# We’ve been there.
Built and led by a highly experienced and passionate team that has delivered thousands of shots for award winning TV, film and commercial projects. Our shared vision is shaped by our experiences in the VFX industry and our belief that technology can improve the way VFX is made. We believe in trust, collaboration and a more equitable way of working.
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We built Hotspring to close the gap between clients and artists globally and build the flexible production models required for the next generation of content creation.
## Team
### Jon Mason
**Co-Founder & CEO**
Prior to starting Hotspring, Jon was the co-founder and CEO of Trace VFX. Over 7 years, Jon built Trace into an industry-standard brand for quality and consistency before exiting to Technicolor, a publicly-traded media, entertainment, and technology company.
jon@thehotspring.com
### Varun Parange
**Co-Founder, COO & Head of Product**
Varun was co-founder and COO at Trace VFX, and prior to that, Product Manager at ServiceChannel, an Accel backed software platform. At ServiceChannel, Varun managed the development of the online vendor discovery product Fixxbook, a platform for connecting contractors with facility managers used by numerous Fortune 100 companies.
varun@thehotspring.com
### Ben Stallard
**Managing Director**
Ben has 25 years’ experience in the VFX industry with over a decade at The Mill, including 6 years as Head of Production and most recently as Group Production Director and Executive Board member. Leveraging his extensive network, Ben founded Artclubvfx, a start-up VFX outsourcing business based in London before joining the team at Hotspring.
ben@thehotspring.com
### Arvind Upadhyay
**General Manager**
Before joining Hotspring Arvind was part of the core team at Trace VFX. After getting his start cutting mattes, Arvind quickly moved up the ranks to become a 2D supervisor – managing a team of over 400 staff and overseeing the QC of thousands of shots a year. He now leads operations at Hotspring, identifying and collaborating with our network of creative talent around the world.
arvind@thehotspring.com
### Gemma Humphries
**Executive Producer (UK)**
Gemma has worked in the VFX industry for over 20 years. 17 of those were spent at The Mill where she joined as a producer before becoming an EP and then took on the role of Head of Production. During her time at The Mill she worked with Directors such as Wes Anderson, Ringan Ledwidge. MEGAFORCE and Ivan Zacharias and on campaigns for Nike, EE, Honda and Playstation.
gemma@thehotspring.com
### Andra Bard
**Executive Producer (US)**
Andra has over 25 years experience in VFX. Her career started in high school, shuffling papers and peeking backstage at Boss Film. She further earned her chops at Digital Domain, Sony Imageworks, Weta Digital, Universal and Technicolor. Projects include The Day After Tomorrow, The Fast and The Furious and Lord of the Rings. Most recently she was Head of Production at Trace VFX.
andra@thehotspring.com
## Go ahead, dive in.
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All rights reserved.
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# News.
FEATURED
## 
22.4.24
Revolutionise your VFX Rotoscoping game with Slapshot! Say hello to the future of Rotoscoping with Hotspring’s latest innovation, Slapshot – a…
29.11.24
What a fantastic evening celebrating the exceptional talent driving the most outstanding broadcast productions of the past year at the Broadcast…
19.11.24
Hotspring were overjoyed to provide their expertise in Roto, Paint, and Tracking in this year’s highly anticipated John Lewis Christmas Advert,…
14.11.24
Hotspring worked collaboratively alongside Untold Studios in making the latest Disney Christmas Advert, ‘A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The…
We were thrilled to work alongside Electric Theatre Collective (ETC) in bringing together Tesco’s latest Christmas advert, ‘Helping Feed Your Christmas…
We had the pleasure of spending the day with Broadcast Tech at their AI Summit. The day saw many panels that…
Gemma will be joined alongside many other skilled professionals in recognising the innovative changes being made within the advertising industry. The…
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## Roto WIPs of anything in seconds
### ABOUT SLAPSHOT
Now in open Beta testing and live on Hotspring, Slapshot uses machine learning to help VFX teams save time and make faster creative decisions. Slapshot creates fast roto WIPs, enabling VFX teams to collaborate more efficiently, run faster tests, and present polished results to clients at an earlier stage.
### WHAT DO I DO TO GET STARTED
You can request early access to our Slapshot app or get slapshots as a complimentary add-on to every roto job done on Hotspring. Book in some roto as normal and your WIPs will be on the way.
### EMPOWERING VFX TEAMS WITH MACHINE LEARNING
Specifically built for commercials, TV and Film VFX work, Slapshot plugs directly into your pipeline. Created by a team who’ve been in the visual effects industry for decades, Slapshot supports all types of VFX pipelines including uncompressed source and custom delivery specs.
### BUILT FOR CONTINUOUS INNOVATION
Slapshot is getting better all the time. Created to seamlessly integrate bleeding edge research into our production pipeline, Slapshot is able to adopt the latest machine learning models – keeping pace with today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
### SECURITY
Slapshot runs on the same TPN gold certified infrastructure that Hotspring runs on. It is secure to use on any level of confidential project.
### FAQ’s
#### How much does it cost?
Slapshot is a free add-on for all Hotspring rotoscoping clients, there is no additional cost. The Slapshot WIPs are free, the final roto is charged as normal.
#### Can I just get fast WIPs and not finals?
Yes. Please get in touch with us at production@thehotspring for details.
#### Can I get Splines?
Not at the moment, you will receive rendered hard mattes.
#### Can I tell it what I want to be rotoscoped?
Send your annotations as normal and we will do the rest, sending back the multiple layers of anything you want rotoscoped.
#### Does it only rotoscope people?
No, it rotoscopes anything.
#### What doesn't it do so well?
Super fine detail, like hair and trees are difficult for Slapshot.
#### Will Slapshot be available outside of Hotspring?
Yes, Slapshot is now available as a stand alone web app. Please reach out for early access.
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# Introducing Slapshot, the future of Rotoscoping with Hotspring’s latest innovation
Revolutionise your VFX Rotoscoping game with Slapshot!
Say hello to the future of Rotoscoping with Hotspring’s latest innovation, Slapshot – a cutting-edge machine learning workflow that generates VFX Rotoscoping WIPs, at any resolution, in just seconds.
As a complimentary add-on to Hotspring’s Rotoscoping services, Slapshot empowers our clients with rapid access to WIPs of anything they desire, delivered straight to their fingertips. It’s a game-changer, and it’s exclusively yours with Hotspring.
Unlock endless possibilities, from conducting tests to accelerating your comps, and showcasing work in progress to clients faster than ever before.
## Related Articles
### 
# Hotspring Proudly Sponsors the Best Post Producer Award At This Years Broadcast Tech Innovation Awards
What a fantastic evening celebrating the exceptional talent driving the most outstanding broadcast productions of the past year at the 
We were honoured to sponsor the prestigious **Best Post Producer Award**, presented by our MD, Ben Stallard, to the incredible Kelly Grant.
The night brought together industry professionals to recognise the exceptional teams behind these achievements.
Congratulations to all the evening’s well-deserved winners. Your work continues to inspire and push the boundaries of creativity in our industry.
# Hotspring’s Roto and Paint Work Shines in This Year’s Heartwarming John Lewis Christmas Advert.
Hotspring were overjoyed to provide their expertise in Roto, Paint, and Tracking in this year’s highly anticipated , that brings together the joy of family and the magic of Christmas.
The viewers are taken on a heartwarming journey of travelling through her past to find the perfect present for her younger sister. The magic and love in Christmas can be felt through the thoughtful gift.
The advert brings festive spirit to life with high end visual effects, and a thrilling storyline that leaves the audience filled with joy.
# Hotspring Works Alongside Untold Studios in Making Disney’s 2024 Holiday Short: ‘The Boy & The Octopus’.
Hotspring worked collaboratively alongside  in making the latest , ‘A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus’.
The Hotspring team contributed to this short by completing all 215 Roto and Paint tasks, showcasing their exceptional skills and dedication.
Directed by the remarkable , the festive advert tells the moving tale of a young boy on his summer holiday, that encounters an octopus that forms a strong connection with a young boy. Together, the two experience a magical Christmas until they part ways.
The 4-minute  short is sure to fill this Christmas with character and personality, and the audience will most definitely shed a tear or two by the end of it.
# Hotspring’s Roto, Paint and Tracking Alongside ETC Brought Together bringing together Tesco’s latest Christmas advert, ‘Helping Feed Your Christmas Spirit’.
We were thrilled to work alongside  in bringing together Tesco’s latest Christmas advert, ‘’. The Hotspring team were thrilled to be working on Roto, Paint and Tracking, and bring the festive advert to life.
Soundtracked to ‘On Melancholy Hill’ by Gorillaz, the advert shows the world as we know it, being transformed into a gingerbread winter wonderland. The story takes the magic of Christmas and shows how memories can be made using Tesco products, following the death of the main characters grandma
This delicious advert, full of festive snacks and treats, is the perfect welcoming for Christmas 2024 and is sure to make the audience shed a tear.
# Hotspring Attend the 2024 Broadcast Tech AI Summit.
We had the pleasure of spending the day with  at their AI Summit.
The day saw many panels that allowed attendees to understand how AI is not only reshaping creative processes and decision-making within the filmmaking industry but is also making overall production more efficient.
One of the panels included hearing from innovative filmmaker, , who told his thrilling journey of making , which used screenplay that was written entirely by ChatGPT, as well as sharing the emotional reactions that his work provoked.
This insightful evening was an eye-opening experience that highlighted the importance of creativity in the filmmaking industry.
# Our Executive Producer, Gemma Humphries has joined the British Arrows awards as a judge for their 2025 stellar jury line up.
Gemma will be joined alongside many other skilled professionals in recognising the innovative changes being made within the advertising industry.
The 2025  night will take place on Thursday 27th March.
Sign up for early bird access is now available until the 18th of November.
Congratulations to Gemma, the night will most definitely be one to remember!