AND A STUDIO THAT
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STUDIO THAT IS BRIEFED AND A STUDIO THAT
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STUDIO THAT IS BRIEFED AND A STUDIO THAT
IS TRUSTED TO DECIDE.
IS TRUSTED TO DECIDE.
IS TRUSTED TO DECIDE.
— WHAT THIS MASTERCLASS IS ACTUALLY ABOUT
— WHAT THIS MASTERCLASS IS ACTUALLY ABOUT
— WHAT THIS MASTERCLASS IS ACTUALLY ABOUT
NOTE
NOTE
NOTE
The workshop is tool-agnostic by design — process first, demonstrated in industry-standard packages, so it applies regardless of a studio’s DCC stack. SEA studios already execute this work at world-class quality for global clients; the discipline covered here sits one layer above execution.
The workshop is
The workshop is
tool-agnostic by design
tool-agnostic by design
— process first, demonstrated in industry-standard
— process first, demonstrated in industry-standard
packages, so it applies regardless of a studio’s DCC stack. SEA studios already execute this work at world-class quality for global clients; the discipline covered here sits one layer above execution.
packages, so it applies regardless of a studio’s DCC stack. SEA studios already execute this work at world-class quality for global clients; the discipline covered here sits one layer above execution.
Level:
Level:
Level: Intermediate to senior. Working 3D artists, environment and lighting artists, technical artists, cinematic leads, art directors, production leads.
Capacity: 30–40 participants.
Prerequisites: Working familiarity with a 3D package and a production pipeline.
Room: Projector 16:9 with audio, whiteboard or flipchart, table seating; participants bring laptops. A 90-minute demo-led format is available if the schedule needs it.
Intermediate to senior. Working 3D artists, environment and lighting artists, technical artists, cinematic
Intermediate to senior. Working 3D artists, environment and lighting artists, technical artists, cinematic
leads, art directors, production leads.
leads, art directors, production leads.
Capacity:
Capacity:
30–40 participants.
30–40 participants.
Prerequisites:
Prerequisites:
working familiarity with a 3D package and a production pipeline.
working familiarity with a 3D package and a production pipeline.
Room:
Room:
projector 16:9 with audio, whiteboard or flipchart, table seating; participants bring laptops. A 90-minute
projector 16:9 with audio, whiteboard or flipchart, table seating; participants bring laptops. A 90-minute
demo-led format is available if the schedule needs it.
demo-led format is available if the schedule needs it.
3 · SMALL TEAMS, BIG PIPELINES
3 · SMALL TEAMS, BIG PIPELINES
3 · SMALL TEAMS, BIG PIPELINES
WHAT AI ACTUALLY CHANGED IN PRODUCTION, AND WHAT IT DIDN’T — MODERATED ROUNDTABLE
WHAT AI ACTUALLY CHANGED IN PRODUCTION, AND WHAT IT DIDN’T — MODERATED ROUNDTABLE
WHAT AI ACTUALLY CHANGED IN PRODUCTION, AND WHAT IT DIDN’T — MODERATED ROUNDTABLE
Two years of confident predictions, and the honest answer is uneven. This session is for the people who have to ship.
Two years of confident predictions, and the honest answer is uneven. This session is for the people who have to ship.
Two years of confident predictions, and the honest answer is uneven. This session is for the people who have to ship.
The conversation about AI in game production has been dominated by people who do not have to ship. This roundtable is deliberately the opposite: a moderated, evidence-first session about what has actually changed inside working pipelines.
Dan Bunting spent nearly two decades at Treyarch on Call of Duty, latterly as Game Director and co-Studio Head, and now evaluates game productions across the industry — he sees adoption claims and production reality side by side, across many teams. Jonathan Berube has run cinematics and visualization pipelines at Blizzard and on the Avatar sequels, and builds Hello Giant’s toolchain today. Joined by regional practitioners, the session works through where AI has genuinely compressed cost, where quality ceilings and review burden have eaten the savings, what it is doing to the economics of co-development and service work specifically, and how a small studio should sequence adoption without betting the company.
The conversation about AI in game production has been dominated by people who do not have to ship. This roundtable is deliberately the opposite: a moderated, evidence-first session about what has actually changed inside working pipelines.
Dan Bunting spent nearly two decades at Treyarch on Call of Duty, latterly as Game Director and co-Studio Head, and now evaluates game productions across the industry — he sees adoption claims and production reality side by side, across many teams. Jonathan Berube has run cinematics and visualization pipelines at Blizzard and on the Avatar sequels, and builds Hello Giant’s toolchain today. Joined by regional practitioners, the session works through where AI has genuinely compressed cost, where quality ceilings and review burden have eaten the savings, what it is doing to the economics of co-development and service work specifically, and how a small studio should sequence adoption without betting the company.
The conversation about AI in game production has been dominated by people who do not have to ship. This roundtable is deliberately the opposite: a moderated, evidence-first session about what has actually changed inside working pipelines.
Dan Bunting spent nearly two decades at Treyarch on Call of Duty, latterly as Game Director and co-Studio Head, and now evaluates game productions across the industry — he sees adoption claims and production reality side by side, across many teams. Jonathan Berube has run cinematics and visualization pipelines at Blizzard and on the Avatar sequels, and builds Hello Giant’s toolchain today. Joined by regional practitioners, the session works through where AI has genuinely compressed cost, where quality ceilings and review burden have eaten the savings, what it is doing to the economics of co-development and service work specifically, and how a small studio should sequence adoption without betting the company.
WHAT THE ROOM TAKES AWAY
WHAT THE ROOM TAKES AWAY
WHAT THE ROOM TAKES AWAY
• A candid map of where AI has and has not moved cost in shipped production, separated from vendor claims.
• What AI is doing specifically to the economics of co-development, outsourcing and service work — addressed directly rather than avoided.
• How to sequence adoption in a small studio: what to try first, what to leave alone, what the review burden costs.
• A candid map of where AI has and has not moved cost in shipped production, separated from vendor claims.
• What AI is doing specifically to the economics of co-development, outsourcing and service work — addressed directly rather than avoided.
• How to sequence adoption in a small studio: what to try first, what to leave alone, what the review burden costs.
• A candid map of where AI has and has not moved cost in shipped production, separated from vendor claims.
• What AI is doing specifically to the economics of co-development, outsourcing and service work — addressed directly rather than avoided.
• How to sequence adoption in a small studio: what to try first, what to leave alone, what the review burden costs.
• What publishers and partners now expect to see in a pipeline, and how that is changing what gets commissioned.
• Where the durable human advantage sits, in the concrete terms of a production schedule.
• What publishers and partners now expect to see in a pipeline, and how that is changing what gets commissioned.
• Where the durable human advantage sits, in the concrete terms of a production schedule.
• What publishers and partners now expect to see in a pipeline, and how that is changing what gets commissioned.
• Where the durable human advantage sits, in the concrete terms of a production schedule.
FRAMING
FRAMING
FRAMING
Given the region’s concentration in art and co-development, this session is framed as
Given the region’s concentration in art and co-development, this session is framed as
Given the region’s concentration in art and co-development, this session is framed as
leverage for small teams and an honest account of limits
leverage for small teams and an honest account of limits
leverage for small teams and an honest account of limits
— not a displacement narrative,
— not a displacement narrative,
— not a displacement narrative,
and not boosterism. A session treating AI as an unqualified good would not survive contact with this room; one treating it as a threat is not useful to anyone in it. The framing is deliberate and we will hold the panel to it.
and not boosterism. A session treating AI as an unqualified good would not survive contact with this room; one treating it as a threat is not useful to anyone in it. The framing is deliberate and we will hold the panel to it.
and not boosterism. A session treating AI as an unqualified good would not survive contact with this room; one treating it as a threat is not useful to anyone in it. The framing is deliberate and we will hold the panel to it.
Co-participants:
Co-participants:
Co-participants:
Hello Giant will propose and secure the additional participants rather than asking the
Hello Giant will propose and secure the additional participants rather than asking the
Hello Giant will propose and secure the additional participants rather than asking the
programme to staff the panel. Target profiles: a Malaysian co-development or art-outsourcing studio lead, a tools or engine technology voice, and an independent developer running a small team. Names confirmed with the programme before any announcement.
programme to staff the panel. Target profiles: a Malaysian co-development or art-outsourcing studio lead, a tools or engine technology voice, and an independent developer running a small team. Names confirmed with the programme before any announcement.
programme to staff the panel. Target profiles: a Malaysian co-development or art-outsourcing studio lead, a tools or engine technology voice, and an independent developer running a small team. Names confirmed with the programme before any announcement.
Moderator:
Moderator:
Moderator:
we would welcome a moderator assigned by the programme, or can propose one.
we would welcome a moderator assigned by the programme, or can propose one.
we would welcome a moderator assigned by the programme, or can propose one.
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
seating for 5–6, lavalier or handheld mics for all participants, floor mic for Q&A, 16:9 projection for
seating for 5–6, lavalier or handheld mics for all participants, floor mic for Q&A, 16:9 projection for
seating for 5–6, lavalier or handheld mics for all participants, floor mic for Q&A, 16:9 projection for
a few reference slides.
a few reference slides.
a few reference slides.
SPEAKERS
SPEAKERS
SPEAKERS
JONATHAN BERUBE — CO-FOUNDER, HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
JONATHAN BERUBE — CO-FOUNDER, HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
JONATHAN BERUBE — CO-FOUNDER, HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
Jonathan Berube has spent twenty-five years directing 3D content across games, film and television. He began in Quebec with a degree in classical animation filmmaking and worked in feature-film visual effects at Hybride Technologies in Montreal before joining Blizzard Entertainment’s cinematics team in 2004. There he founded and led the Matte Painting Department and spent twelve years as a VFX Art Director, overseeing cinematics across World of Warcraft, StarCraft II and Diablo III.
He subsequently spent five years in pre-production with James Cameron on the Avatar sequels, and art-directed visual effects on Stranger Things and Westworld. He is known for photorealistic integration of computer-generated imagery into live action, and for technical innovation in lighting and colour. Jonathan sits on the advisory board of the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games and Animation, contributing to curriculum development across its computer graphics and animation programmes. At Hello Giant he leads process, pipeline and technology design.
Jonathan Berube has spent twenty-five years directing 3D content across games, film and television. He began in Quebec with a degree in classical animation filmmaking and worked in feature-film visual effects at Hybride Technologies in Montreal before joining Blizzard Entertainment’s cinematics team in 2004. There he founded and led the Matte Painting Department and spent twelve years as a VFX Art Director, overseeing cinematics across World of Warcraft, StarCraft II and Diablo III.
He subsequently spent five years in pre-production with James Cameron on the Avatar sequels, and art-directed visual effects on Stranger Things and Westworld. He is known for photorealistic integration of computer-generated imagery into live action, and for technical innovation in lighting and colour. Jonathan sits on the advisory board of the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games and Animation, contributing to curriculum development across its computer graphics and animation programmes. At Hello Giant he leads process, pipeline and technology design.
Jonathan Berube has spent twenty-five years directing 3D content across games, film and television. He began in Quebec with a degree in classical animation filmmaking and worked in feature-film visual effects at Hybride Technologies in Montreal before joining Blizzard Entertainment’s cinematics team in 2004. There he founded and led the Matte Painting Department and spent twelve years as a VFX Art Director, overseeing cinematics across World of Warcraft, StarCraft II and Diablo III.
He subsequently spent five years in pre-production with James Cameron on the Avatar sequels, and art-directed visual effects on Stranger Things and Westworld. He is known for photorealistic integration of computer-generated imagery into live action, and for technical innovation in lighting and colour. Jonathan sits on the advisory board of the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games and Animation, contributing to curriculum development across its computer graphics and animation programmes. At Hello Giant he leads process, pipeline and technology design.
DAN BUNTING — CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
DAN BUNTING — CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
DAN BUNTING — CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC.
Dan Bunting spent nearly two decades at Treyarch and Activision on the Call of Duty franchise, leading the multiplayer development teams through 2012, serving as overall Game Director through Black Ops 3 and Black
Dan Bunting spent nearly two decades at Treyarch and Activision on the Call of Duty franchise, leading the multiplayer development teams through 2012, serving as overall Game Director through Black Ops 3 and Black
Dan Bunting spent nearly two decades at Treyarch and Activision on the Call of Duty franchise, leading the multiplayer development teams through 2012, serving as overall Game Director through Black Ops 3 and Black
Ops 4, and being promoted to co-Studio Head in 2016 with oversight of all creative teams. In 2008, during the final year of Call of Duty: World at War, he conceived and spearheaded the original Call of Duty: Zombies as a side project — it became one of the franchise’s most valuable pillars and is still running today.
Since 2022 he has worked as an investor and adviser to independent game studios, and now leads Hello Giant Studios, backing creative-led teams making independent and mid-budget games. He spoke at Level Up KL 2025 and returns in 2026.
Ops 4, and being promoted to co-Studio Head in 2016 with oversight of all creative teams. In 2008, during the final year of Call of Duty: World at War, he conceived and spearheaded the original Call of Duty: Zombies as a side project — it became one of the franchise’s most valuable pillars and is still running today.
Since 2022 he has worked as an investor and adviser to independent game studios, and now leads Hello Giant Studios, backing creative-led teams making independent and mid-budget games. He spoke at Level Up KL 2025 and returns in 2026.
Ops 4, and being promoted to co-Studio Head in 2016 with oversight of all creative teams. In 2008, during the final year of Call of Duty: World at War, he conceived and spearheaded the original Call of Duty: Zombies as a side project — it became one of the franchise’s most valuable pillars and is still running today.
Since 2022 he has worked as an investor and adviser to independent game studios, and now leads Hello Giant Studios, backing creative-led teams making independent and mid-budget games. He spoke at Level Up KL 2025 and returns in 2026.
PRACTICAL NOTES
PRACTICAL NOTES
PRACTICAL NOTES
•
•
•
Availability:
Availability:
Availability:
both speakers are available across all three conference days, 14–16 October 2026.
both speakers are available across all three conference days, 14–16 October 2026.
both speakers are available across all three conference days, 14–16 October 2026.
•
•
•
Flexibility:
Flexibility:
Flexibility:
lengths and formats above are proposals, not conditions. We will fit the schedule.
lengths and formats above are proposals, not conditions. We will fit the schedule.
lengths and formats above are proposals, not conditions. We will fit the schedule.
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Beyond the stage:
Beyond the stage:
Beyond the stage:
if the programme has use for judges or mentors on Pitch Day, or for participation in the
if the programme has use for judges or mentors on Pitch Day, or for participation in the
if the programme has use for judges or mentors on Pitch Day, or for participation in the
Business Connection Programme, both principals would be glad to contribute.
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Business Connection Programme, both principals would be glad to contribute.
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Business Connection Programme, both principals would be glad to contribute.
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Materials:
Materials:
Materials:
slides, reel excerpts, headshots and full biographies supplied on request, to whatever deadline the
slides, reel excerpts, headshots and full biographies supplied on request, to whatever deadline the
slides, reel excerpts, headshots and full biographies supplied on request, to whatever deadline the
programme sets.
programme sets.
programme sets.
We would welcome guidance on the submission deadline, preferred session lengths and any format constraints, and will shape these to fit. Thank you for the invitation to return.
We would welcome guidance on the submission deadline, preferred session lengths and any format constraints, and will shape these to fit. Thank you for the invitation to return.
We would welcome guidance on the submission deadline, preferred session lengths and any format constraints, and will shape these to fit. Thank you for the invitation to return.
Contact
Contact
Contact
— Dan Bunting, Co-Founder & CEO, Hello Giant Studios, Inc. · dan@hellogiant.com · hellogiant.com
— Dan Bunting, Co-Founder & CEO, Hello Giant Studios, Inc. · dan@hellogiant.com · hellogiant.com
— Dan Bunting, Co-Founder & CEO, Hello Giant Studios, Inc. · dan@hellogiant.com · hellogiant.com
HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC. · HELLOGIANT.COM
HELLO GIANT STUDIOS, INC. · HELLOGIANT.COM
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