01 — Journal

News, lessons, and breakdowns from the
world of VFX.

Studio updates, production lessons, technical notes, and breakdowns from SGZ work and standout effects in games, films, process, and the how behind the impact.

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  • News
  • Lessons
  • Breakdowns
  • Game analysis
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LessonsMay 4, 2026

Niagara profiling: what actually matters

Where to spend your time profiling VFX for cutscenes.

6 min read
Tricks & lessonsMay 1, 2026

Telegraph, impact, resolve: reading combat VFX

How to build clear, dramatic, and readable combat VFX, beat by beat.

9 min read
SGZ breakdownsApr 24, 2026

A breakdown of boss arena portal effect

From concept to in-engine: a senior FX artist breaks down a hero shot.

12 min read
LessonsApr 21, 2026

What makes a reveal trailer effect feel premium

Craft, direction, and timing that puts a reveal in another tier.

7 min read
Game breakdownsApr 16, 2026

Studying atmospheric VFX in modern shooters

Lighting, particles, and mood in service of readability.

10 min read
PipelineApr 12, 2026

Inside our production pipeline for high-impact effects

Tooling, reviews, and iteration loops that stick.

11 min read

From the games we study

Game breakdowns
& analysis.

Diving into standout effects from the games we love. What makes them work, and where they fall.

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From the lessons

Bite-sized craft.
Lasting impact.

Short reads, technical notes, and experiments to level up your real-time VFX.

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