Curriculum Vitae
Summerville, South Carolina • rodney@florenciodacosta.com
Executive & Academic Profile
Executive, Visual Effects Supervisor, Creative Director, and Academic Leader with 25+ years of experience across film, television, commercial advertising, real-time graphics, and immersive technologies. Currently Professor of Practice and Virtual Reality/AI Researcher at Clemson University, AI-integrated workflows Leader, Unreal Engine pipelines, and virtual production governance. Proven ability to lead international teams of 100–400+ artists and technologists across multicultural environments, deliver high-end content portfolios for Netflix and Tier-1 global brands (Coca-Cola, Boston Scientific, Toyota), and build scalable pipelines bridging industry production and academic innovation. Former Founder and Executive Director of Abduct Studios (2015–April 2026). Visual Effects Society member for several years and VES Awards Judge since 2018.
Professional Experience
Professor of Practice | Virtual Reality Researcher
Clemson University | 2018 – Present
- Develop and lead graduate and undergraduate courses in: Visual Programming (Unreal Engine), Sound for Animation & Games, 3D Modeling, Look Development, and Virtual Production
- Integrate AI-driven workflows and real-time production pipelines into curriculum design
- Advise and mentor multiple MFA and MS graduate theses annually, serving as Primary Advisor and Committee Member
- Guide thesis projects from concept through research, production, and final defense
- Supervise student work aligned with industry standards and emerging technologies
- Contribute to curriculum innovation in virtual production, XR, and USD-based workflows
Founder & Executive Director
Abduct Studios — USA / Brazil / Mexico | 2015 – April 2026
- Founded and led an international VFX, Interactives systems and finishing studio
- Delivered projects across feature films, streaming series, and commercial campaigns
- Built production pipelines integrating Maya, Blender, Houdini, Unreal Engine, and DI workflows
- Managed distributed teams across multiple countries
- Led business development and international client relationships
Visual Effects Supervisor / Creative Director
International Productions — USA / Mexico / Brazil | 2009 – 2015
- Supervised VFX for feature films and large-scale productions
- Led teams of up to 400 artists and production staff
- Managed full production lifecycle from pre-production to delivery
Executive Director | Producer
Novo Tempo Television | 2005 – 2009
- Managed a 65+ person production team
- Produced television programs, live events, and music content
- Oversaw full production and post-production pipelines
Founder & Executive Director
Netsun Technologies and Services | 2000 – 2005
- Built and led an early internet services company in São Paulo
- Managed a 35+ person team delivering digital infrastructure solutions