Håkan “Zap” Andersson is a senior technical 3D expert and a widely recognized name in the world of rendering and shader development. Zap has long been at the forefront of technical innovation in computer graphics and VFX.
Known for his contributions to tools like OSL and MaterialX at Autodesk, Zap has recently ventured into the rapidly evolving domain of AI video tools, leveraging Google’s powerful Notebook LM to push the boundaries of creative storytelling. His exploration resulted in UNREAL MYSTERIES, a bizarre series designed both to challenge his skills and test the capabilities of these new AI technologies.
Zap joins us on the fxpodcast to delve into his creative process, share insights on the tools he used, and discuss the lessons he learned from working with cutting-edge AI systems.
Below, you’ll find an in-depth “making of” breakdown that details how Zap combined his expertise with AI-powered workflows. And because no experiment is complete without a few surprises, we’ve included an AI blooper reel at the bottom of this story to highlight the quirks and challenges of working with this still-maturing technology.
Zap commented on this making of video that, “this one gets INSANELY meta, the hosts get crazily introspective and it’s quite chilling…. quite “self aware”…”
In the podcast the guys mention a series of video tools. Here is a set of links to those programs (your mileage with them may vary):
“MiniMax” (although maybe it’s actual name is Hailuo, nobody truly knows)
Kling
Luma Labs Dream Machine
RunwayML Gen-3
Upscaling:
Krea
Avatars:
Heygen
Voices:
NotebookLM
Elevenlabs
Music & Sound:
Sumo
Elevenlabs
Goof Real
Zap’s background
Zap began his journey with a degree in Electronics but has been immersed in programming throughout his life. His first encounter with a computer dates back to 1979, working with an HP2000E mainframe, followed by the Swedish ABC80 computer, which he enthusiastically modified by building a custom graphics card and developing a suite of “commercial” games.
For many years, Zap worked in the CAD industry, specializing in mechanical design software. However, his true passion has always been 3D graphics and rendering.Pursuing this interest, he developed his own ray tracer and 3D modeling software during his spare time. Zap’s career took a decisive turn when he started creating advanced shaders for Mental Images, which NVIDIA later acquired.
Today, he is a part of the Autodesk Arnold team, and his day job is making the integration of Arnold into 3ds Max, but he is also focusing on technologies such material and shader interoperability, and is involved in efforts like OpenPBR, MaterialX, OSL, and other cutting-edge rendering tools. Zap’s expertise includes shader development, rendering algorithms, UI design, and fun experimental communication skills, – making him a versatile and highly skilled professional in 3D graphics and rendering and a good friend of fxguide and the podcast.
Zap on social: