REEL + SELECTED PROJECTS

Reel Details

Writing, directing, camera*, editing, VFX, art direction, colour, sound, and music** by John Mutter on all projects.
*except on The Machine and We Could Wait….
**except in Jo Passed music video.

Ten Years in VFX

Proven track record with premium clients - Ten years of experience delivering high-quality visual effects for industry leaders like Disney, Netflix, and Marvel demonstrates the ability to meet high standards and work within strict guidelines.
Cost-conscious creativity - Intimate knowledge of what's expensive, time-consuming, or problematic in post allows for making smart directorial decisions during pre-production and filming that prevent costly fixes later.
Problem-solving under pressure - VFX work requires constant creative and technical problem-solving within tight deadlines, skills that directly transfer to the fast-paced commercial production environment.

Decades in DIY production

Extensive DIY production experience - Tens of thousands of hours invested in shooting, editing, VFX, and photo manipulation provides intuitive understanding of what works visually and how each creative decision impacts the entire project. DIY background enables independent work, quick creative decisions, and the ability to handle multiple roles when needed, making productions more streamlined and cost-effective while ensuring cohesive vision execution.
Connoisseur of styles - Proven ability to successfully achieve diverse styles, looks, and moods shows capability to match any aesthetic requirements while maximizing creative impact regardless of financial constraints.
Clear and compassionate communication - Extensive background working with actors and creative professionals with an ego-free leadership style that focuses on serving the project. Strong communication skills enable clear articulation of creative concepts while remaining open to team input, creating supportive environments where collaborators feel fulfilled.

Composer / sound designer

Trained composer and musician with eight original albums demonstrates deep understanding of how music and visuals interact, enabling creation of cohesive audio-visual work. Ability to compose, produce, mix, and master original music means creating custom soundtracks tailored specifically to each commercial's unique needs (and strong ability to choose the right pre-made commercial music), while hands-on sound design work provides comprehensive understanding of audio's role in advertising.
Bilingual in “audio” and “visual” - Extensive experience translating between visual and musical languages enables effective articulation of creative concepts to both visual and audio professionals, ensuring unified creative vision across the entire production pipeline. Understanding of mixing, mastering, and sound design allows oversight of the audio post-production process ensuring consistent quality and eliminating potential communication gaps between departments.

WORK

DIRECTOR, INTERACTIVE + DIGITAL MEDIA ARTIST - 2008 - Present
Clients: Sub Pop Records, Lumiére Festival, TAIKAN, Vancouver International Jazz Fest, BIRD, Vancouver New Music, Awakening Chiang Mai, Single Line Theatre, Sundae Records, etc.
Awards: PHNX Ad Awards Shortlist 2025, California Music Video Awards Nomination 2025, Leo Award Nominations for Best Music Video 2019 + 2024.

SENIOR VFX COMPOSITOR AT SCANLINE VFX - January - June 2025 + May - August 2023
Projects: Happy Gilmore 2, Beverly Hills Cop 4
Clients: Netflix
Tasks: Complex CG environments and crowds, 3D head replacements, FX integration, blue and green screen.

SENIOR VFX COMPOSITOR AT CASUARINA STUDIOS - Sept - Nov 2024
Clients: Amazon
Tasks: Full CG animal integration, environments.

SENIOR COMPOSITOR AT FUSE FX - March - May 2023
Clients: ABC
Tasks: CG integration, blue and green screen.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE - October - December 2022
Maispace Gallery, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Projects: Interactive digital media using TouchDesigner.

COMPOSITING SUPERVISOR AT WESTERN FX - Nov 2021 - Oct 2022
Clients: Netflix
Tasks: Leading comp team by assigning and noting shots, creating looks and templates for 3D characters, CG integration, look development.

SENIOR VFX COMPOSITOR AT WESTERN FX - Jan - Nov 2021
Clients: Netflix Tasks: 2D portal and magic design, CG integration, look development.

VFX COMPOSITOR AT LUX - Jan 2016 - March 2020
Clients: Marvel, Disney, Netflix, Hulu, etc.
Awards: Leo Award Nominations for Best Visual Effects In A Dramatic Series in 2018 and 2019
Tasks: CG integration, green and blue screen, look development, de-aging, matte painting, complex Nuke UV projections, etc.

PHOTOSHOP INSTRUCTOR - September 2019 - June 2020
Tasks: Taught advanced compositing and retouching Photoshop workshops in-person and via Zoom for VIVO Media Arts Centre.

COMPOSITOR AT MPC - June - December 2015
Project: Disney’s The Finest Hours (feature)
Awards: MPC’s Shot Of The Year award
Tasks: Stereo conversion and recomposite of full CG shots.

SOUND DESIGNER AT OPTICAL LAB (KOREA) - 2012 - 2013
Clients: GS & Point, Seallet
Tasks: Created original soundtracks and sound designs for animated commercials.