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Two talks, two different craft challenges
VIEW Conference’s 2026 program lists Velazquez’s “One-Shot Camera Approach in God of War Ragnarok” for Wednesday, October 14, from 12:45 to 13:45 CET. It is scheduled in person, in English, in FUCINE. VIEW identifies Velazquez as Game Director of God of War Ragnarök at Sony Santa Monica Studio. The title establishes the session’s focus, but the published program does not provide a fuller description or specific takeaways. VIEW’s Velazquez session listing
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Hickel’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu: Animating a Galaxy” is listed for Friday, October 16, from 17:45 to 18:45 CET, also in person, in English, and in FUCINE. VIEW’s biography identifies Hickel as an ILM Animation Director and credits him as HOD Animation Supervisor on the 2026 film. The schedule gives a session title, not a detailed account of what he will cover. VIEW’s 2026 program
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| Speaker | Project and role identified by VIEW | Session | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruno Velazquez | Game Director, God of War Ragnarök, Sony Santa Monica Studio | “One-Shot Camera Approach in God of War Ragnarok” | October 14, 12:45–13:45 CET |
| Hal Hickel | ILM Animation Director; HOD Animation Supervisor on The Mandalorian and Grogu | “The Mandalorian and Grogu: Animating a Galaxy” | October 16, 17:45–18:45 CET |
The schedule also includes an October 12 “Ask me Anything about Games, VFX and Animation” with both speakers among the participants. That is a separate program item, not evidence that their individual sessions are co-presented. After Hickel’s October 16 talk, the program lists an “ILM: 50 Years of Innovation Book Signing” with Hickel, ILM senior vice president/general manager Janet Lewin, and editor Ian Failes; it does not supply full publication details. VIEW program listings
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Why the pairing fits a computer-graphics conference
The sessions approach different problems in different media: one concerns camera direction in a game, the other animation for a feature film. Their shared place in a computer-graphics program makes a broader craft conversation relevant, but the listed titles alone do not establish how either speaker’s methods work or whether the talks will discuss crossover techniques. VIEW describes the 2026 event as its 27th International Computer Graphics Conference, taking place October 12–16 in Turin. October 12 events are at ITS ICT; October 13–16 events are at OGR, while evening screenings are at Cinema Massimo. The program says the Light Pass covers talks, panels, and keynotes. VIEW Conference 2026 program
A documented bridge: Unreal Engine and shared assets
A concrete film-and-games connection comes from The Mandalorian and Grogu director, producer, and co-writer Jon Favreau—not from the conference session descriptions. In a May 21, 2026, D23 interview, Favreau said: “The technology that’s used in in Smuggler’s Run is Unreal Engine, a game engine, that we were using for The Mandalorian series; it’s also what we used in VR for planning and designing the sets.” He also said: “So when I worked on Smuggler’s Run, I pulled in stuff and shared it with the Imagineers—all the assets that we had built for the series.” D23’s interview with Jon Favreau
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Favreau’s account links a game engine and VR planning to the series’ production work, and describes series assets being shared with Imagineers for Smuggler’s Run. It illustrates how real-time tools and digital assets can connect screen production and an interactive attraction; it should not be read as a claim that Velazquez’s or Hickel’s VIEW talk will cover those workflows. D23 notes that its interview was edited for length and clarity. It describes The Mandalorian and Grogu as a Lucasfilm feature directed by Favreau, filmed for IMAX, and bringing Din Djarin and Grogu to the big screen. Those release and exhibition details are time-sensitive.
What is known about Hickel’s animation background
VIEW’s biography says Hickel joined Industrial Light & Magic in 1996 after working at Will Vinton Studios and Pixar, where he animated on Toy Story. The biography traces his animation and animation-supervision work through The Phantom Menace, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Rango, Pacific Rim, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Mandalorian, and The Mandalorian and Grogu. VIEW describes his special interest as “the challenge of integrating fantastic characters and creatures into live-action films.” Hal Hickel’s VIEW Conference biography
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These credits help explain the perspective Hickel brings to the program, but they do not substitute for a session transcript or recording. The published schedule and biography establish the speakers’ roles, talk titles, and timing; they do not report detailed session content. The most useful comparison for attendees is therefore between the announced creative subjects and the speakers’ project roles, rather than unreported techniques or conclusions.
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