Scot Brew has always enjoyed aspects of both technical and artistic fields. The opportunity to blend these aspects led him to attain a dual degree in both Aerospace Engineering and Plan II Liberal Arts from The University of Texas at Austin. These contrasting degrees combined a technical and problem solving skill set with a broad-based Renaissance-style knowledge of art, history, philosophy, and literature. Scot has since approached computer graphics (CG) from many angles including scientific visualization at NASA Ames, 3D graphics software development support at IBM, film tools and effects at SquareUSA, and hands-on evangelism for advocating the Technical Director role in the games industry at LucasArts.

Having worked with Alias products for eight years and Maya software since its first beta release, Scot is now a member of the Alias Games Advisory Council and continues his contribution to the advancement of Maya. He is currently a Senior Technical Art Director at LucasArts working on current and next generation games and art technologies.

Q. How did you get involved in the 3D computer graphics industry?
A. The best word to describe how I got to where I am now is "indirectly". I've had an interest in graphics and effects since I was six-years-old, when Star Wars came out. I dragged my mother (since I could not drive at the time) and friends to the theater to see it five or six times. By the time I was in college, I had been experimenting with computers and computer graphics (CG) for many years, although I was not aware that it could be a career. While working toward a dual degree in Aerospace Engineering and Plan II Liberal Arts, I had a summer internship at NASA Ames in the Remote Telepresence Lab (i.e. virtual robotics). This exposed me to SGI's, real-time graphics, 3D graphics APIs, and scientific visualization. I was thrilled and I thought that NASA would be my calling after graduation. However, layoffs prompted me to take a different route.

I went to work for IBM as a 3D Graphics Consultant for IBM RS/6000 workstations for their key software development clients. There, I learned OpenGL, wrote a 3D game, supported 3D software, and observed companies in the fields of CAD/CAM, Petroleum, Biotech, and Entertainment. One of the packages I supported was Alias' AutoStudio and PowerAnimator. Things were good, but not quite right. I missed the creative and artistic element.

SquareUSA offered me that creative outlet through work on Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within full-length CG film. A cutting-edge project, a studio filled with exceptional talent, and a studio in Hawaii were a solid combination. After a few years of working on a full-length feature film, I used that experience to help introduce the same methods used in the film industry to the games industry.

Q. How do you use Maya software?
A. I use Maya as a primary 3D content creation platform and framework. It is very customizable and extensible–those qualities work well inside the production environment. What cannot be done natively, a MEL script or API plugin can usually be put together quickly inside that framework to achieve the desired results. It helps us achieve our goal of increasing art quality and productivity–let the artist create. LucasArts adopted Maya as its internal standard for all 3D content creation.

Q. What projects have you worked on?
A. I have worked on a number of projects at varying levels. My primary film credit was at SquareUSA on Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within as a Technical Director. My main game credits include LucasArts' Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds and the upcoming Gladius game. Along with those primary credits, I have had a hand at various levels on many other LucasArts games including Star Wars: Starfighter; Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, RTX Red Rock, Escape from Monkey Island.

Since the art tools and processes developed at LucasArts are designed to be shared between projects, I would have to say that, to some extent, all of the current and upcoming LucasArts games have been affected by tools, ideas, processes, and pipelines that I have helped setup.

Q. What makes this industry so exciting to you?
A. I've found it's a good way to combine the artistic with the technical–that really appeals to me and complements my personality. The art inspires while the technology challenges. I like and want them both. It intrigued and infused my dreams when I was six-years-old and continues to do so now.

Q. Where do you see the industry going in the next 5 years?
A. Games and film will continue to merge. The border between game and film technologies and tools will blur even more than they are now. Already, I've seen a lot of migration of talent in both directions between games and film. The issues overlap as well.

Q. What words of wisdom do you have for anyone interested in entering the world of 3D computer graphics?
A. Follow your dream –For me, it was listening to the six-year-old boy who wanted to do graphics and effects after seeing Star Wars.

Do what you enjoy–If you are not sure, then it is worth taking some time and exploration to figure it out. I found that the overlapping aspects of the Technical Director role appealed to my personality and interests.

Realize that there are many routes into, and facets of, the CG industry – my roundabout path is evidence!