Half Rez
Chicago 2026
Sept 11
CineCity, Chicago
2026
What is Half Rez?
Half Rez is half conference, half party, and all-out celebration of the artists, designers, animators, producers, studios, and students that shape the Chicago and Midwest motion design community.
Creative Sessions are the educational side of Half Rez. These afternoon talks with leading designers are great for picking up new ideas and getting inspired alongside other pros and students.
The Main Event shifts things into party mode. It’s a night built for connecting, with main-stage speakers, plenty of networking and fun activities, and great food and drinks.
Food Trucks
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Special Drinks
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Food Trucks • Special Drinks •
All new venue
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CineCity
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All new venue • CineCity •
What’s happening at Half Rez 2026
All new venue!
Keynote Speaker and Studio Speaker on the Main Stage
Food Trucks
Special drinks
20 Hidden Half Rez Cubes (scavenger hunt)
Realtime C4D Cube Races
Giant Half Rez Jenga
Half Rez Pinball (high score gets a Maxon One subscription)
Photobooth
Vendor booths
Main Event Speakers
Kevin Gautraud
Welcome
Topic: Lorem ipsum
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.
Donnie Bauer
Studio Speaker
Topic: Lorem ipsum
Donnie is a Director, Creative Director, and Designer with over a decade of experience leading cross-disciplinary teams shaping bold, idea-first work. From arena tours to animated spots for Starbucks and Amazon, he’s all about creative flow, collaboration, and curiosity. Lately? He’s navigating his biggest production yet: life as a first-time dad.
Creative Sessions
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
CineCity, Chicago
September 11, 2026
Schedule
All Half Rez events take place on Sep 11, 2026, at CineCity, 2429 W. 14th St Chicago, IL 60608.
Creative Sessions
Doors open at 12:30p
Studio Tours
Lorem timing
Half Rez Main Event
Starts at 5:30p sharp
Get Tickets
Parking + Directions
New venue this year! Here’s how to get to CineCity:
Valet parking on site $20
Blue Line and Half Rez Shuttle
Pink Line and 5 block walk
Street parking
Sponsors
Interested in supporting Half Rez? Let’s talk.
Premier Sponsor
Full Rez Sponsors
Half Rez Sponsors
Quarter Rez Sponsors
Half Rez Leadership Team
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Amador Valenzuela
FOUNDER
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Chris Schmidt
DESIGN DIRECTOR
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Mike Kislovsky
SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR
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Kate Smith
SALES MANAGER
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EJ Hassenfratz
MARKETING DIRECTOR
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Bradley Naugle
Description goes here
Big thanks to all our friends who help make the magic.
Web Design
Chad Lynn
Animation
Alison Kim
Animation
Exploding House
T-Shirts