Payam Shohadai

Executive Visual Effects Supervisor / Co Founder

Payam Shohadai is co-founder of Luma Pictures and the leader of its creative and executive management teams. Under his guidance, the company has established itself as a premier provider of visual effects services to Hollywood with a reputation for artistic and business integrity, technical innovation and efficient production.

Luma's steady growth under Shohadai's leadership is a testament to the quality of work—and life—that he espouses. An advocate of the "work hard, play hard" attitude, Shohadai provides Luma with ample opportunities for team-building activities, cultural excursions and enjoyable events. This attitude permeates the Luma world and fosters a feeling of family within the studio, not only in their "extracurricular" activities but also throughout production.

Shohadai has led Luma's visual effects team on more than 75 film projects, ranging from blockbusters such as Marvel's The Avengers and X-Men: First Class, to creature genre films such as the Underworld franchise, to dramatic Oscar-nominated films such as the Coen brothers' True Grit.

Jonathan Betuel

Co Founder

Jonathan Betuel, co-founder of Luma Pictures with Payam Shohadai, wrote the first and classic CGI film The Last Starfighter and has directed and produced for both film and television. With his creative experience and first-hand knowledge of a filmmaker's creative needs in an ever-evolving VFX realm, he collaborates with studios, producers and directors on an ongoing basis for the purpose of realizing their visions at Luma.

Vincent Cirelli

VP of Production

Vince Cirelli is the supervising creative at Luma Pictures with more than 50 films to his credit backed by many years of practical, hands-on technical experience in visual effects production. Vince directly leads and oversees show execution artistically and technically at Luma Pictures.

Prior to joining Luma Pictures in 2004, Cirelli was an award winning creative director working on many campaigns for fortune 500 companies including Coca-Cola, General Mills, Hasbro, Target, Toyota, the U.S. Army and United Airlines.

Steven Swanson

Senior VFX Producer

Steven Swanson oversees all aspects of visual effects production at Luma Pictures. In addition to interfacing with clients and managing staff, Swanson has an extensive technical background as a self-taught programmer and visual effects artist. Swanson spearheaded the development of file architecture and workflow protocols that are the foundation of the studio's pipeline.

A graduate of USC Film school, Swanson began his career as a code monkey and interface designer in the energy industry and joined Luma Pictures in 2004.

Lindsay Hallett

Director of Business Relations

Lindsay Hallett joined Luma Pictures in 2009 as Director of Business Relations. It is Hallett's second tenure with Luma, she previously served as a producer. In her current role, she is focused on developing and diversifying Luma's client base and enhancing its reputation in the film industry and beyond.

Hallett (formerly Burnett) has worked on more than 100 films over the course of her career. As Executive Producer at Riot, she oversaw visual effects production for such films as The Spirit, Live Free or Die Hard and The Time Traveler's Wife. During her previous tenure at Luma, she produced for such films as Underworld: Evolution.

Vicki Mayer

Executive Producer-Commercial Content

Vicki Mayer oversees all advertising-related VFX project work at Luma Pictures. In addition to liaising directly with clients and managing staff, Vicki also takes an active role in expanding and establishing client relationships in a wide array of industry categories for the company.

Prior to joining Luma Pictures in 2012, Vicki held the titles of Agency Producer and VFX Producer at many top companies in both advertising and visual effects. Mayer also is an Academy Award-nominated producer, having had her short film, "The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306," receive a nomination at the 81st Academy Awards in the "Documentary Short Subject" category.