From VFX to Game-Changing Tech: A Conversation with Ariya Toroghi on Joining Voia

In a recent conversation with Ariya Toroghi, our newest 3D specialist, we dove deep into his vision for integrating Blender into our workflow and his excitement about Voia's revolutionary technology. Here's what he had to share about joining our team and his plans for pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

 A Game-Changing Technology

When asked to describe Voia in one word, Ariya didn't hesitate: "Game changer." Coming from a background in VFX and having worked on numerous compositing projects, he understands the complexities involved in traditional workflows.

"I've done VFX before, but it was mostly personal projects, compositing things into real footage," Ariya explains. "I know the process that goes into doing that. It's a lot of steps, and camera tracking is one of the hardest parts to get smooth. What Voia has developed is an absolute game changer."

 Bringing Blender into the Mix

One of Ariya's key initiatives is integrating Blender into our existing workflow. While Unreal Engine has been great for its speed and efficiency, Ariya sees Blender as a way to elevate our output even further.

"The goal with the Blender part is to make it photo realistic," he shares. "Unreal is great at what it does - it's very fast and efficient, but Blender can excel a little bit on the quality side if done right."

This dual-engine approach will give us more flexibility in meeting different client needs:

- For clients who need quick, efficient results: Unreal Engine workflow

- For those requiring ray tracing and maximum photorealism: Blender pipeline

- Ability to offer variety in visual styles and approaches

 The Technical Roadmap

While the integration is still in its early stages, Ariya has a clear vision for the path forward: "Right now, we can definitely do this in Blender - have elements react to environments, lights, and channels. The key is making our current dataset, which includes coordinates and other critical data, work smoothly with Blender's pipeline."

His immediate focus is on automating these processes: "What I'm working on now is transferring our automated system and scripts into Blender. That way, it becomes as streamlined as our current workflow."

 The Future of Content Creation

Looking ahead, Ariya sees enormous potential in what we're building. "I believe in the vision. I think this is the future of content generation in general," he enthuses. "Whether we're talking about professional filmmakers or content creators for social media, this technology is going to transform how people work."

He emphasizes the versatility of what's possible: "We could place subjects anywhere - Mars, desert landscapes, simple four-wall rooms for promotions. The possibilities are endless."

 A Culture of Innovation and Growth

What stands out about Ariya's perspective is his commitment to continuous improvement. "I'm a student. Always," he says. "The goal is to try to improve every month."

This mindset perfectly aligns with our startup culture of constant evolution and development. As we continue to push boundaries and explore new possibilities, having team members like Ariya who combine technical expertise with a growth mindset is invaluable.