The Story of VAD

VAD was born from a passion for visual storytelling, design, and technology, evolving into a powerhouse for production design, visualization, and virtual art direction. Its foundations trace back to the 20-year career of Ricardo Contreras, a seasoned storyboard artist, concept designer, creature effects artist and virtual art director, whose experience in film, television, and VFX laid the groundwork for a studio that merges artistic vision with operative and technical precision.

By 2020, after years of collaborating regularly with top production designers, directors, and VFX teams, a core group of artists and technical experts came together to refine their workflow and expand their creative reach. Their seamless collaboration and shared expertise in bridging physical and digital production led to the natural evolution of formalizing VAD as a dedicated studio—one that would not only provide high-end visualization services but also actively contribute to the design and technical development of sets, props, and cinematic environments.

From the start, VAD set itself apart by offering more than previsualization—it became a strategic creative partner, ensuring that every design, whether for physical sets or digital environments, was both artistically compelling and production-ready. With a strong foundation in concept art, storyboarding, and digital set design, VAD integrates traditional cinematic artistry with cutting-edge tools like real-time rendering, and virtual production to optimize resources, streamline production, and enhance storytelling.

As the studio took on its first major projects, it rapidly evolved, refining its design-driven approach to filmmaking and assisting how art departments, directors, and VFX teams visualize and execute their ideas. Today, VAD stands at the intersection of art, innovation, and production efficiency, crafting immersive worlds and cinematic experienceswith a commitment to creativity and precision.

Team

Ricardo Contreras
Founder, General Director

Alex Navi
Founder, Cinematic Design and Visualization Director

Enzo Nieto
Founder, Technical Design and Visualization Director

Roy Villanueva
Associate, CGI Artist and Set Designer

Alfredo Carmona
Associate, Concept Artist

Erick Attoz
Associate, Concept Artist

And a great pool of artists that follow the VAD way….