Digital graphic with the text 'HACE RÉZ 2023' in large white graffiti-style font, surrounded by multicolored pixelated squares in pink, orange, blue, and black.

September 12th, 2025

2033 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Main EVENT

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Digital checkered game board with orange and black squares on a blue background.

What is Half Rez?

Half Rez is a blowout party celebrating the amazing motion artists, designers, producers, students, and studios that make Chicago and the Midwest the community it is.

The Half Rez party is a nighttime event that focuses entirely on the celebration part of Half Rez! This way, everyone can focus on networking, games, prizes, cubes, food, and drinks!

If you love the educational part of a traditional Half Rez join the Creative Sessions earlier in the day!

Who is Half Rez for? Friendly, fun, professional people in the motion design industry! Motion designers, animators, designers, producers, studios, and new students!

features @ Half Rez PARTY:

  • PARTY!

  • The Keynote Speaker and Studio Speaker on the Main Stage

  • Food! Your ticket includes food served throughout the night.

  • 20 Hidden Half Rez Cubes (scavenger hunt)

  • Realtime C4D Cube Races!

  • Giant Half Rez Jenga

  • Half Rez Pinball (with the high score prize of a Maxon One subscription!)

  • Special drinks

  • Photobooth & Vendor booths

  • Most importantly, being surrounded by all of our favorite fellow motion artists.

MAIN STAGE SPEAKERS

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A digital chessboard with blue and pink squares on an orange background.

MAIN SPEAKER TBA

Our main speaker has spent years directing and making thoughtful, beautifully crafted projects. They’ll be closing out the night with some honest insight into creativity, process, and keeping the spark alive. Stay tuned!

Kevin Gautraud
Head of Animation, OddBeast

Kevin Gautraud is a motion artist and 3D animator based in Newport, Kentucky. While studying to attain his BFA in graphic design, he discovered his passion for motion design in 2010 and couldn't resist the freedom of expression and immersion offered. Over the years, he’s built a dynamic and varied career in motion graphics, animation and tour visuals, collaborating with a range of companies and creative ventures. His work has been featured in Stash & Best of Behance. Today, Kevin serves as Chief Creative at OddBeast, a studio he co-founded with his business and creative partners.


A 3D cube with each face featuring a different checkerboard pattern: orange and yellow on top, pink and peach on one side, blue and black on another, against a dark blue background.

Creative Sessions

Isometric illustration of a cube with a checkered top and solid-colored sides in pink and orange.

Host EJ Hassenfratz

EJ Hassenfratz is a multi-Emmy winning 3D artist and educator based out of Denver, Colorado. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Hassenfratz has conducted numerous webinars and presented at events such as NAB, Adobe Video World, and SIGGRAPH. He is the creative director at School of Motion.

Casey Gu

Casey Gu is a multi-award-winning motion designer specializing in combining 2D, 3D, and mixed media to explore new storytelling techniques. Her work has earned recognition, including Best of Stash Annual Pick, Red Dot winner, and Young Ones Gold Cube. Starting her journey as a self-taught designer inspired by YouTube tutorials, Casey is now passionate about giving back to the community by creating educational content.

Topic: Flowing Between 2D and 3D: Transitions, Morphs, and Shading Tricks

Untitled Army

Lucas Camargo is the name behind the Untitled Army. 
He is an illustrator, animator, director, art director, and artist known for his unique style, surreal animations, playful yet thoughtful characters, and exquisite designs.


Elijah Sheffield

Elijah Sheffield is a 3D artist, educator, and orange belt taekwondo combatant. He builds things — characters, tools, animated shorts — and then teaches you how to build them too. His whimsical animations double as R&D for tutorials where he turns complex ideas into clear, intuitive workflows — like translating rocket science into IKEA instructions (with fewer allen wrenches).

Topic: Modular Thinking for Learning New Skills

Colorful isometric illustration of stacked blocks with geometric patterns in blue, orange, pink, and yellow, forming a three-dimensional structure.

Half Rez Schedule

Sep 12th 2025

Creative Sessions

CHOP SHOP
2033 w North Ave
Chicago, IL 60647

• 1:00 PM Doors open

Half Rez

CHOP SHOP
2033 w North Ave
Chicago, IL 60647

• 5:30 PM Doors open

Close-up of a circular logo with the text 'HALF REZ' inside a speech bubble, featuring colorful, abstract patterns on a pink background.
A group of people watching a presentation on a large screen displaying a 3D modeling or animation software interface. The screen shows a semicircular grid with a 3D scene including colorful lines and objects, with two presenters standing nearby.
Crowd of people socializing in a modern bar or cafe with wooden tables and brick walls, some sitting and some standing, holding drinks and chatting.
A group of musicians performing on stage with a colorful digital backdrop, featuring a trombone player in the foreground, other band members playing drums, trumpet, and saxophone, and stage lighting above.
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Half Rez 2025

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Half Rez 2025 ■ join us ■

Get your tickets!

OUR WONDERFUL HALF REZ SPONSORS

We couldn’t do it without them!

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Interested in supporting Half Rez? Please reach out!
HalfRezChicago@gmail.com

Meet the Half Rez Team!

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A smiling man with short brown hair and a beard, wearing a dark shirt, sitting at a social gathering with other people in the background.
Portrait of a man with glasses, short hair, and a beard, wearing a black jacket and shirt, against a dark background.
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A smiling man with a beard and short hair, wearing a dark T-shirt, against a dark background.
A young man with a beard wearing a black cap, sitting in front of a colorful rainbow light pattern, with blurry bookshelves in the background.
A young woman with long, wavy hair, wearing a black wide-brimmed hat, layered necklaces, and a multi-colored top, smiling in front of a colorful blue and teal mural background.
A woman with long wavy red hair, glasses, and a black shirt smiling with folded arms, standing in front of a colorful graffiti wall.

Half Rez wouldn’t be what it is without a little help from our friends:

Thanks to all of you for jumping in and helping bring this to life.