Inside LMN Studio: How AYON is shaping the future of Indonesia’s VFX industry
In Jakarta’s creative scene, LMN Studio, formerly known as Lumine Studio, has become a leader in VFX and animation. Specialising in commercials and live-action films, the studio has steadily built a reputation for excellence, thanks in large part to its adoption of AYON, the leading open-source pipeline platform that has significantly enhanced their production workflow.
The studio was founded by Andi Wijaya and Fabian Loing, with Kalvin Irawan later joining as a partner. Together, they envisioned a studio that could compete on the global stage, handling everything from pre-visualisation and on-set supervision to final compositing. “Currently, Andi and Fabian focus on business development and client relations, while I concentrate on production,” says Irawan. His role involves running dailies, leading meetings, and collaborating with producers on project bidding, among other responsibilities.
A Focus on Efficiency and Workflow
LMN prides itself on having one of the most structured pipelines in the Indonesian VFX industry. “Our focus on efficiency extends beyond scripting and coding; it touches nearly every department and everything we do at the studio,” Irawan explains. This includes establishing standardised naming conventions for models, textures, and light maps, sharing reusable assets and templates across projects, and developing custom tools and gizmos tailored to specific project needs. Implementing AYON has further amplified these efficiencies, especially in streamlining onboarding through a project wiki that serves as a comprehensive resource for new team members.
With a core team of around 10 people, including showrunners, supervisors, and pipeline staff, LMN typically initiates projects by establishing schedules and setting up an internal wiki. As the project progresses, the team scales up to around 30 members to manage the workload. For larger projects, the studio may further expand to about 50 people by bringing in up to 20 freelancers, primarily for roto work. These 30 core team members handle multiple projects at once, often juggling 5 to 10 projects simultaneously. Despite the high volume of work, the team size rarely exceeds 100 people, which makes a robust and adaptable pipeline essential for ensuring quality and timely delivery.
Kalvin Irawan’s Journey to Leadership
Kalvin Irawan’s path to becoming COO and VFX Supervisor at LMN Studio highlights his versatile skill set and dedication to mastering various aspects of the VFX industry. His career began in 2D illustration and storyboarding, where he honed his eye for detail – a skill that proved invaluable as he transitioned into 3D lighting.
“I began my career as an illustrator and storyboard artist. My strong 2D background has been invaluable, helping me develop a keen eye for detail,” he shares. His shift into 3D lighting came during his time at EA, where he worked on FIFA 17. This role deepened his understanding of 3D lighting and led to a position at MPC, where he contributed to high-profile projects like The Mummy and Justice League. “Managing complex 3D scenes at MPC gave me insight into the critical importance of a well-structured pipeline,” he adds.
Returning to Indonesia, he joined Lumine Studio (now LMN), where he initially led the team on their first live-action project, Foxtrot Six. “I was responsible for creating the workflow for all modelling, texturing, lookdev, and final lighting renders,” he says. His role continued to evolve as he took on greater responsibilities, ultimately becoming CG Supervisor and then COO. This progression is a testament to his ability to adapt and lead in a rapidly changing industry.
In recent years, Irawan has focused on mastering the 2D department, immersing himself in areas like matchmove, roto, prep, and compositing. “Knowing nearly every department in VFX has driven me to build a proper workflow and collaborate closely with our internal pipeline team to create essential tools,” he explains. His deep involvement in the pipeline has been instrumental in establishing LMN’s reputation for technical excellence and creative innovation.
The AYON Advantage
The decision to integrate AYON into their pipeline came at a critical time for LMN. First introduced during the production of Sri Asih, a local superhero film, and its sequel Tira, AYON’s capabilities aligned perfectly with the studio’s needs. These projects, which involved over 900 shots, marked LMN’s first major collaboration as the main VFX vendor and their debut partnership with Disney Hotstar.
“AYON allowed us to produce more shots in less time, significantly enhancing our efficiency,” Irawan explains. The platform’s integration with ftrack, a project management tool, has been instrumental in coordinating the various stages of production. From initial VFX pulls to final compositing, AYON’s seamless connectivity with industry-standard software like Maya, Houdini, and Nuke enabled LMN to maintain high standards of quality while meeting tight deadlines.
The integration also included the development of custom on-set wrangling tools by the internal pipeline team. These tools helped the studio efficiently process and publish shoot data to ftrack, further enhancing productivity. Looking forward, the team aims to integrate Foundry’s Katana with AYON for their lighting department, a move that will further streamline their lighting workflows and expand their technical capabilities.
Overcoming Production Challenges
Before adopting AYON, LMN faced difficulties managing creative notes from clients and supervisors, as information often became scattered. “We were using Excel sheets, which made sharing notes and comparing versions cumbersome,” Irawan recalls. The integration of AYON with ftrack resolved these issues almost immediately, consolidating feedback and project data in one place. This not only improved internal workflows but also strengthened client relationships by providing a transparent and structured feedback loop.
VFX pulls in the editorial phase typically consumed a significant amount of time early in their production process. However, AYON’s ability to publish over 100 shots directly to ftrack from Hiero and DaVinci Resolve, including various plate types such as the main EXR, witness cam, and reference sphere plates, dramatically accelerated this process. “This improvement alone has increased our efficiency by 300%,” states Irawan. By rendering all plates on their farm, LMN was able to significantly speed up this process, ensuring that the studio met its tight deadlines without compromising on quality.
The studio’s ability to produce high-quality work was recognised when they won the prestigious Citra Award for Best Visual Effects in 2023 for their work on Sri Asih. This was a significant achievement for LMN, validating their investment in a robust and efficient pipeline.
Building a Strong Partnership with Ynput
The successful adoption of AYON was made possible through close collaboration with Ynput, the creators of the platform. “The Ynput team has been fantastic to work with. They respond quickly and have provided us with valuable insights on how to build an efficient and effective pipeline for a mid-size studio like ours,” says Irawan. This partnership has been crucial in fine-tuning LMN’s workflow and addressing any technical hurdles they encountered during production.
While the transition to AYON presented some challenges, such as initial publishing errors and the need for supervisors to train junior staff, the overall impact has been overwhelmingly positive. Irawan’s role, which has evolved significantly over his seven years at LMN, now involves a deeper engagement with workflow structuring and tool development, ensuring that the studio continues to operate at peak efficiency.
With AYON now firmly embedded in their operations, LMN Studio is poised for significant expansion. Plans are underway to extend their footprint across multiple cities in Indonesia, leveraging AYON’s scalable infrastructure to manage larger, more complex projects. “We plan to expand our team to multiple cities across Indonesia, and having AYON as the backbone of our pipeline is a logical step forward,” Irawan shares.
A Vision for Industry Growth
LMN’s journey with AYON has been focused on achieving internal efficiency and high standards of quality. By embracing innovative tools and refining their workflow, the studio aims to continue pushing the creative boundaries within their own projects. The studio is also looking forward to incorporating more advanced AYON features available in the newly released add-ons like the web publisher, which will enable more efficient remote data publishing during on-set activities.
With a growing portfolio of high-profile projects and a clear vision for the future, LMN Studio is set to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in visual effects and animation. Their partnership with Ynput and the capabilities offered by AYON are central to this journey, ensuring they remain at the forefront of Indonesia’s burgeoning digital arts scene.
By building on their achievements and maintaining a relentless focus on quality and efficiency, LMN is not just shaping the future of their studio but also playing a pivotal role in the development of Indonesia’s creative landscape. As they expand their reach across Indonesia and beyond, their story serves as a powerful example of how technology and collaboration can lead to exceptional results.
