RODNEY
COSTA

As a Visual Effects Supervisor, Creative Director, and Academic Leader with over 25 years of experience, I specialize in bridging high-end industry production with academic innovation. I have a proven track record of leading large-scale distributed teams of 100–400+ artists and technologists to deliver award-winning content for global brands and platforms like Netflix.

My executive leadership experience spans across multiple international ventures, including serving as the Founder and Executive Director of Abduct Studios (2015–2026), where I built production pipelines integrating Maya, Houdini, and Unreal Engine, and managed operations across the US, Brazil, and Mexico. Previously, I also served as Executive Director for Novo Tempo Television and Netsun Technologies.

At the cutting edge of real-time graphics and immersive technologies, I currently serve as a Professor of Practice and Virtual Reality Researcher at Clemson University. My focus includes AI-integrated creative workflows, XR/AR development, and mentoring the next generation of MFA and MS graduates.

I am a proud member of the Visual Effects Society (VES) and have served as a VES Awards Judge since 2018.