El Ranchito's Alex Rivas on his work on Stranger Things and Game of Thrones: "That sequence... That was El Ranchito"

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Following our exclusive on the future of visual effects, where Alex Rivas highlighted that "AI is not to be feared, but to be used as a tool," we also spoke with the El Ranchito VFX artist about some of the studio's most iconic projects.

Now... when discussing their portfolio, Stranger Things came up first. "I contributed a tiny part, but my colleagues did incredible work. For instance, Eleven's bunker sequence. She destroys the whole bunker, pulls off the doors. That sequence... that was El Ranchito. Also, Beckner's attack sequences, without him on frame but destroying the village. It was amazing to see on screen. Working with the Duffer Brothers was a challenge; we had to give our best, and they liked it."

Rivas also reflects on his early career with Game of Thrones: "I was about 20 or 21 when I started, and working on Game of Thrones was like a dream come true. For a kid in this industry, it was scary but incredible. The crew was meticulous with every pixel, and that attention to detail taught me so much about the craft."

Unfortunately, Alex Rivas can't disclose anything about upcoming projects until they're completed. "Until the trailer is out, we cannot say anything, because our contracts are this way," he explains. However, it's safe to say we can expect something new from him soon.

In the meantime, if you want to learn more about the future of visual effects, his work on Stranger Things and Game of Thrones, and much more, check out below our full conversation with Alex Rivas.