Raul Moreno

Raul Moreno is a Professor at Otis College of Art and Design, teaching specialized design courses in Unreal Engine and Side FX Houdini within the Animation and Game Design majors. A veteran of both academia and the visual effects industry, he leverages over two decades of professional filmmaking experience to bridge theoretical instruction with real-world production pipelines.

Education

• Bachelor of Architecture, Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)

Research Interests: Moreno's creative scholarship centers on procedural generation and democratizing high-end CG tools for underrepresented artists. His work explores the intersection of architectural principles, digital fabrication, and emerging technologies like real-time engines. Personal projects—such as procedurally generated Houdini art series (Breathe, Blue Landscape) and cityscape photography—demonstrate his commitment to accessible, tool-agnostic creation methodologies that empower emerging talent.

Awards

• Distinguished Educator Award from Otis College of Art and Design (2022), nominated by students and faculty for teaching excellence
• AIA National Student Scholarship (1990)

Advising & Professional Impact: Moreno actively mentors students through his mission to dismantle barriers in CG tool access, particularly for marginalized communities. His industry partnerships—spanning Marvel, Disney, and Sony—provide students with direct pathways into professional pipelines. Though no formal grants are documented, his 2022 Educator Award underscores institutional recognition of his transformative pedagogical approach.

Creative Practice: His studio integrates metal/wood fabrication with digital workflows, reflecting early SCI-Arc shop experience. Current projects focus on real-time rendering techniques in Redshift and procedural systems that challenge traditional CG hierarchies.