What advice would you give to your younger self?

"I probably would say keep doing what you were doing, make those mistakes and learn from those because I did so much of that ’trial and error’ approach young, it got me to where I am today."

Vertex 2024: see how HaZ Dulull blurs the line between film and video games in Unreal Engine

(Image credit: HaZ Dulull / Future)

At HaZimation, HaZ Dulull and his team produce animated feature films, series and video games based on a propriety pipeline using Unreal Engine. Haz has also recently directed the incredible game cinematic's for DUNE: Awakening.

At Vertex 2024, he will tell us about HaZimation's transmedia approach for producing IP in movies and games, and show how recent projects blurred the lines between animated feature films and video games with the power of Unreal Engine and Fortnite.

Best known as HaZ Dulull, Hasraf started his career in VFX before transitioning to directing and producing feature films such as The Beyond and 2036 Origin Unknown, both of which were licensed to Netflix and series like Disney’s Fast Layne. He's since , founded the production company HaZimation with Paula Crickard. The company recently completed RIFT and is in production on an animated feature based on Mutant Year Zero at its newly launched Belfast office.

Where did you grow up and how has this influenced your art?

"I grew up in North London, in a pretty ‘rough’ council estate. Playing outside wasn’t really a safe option, so I spent a lot of time in the library reading comics and sci-fi books – yep, I was that nerd at 8 years old reading Authur C Clarke books and trying to wrap my head around hard sci-fi themes! But when I got into sixth form, I became obsessed with arcades. I spent my weekends at the London Trocaedeo! (Remember that Mecca of gaming?!) and started to create friendships in arcades (most of the time Street Fighter 2 challenges!). This lead to my love of video games, and I saw how video games wasn’t just a solo thing you do at home, but it could also be community thing too.

"When I got my first job at 16 working at Tesco, I saved up enough to get my first PC with one of the first Pentium chips, and I started creating pixel art and music. I also remember me and my brothers using my Dads VHS camera to shoot silly action movies (inspired by Jackie Chan movies). So my growing up really did inspire my art in games and digital art. Also let’s not forget some of the notable games in history came from the early 90s UK game dev scenes! (Themepark from Bullfrog, Starfox from Argonaut Games etc)."

How did you get started in art and what keeps you going?

"I had always been creating ’stuff’ since I was as young as 5! (So my mom tells me!), starting from organised mess that turned into art to then building my own renditions of spaceships with Lego (even though the Lego set was to build a tractor!). So I was always breaking rules and working off the edge, and I guess this influenced a lot of my art going into my career, and still today in the way I approach storytelling, to executing scenes / shots in a movie and embracing new ways of reaching audiences via Fortnite.

"Getting inspired by other great filmmakers and artists is what keeps me going with my art as a film and game director. I get fired up when I see something really good in a movie or game, and challenge myself to be bold and brave with my art whilst still maintaining a commercial angle (in order to keep making art!)."

Is there a piece of art from your portfolio that you really love?

"Oooh that's hard, but for me it would be my short film Project Kronos. It was a crazy idea of creating a fake documentary about sending a human brain into space which eventually makes first contact with intelligence out there. There was no rules with how I made that movie, and I was able to blend my love of sci-fi research with grounded filmmaking to create something that felt real yet was so batshit crazy!

"I learnt so much making that movie, from using every penny of own my small self-funded budget to working with actors, and also getting a short film out there with all the marketing etc. This short film is extra special for me because it was the project that got me recognition in Hollywood, getting Vimeo staff picked. Shortly after, I was signed for representation and started working with studios in LA on developing projects."

What will you be talking about at Vertex?

"I am excited to be speaking at Vertex this year, and I will be speaking about the Transmedia approache me and my team at HaZimation take when producing IP in movies and games, and show how our recent projects blurred the lines between animated feature films and video games with the power of Unreal Engine and Fortnite. So if you are a filmmaker, a game developer, or someone that just wants to create content to tell stories in a new exciting ways, then come and check out my session."

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Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.