Fon Davis: Crafting Worlds for The Nightmare Before Christmas, Star Wars, The Mandalorian, The Matrix, and Interstellar

Entrepreneurs, Executives, & Eccentrics

Summary

In this conversation, Fon Davis shares his extensive journey in the motion picture industry, detailing his early inspirations, career beginnings, and notable projects including his work on 'Nightmare Before Christmas' and 'BattleBots'. He discusses the evolution of his studio, Fonco Studios, and the importance of traditional craftsmanship in modern filmmaking. Fon's story is one of passion, perseverance, and creativity, showcasing the diverse paths one can take in the film industry.

Takeaways

• Fon Davis has over 35 years of experience in the motion picture industry.
• His early inspiration came from watching 'Star Wars' at a young age.
• Fonco Studios was created to facilitate work between feature films.
• He emphasizes the importance of traditional craftsmanship in filmmaking.
• Working on 'Nightmare Before Christmas' was a pivotal moment in his career.
• Fon believes in the value of learning on the job.
• He transitioned from working at ILM to running his own studio.
• BattleBots evolved from a small competition to a major televised event.
• Fon has a passion for making robots and special effects.
• His journey highlights that success can come from non-traditional paths.

Today's guest, Fon Davis, can be found online at:

Website: ⁠https://www.foncostudios.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fonhdavis

IMDB Filmography: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204603/

Your host, Scott Turman, can be found online at:

BrightRay Publishing: ⁠https://brightray.com/⁠⁠⁠

Entrepreneur Website: ⁠https://scottturman.com/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottturman/⁠

Keywords: Fon Davis, Fonco Studios, Industrial Light and Magic, Nightmare Before Christmas, BattleBots, model making, special effects, filmmaking, career journey, visual effects