Meet the talented humans bringing the magic of VFX to life.

Architect, designer and photographer Alessandro Cioffi has built a more-than-20-year career in visual effects, with 50+ credits to his name and ten Marvel Studios productions. He is one of Europe’s foremost visual effects supervisors. Recently, he has notably overseen The Suicide Squad for Warner Bros, and Biohackers for Netflix.

An avid movie-goer, from the earliest stages of production Alessandro understands the importance of never losing sight of the bigger picture, working towards clear goals which are in line with the director’s vision for the entire film. This has led to strong and trusting relationships with directors and clients.

Alessandro is equally at home with bidding, scheduling and managing productions as he is leading creative teams, and he is committed to encouraging the artistry and passion of every member of the visual effects team. He also has on-set experience, recently working as 2nd Unit VFX Supervisor on The Suicide Squad.

Iconic scenes Alessandro has overseen include Iron Man 3 suit assembly sequences in Tony Stark’s lab, the compelling and menacing first appearance of Ultron Mark One in Avengers: Age of Ultron and the hilarious cartoon-like facial distortions from quantum space hopping in Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2.

Having originally studied Architecture in Napoli, Italy, Alessandro retains an interest in artistic, photographic and architectural pursuits. He also likes to play “sorcerer’s apprentice” in the kitchen, entertaining his friends with his unique and original recipes.

Chris’s reputation as an amiable creative powerhouse has brought him an abundance of respect and recognition over his 16-year career in film & television.

Pulling from his rich background as a CG Supervisor, Chris Smallfield (affectionately dubbed “Spaceman” by colleagues) has evolved seamlessly towards nascent beginnings as a VFX Supervisor for huge international productions such as Shang-Chi and the Loki series. He offers a wealth of experience across the VFX & 3D spectrum and is a true denizen in the realm of all-things CG. His keen eye for detail, highly professional attitude, and renowned steadfastness have brought him to prominence within the industry.

Astonished by early Pixar films and carrying creativity in his blood (Chris’s mother is a passionate visual artist herself), Chris has had a clear direction for his professional life since a young age. His love of comic books and quirky films meant a natural segue into a BFA in Computer Art at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Chris claimed his first foot on the industrial ladder during 6 wide-eyed years in Los Angeles film & television before making the transition to Germany 11 years ago. He has since made a name for himself through his work as a multitalented 3D generalist.

“When clients ask for something they’ve never seen before, I manage to deliver. I try and find unusual sources of inspiration and then experiment with all kinds of media— from photography to sculpting something out of mud.”

No stranger to the biggest names in film, Chris’s extensive portfolio as a CG Supervisor encompasses monumental hits like Spider-Man: Homecoming and Captain Marvel. A Berliner at heart, Chris has confidently worked his way into the German film industry, previously serving as CG Supervisor to Die Känguru Chroniken and Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer. Chris’s penchant for artistic pursuits ranges from hobby photography and videography to graphic design and illustration. He is the proud owner of an extensive comic book collection (more than 8,000 strong) and a connoisseur of unique salt & pepper shakers.

Strong visual acuity combined with an ability to find the best approach for every production mark Dominik out as a leading visual effects supervisor.

Dominik recently provided TRIXTER visual effects supervision for Marvel’s Black Widow, having previously overseen the studio’s extensive visual effects for Captain Marvel. He oversaw the creation of full CG environments ,major battle sequences, and the scene-stealing alien cat, Goose. “Exactly matching our CG cat with the live-action animal performer was quite the challenge,” says Dominik. “With CG and real cat shots cut back to back there was nowhere to hide. From realistically recreating the way his fur clumped to the way he moved and interacted with the actors, we had to create a seamless likeness and performance.”

Dominik grew up watching 2D animated movies, setting his sights at an early age on a career in animation. His talents in concept art subsequently led to an apprenticeship with TRIXTER in 2007. Recognizing his potential, Dominik was moved steadily through the ranks over the following decade, from concept art trainee to compositor, lead compositor, and compositing supervisor before settling in his current role.

Captain Marvel was Dominik’s third credit as TRIXTER VFX supervisor for Marvel Studios, having previously overseen work on Spider-Man Homecoming and Ant-Man. Other career highlights include VFX supervision for Independence Day: Resurgence and being part of the team which created the Ultron Mark 1 for Avengers: Age of Ultron and the Iron Man suit assembly for Iron Man 3.

A keen photographer and painter, Dominik has never lost his early love for drawing, which he continues to practice in his spare time. He also bakes an unbeatable sourdough loaf.

Emmy & VES Award Winner Jörn Grosshans joined TRIXTER in 2021, bringing with him over 15 years of experience in the VFX industry.

Having worked in the UK, Canada, and Germany, Jörn has supervised such titles as Independence Day: Resurgence on behalf of Mackevision, and Star Trek: Into Darkness, Oblivion, and Academy Award Winner for Best Achievement in Visual Effects Hugo, on behalf of Pixomondo.

Jörn won the VES Award in 2013 and Emmy Award in 2013 and 2014 for his work on Game of Thrones, a show he contributed to for over six seasons as VFX Supervisor. Jörn recently oversaw VFX for Marvel’s Spider-Man: Far From Home at Image Engine.

With a keen eye for detail, in-depth understanding of visual effects from development through to delivery, and experience in on-set supervision, Jörn offers expertise at every stage of production.

Chris Nickel comes from northern Germany and is well-known for his tremendous knowledge and passion for VFX. With a “pitbull-like” dedication to solving complex situations, Chris worked as an on-set generalist for several years before segueing into an illustrious 2-decades-long career in photorealistic CG all over the world. He has worked with TRIXTER since 2012, and enjoys diving with manta rays in his spare time.

Patrick’s passion for 3D and programming began in his teenage years, and he started freelancing as a 3D generalist while finishing his studies. His work on surfacing, lighting, and rendering for Advertising segued into an interest in Environments and Character FX Shot Production & Pipeline when he started at TRXITER in 2015. His creative interests also extend outside of work, as he enjoys drawing and painting in his spare time.

“Great stories are what inspire me to deliver stand-out animation.”

From overseeing the animation team to pipeline, previsualization and motion capture acting, Claudius Urban’s role as animation supervisor is extremely wide-ranging. He thrives on every challenge.

Since his training in 3D at the prestigious Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg, Germany, Claudius has traveled all over the world, honing his craft in animation. He has worked with several major visual effects houses, experiencing different pipelines, approaches, cultures and working environments. Throughout this time he created iconic sequences for film and television: Iron Man’s self-assembling suit, the Troll ramming head-first into a stone wall in Hobbit 3, the disturbing and memorable birth of Doomsday in Batman vs. Superman and the impressive one-minute climactic battle shot of Koba running amuck on a tank in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

“Growing up, I always had pictures and stories in my head that I wasn’t able to communicate,” says Claudius. “Animation gave me a way to tell stories as living pictures, to breathe life into my thoughts. I love that my profession has given me a way of channeling that creativity.”

Sebastian’s 20+ year career in Animation has taken him all around the world; from Germany, to the UK, to New Zealand. Having worked with a wide variety of top Visual Effects studios (Weta, Framestore), Sebastian joined TRIXTER in 2018, bringing his unique blend of creativity and innovation with him. In 2021, Sebastian’s animation work on The Kangaroo Chronicles earned him a VES nomination (Category: Oustanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature).

 At 14, he decided to work in animation, and his path has never wavered since.  He truly embodies his personal motto, “I am motion”, through his long-standing fascination with all kinds of complex and beautiful movements, like martial arts (including capoeira), acrobatics, and multiple dance styles.   His area of expertise is in Character and Creature Animation, (from biped through quadruped to sextaped, motion,) acting or action, choreography, exact emphases, clear expression, storytelling, and dynamics. His key team goals are getting there as fast as possible and with the highest possible quality of animation. 

Ernest has been working with Nuke and compositing for over 12 years. He has been working with TRIXTER since 2015.

Ein echter Berliner, Michael has been a part of the VFX industry “since last century”. He has worked for top companies worldwide (from Munich and Stuttgart to London, Sydney, and LA) before returning to Berlin to work for TRIXTER in 2017. He is the proud owner of a cherished limited edition book “The Stan Lee Stories”, which weighs nearly 10 kilograms.

Martin’s roots lay in Stuttgart, Southern Germany. He studied at the Institute of Animation at Filmakademie Ludwigsburg, where he won several awards (including Siggraph Asia and the VES Award for Best Student Project—twice). He’s been working in VFX across North America and Germany for the past 13 years, and is a self-proclaimed “Trekkie” who dreams of one day working on a Star Trek film (despite having worked on several Star Wars films).

Karolina has been working in the Entertainment industry for many years, and in VFX specifically since late 2015. Originally from Greece, she joined TRIXTER in 2017 and has worked on projects such as Captain Marvel, Die Känguru Chroniken, Black Widow, and several others in the works. Before VFX, Karolina worked in Production on location for films, adverts, shorts, and international series filming all over Europe.

Marlies studied Art History at the University of Vienna before moving into the Film industry, quickly discovering a passion for VFX production. She has a decade of experience at top VFX studios in Germany, and has been with TRIXTER since 2018.

Born in Paris and raised in the South of France, Sarah studied Medicine for 4 years before realizing her true calling was in the film industry. She studied Film, Audiovisual, and Animation Production Management at prestigious universities and moved on to various branches of Audiovisual Production over the following years. Sarah joined TRIXTER in 2017, where she developed a love for VFX production. Beyond her passion for cinema, she loves spending time in the mountains, crafting, and travelling in her van around Europe.

Originally hailing from the USSR, Alexey has lived in a number of different countries and received his formal education as a Director of Photography at the University of Tel Aviv, Faculty of Arts. His finely-tuned skillset has a strong emphasis on lighting, and he has built a robust reputation during his 15-year career in compositing (both on-set and off).

Anna’s noteworthy and diversified career in film & television began with camera operation, editorial, and production roles for prominent studios across Germany & Switzerland. She segued into VFX Coordination at Chimney in 2015 before taking on VR & VFX Production at Pixomondo, ultimately growing into top-tier HR & Talent roles for their Stuttgart & Frankfurt branches. She brings a wealth of experience from various aspects of the industry, and is passionate about snowboarding and family time.

Christine has been a member of the TRIXTER family since 2015 when she started at the company as a VFX coordinator. She has produced and managed various projects with great passion, including movies about her favorite superheroes “Spiderman” and “Captain Marvel”. Her background lies in live-action film production, with a focus on film travel coordination. It was while working on location that she discovered her love of VFX and the amazing opportunity to create digital worlds around a shooting stage.

After producing the VFX on a German children’s movie in Stuttgart, Christine has now happily returned home to Bavaria and the TRIXTER team. She is very excited to lead a great production team and streamline workflows in collaboration with all other departments.

Outside of work, Christine is keen on hiking the Alps trails again and also supporting her favorite soccer team FC Bayern live at the stadium.

Claus studied Industrial Engineering at TU Berlin and subsequently received an MBA in International Finance Management in the United States. He has been with TRIXTER since 2018, having spent 12 years in consulting and 6 years in software. He has worked all over the world; including in Germany, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, and the United States. Claus is a keen photographer and adventurer, having twice sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.

Julius may be known for his pranks on colleagues around the office, but also for his keen talent and skill in compositing and lighting. Originally from a German village in the Ore Mountains, he’s been working with TRIXTER and several other leading studios since 2012, steadily working his way from an internship all the way to the head of department.

Kai has 15 years of experience in developing technical solutions for commercial, Animation and VFX projects. He led international development teams on several feature films including the Oscar-winning The Jungle Book, Pirates of the Caribbean 5 as well as The Lion King.

Radu has been working in the Entertainment industry for over 2 decades, starting off in a small studio in Romania where he worked on TV and commercials. He spent several years training and building an asset department in Jordan before returning to Romania, and eventually made his way to TRIXTER in 2012. He has progressed from Asset Supervisor to CG Supervisor, and eventually all the way to Head of CG.

Fun Fact: Radu originally studied Law before making the leap to VFX.

Originally from the Northern part of Germany, Ruth studied Media Arts in Cologne and London before diving into a nearly 2-decade-long career in VFX. She has worked all over the world, from Sydney to London, and has been working with TRIXTER on TD and Rigging since 2008. She loves living in Munich and spending as much time with her family as possible.

Steven’s background is rich in entertainment-industry technical experience, having applied his education in Computer Science to a decade-long career in DVD Authoring. He then segued into IT 10 years ago and has been working with TRIXTER for just under 2 years.