About Bryan Howard

I’m Bryan Howard, a Toronto Film School graduate who has built a diverse career spanning visual effects, precision engineering, and innovative software development. My work bridges the gap between entertainment technology and practical engineering solutions.

Professional Background

🎬 Visual Effects Industry

With over 20 years of professional VFX experience, I’ve contributed to major Hollywood productions including:

• The Get Down (2016) - Rigger/Developer, Encore VFX (IMDb 8.2, Netflix acclaimed series)
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) - Visual Effects, Soho VFX (IMDb 7.3)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - VFX Technical Director, Soho VFX (IMDb 6.9)
• The Book of Eli (2010) - 3D Artist, Soho VFX (IMDb 6.8)

Full IMDB Profile: nm2389483

🔧 Engineering & Innovation

I specialize in developing precision measurement tools and DIY CNC machines, particularly the open-source PrintNC project. Most of my YouTube channel focuses on PrintNC builds, modifications, and precision measurement techniques. My laser measurement system was featured on Hackaday.com for achieving professional-grade precision using affordable consumer electronics.

💻 Software Development

My programming expertise spans: - Python - Primary language for tool development and automation - Go & C++ - System programming and performance-critical applications - VFX Pipeline Tools - Custom solutions for film and game development

Notable Open Source Projects

🎯 Featured Innovations

PyFlowGraph - Highly interactive, node-based visual scripting editor built with Python and PySide6 for dynamic node creation and connection

laser-level-webcam - Revolutionary precision measurement tool achieving micron-level accuracy using affordable consumer electronics (featured on Hackaday.com)

python-node-editor - GUI framework for organizing reusable Python code in visual node networks with modular approach

PrintNC_Solidworks - Contributor to 100% free and open-source high-performance CNC machine designs

Recognition & Community Impact

My innovative work has gained recognition across multiple communities:

• Hackaday.com Feature - Laser measurement system showcased for achieving professional-grade precision with consumer electronics
• PrintNC Discord Community - Active contributor sharing precision measurement techniques and CNC builds
• GitHub Community - Multiple repositories with practical tools for VFX and manufacturing applications

Areas of Expertise

• Visual Effects (VFX) - Creating tools and workflows for the film/entertainment industry
• Virtual Reality (VR) - Developing immersive experiences and applications
• Game Development - Building games and related development tools
• CNC Machining - Designing computer-controlled manufacturing equipment with innovative laser-based precision measurement
• Machine Learning & AI - Actively involved in generative AI, LLMs, and agentic coding solutions

Content Creation

I share my knowledge through: - YouTube Channel - CNC machining tutorials, laser precision measurement techniques, and VFX workflows - GitHub - Open source projects and collaborative development - Community Forums - Technical discussions and knowledge sharing

Philosophy

My approach combines practical engineering with creative problem-solving, focusing on building tools that enable others to create. I believe in democratizing access to precision tools by showing how affordable technology can achieve professional-grade results. My open-source contributions reflect a commitment to sharing knowledge and advancing the broader technology community.

This Website

This site is built with Pelican, a Python-powered static site generator, and hosted on GitHub Pages. It serves as both a portfolio of my work and a platform for sharing insights from my diverse career in VFX, engineering, and software development.

Support My Work

If you find my tutorials helpful or my open source projects useful, consider supporting me with a coffee! Your support helps me continue creating quality content and innovative tools.

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Want to connect? Check out the contact page for all the ways to reach me, or explore my work on GitHub, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Hackaday.io.