In this episode, we sit down with Tony Lazarowich, a Mechanical / Practical Special Effects Supervisor, to talk about the real-world craft behind on-set magic: rain, snow, smoke, fire, blood, hydraulics, pneumatics, explosions, and the safety-first mindset that holds it all together.

Tony shares how he went from pulling cable as a teenager to “finding” his way onto sets in Vancouver, learning the trade hands-on, and eventually building a career spanning decades of film and television. We also dig into how practical effects collaborate with stunts and VFX, how technology has evolved, and how AI is changing the landscape.

Tony also discusses working alongside his wife, filmmaker Gina Hole Lazarowich, whose latest film Robert was recently accepted to the prestigious Beverly Hills Film Festival.

Watch the trailer for Robert here:

https://vimeo.com/1165519482?fl=pl&fe=sh

In this episode

• What practical and mechanical special effects actually include (and why it’s more than “blowing stuff up”)

• How Tony broke into the industry (including a legendary shop story)

• Safety culture on set and why it’s non-negotiable

• Breaking down the planning process: script, questions, testing, execution

• Practical vs VFX: where the handoff happens and how departments coordinate

• Favorite career stories (Friday the 13th chaos, Elf snow problem-solving)

• Advice for newcomers: skills that actually get you hired

Check out the video interview here!

https://youtu.be/ymLX95Oo-jk

IMDb:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0493794/

Pacific West Special Effects:

https://www.pacwestspfx.com/

Pacific West Special Effects – About:

https://www.pacwestspfx.com/about

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/pacwestspfx/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pacificwestSPFX/

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