Ilija Brunck operates at the intersection of craft and culture. As partner and CEO of Woodblock, the studio he co-founded alongside visual artist Uli Staiger out of the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Brunck has steadily built a body of work that defies categorization, moving between commercial storytelling, experimental shorts, and immersive media.

His films are often deceptively simple on the surface, but technically and conceptually precise underneath. Works like 458nm, Loom, and Bye Bear demonstrate a consistent through-line: controlled visual design paired with resonating themes of life and death finished with haunting musical scores. The result is work that reads instantly but lingers, a quality that has earned recognition at SIGGRAPH and Ars Electronica Festival, including honors like Best in Show and the Golden Nica.

Under his direction, Woodblock has delivered for a wide range of global clients, including Apple, Nike, Microsoft, Netflix, and Greenpeace. The projects encompass broadcast, digital and realtime, yet maintain a consistent emphasis on design-driven storytelling rather than technical spectacle alone.

One of the most significant recent shifts in Ilija Brunck’s trajectory is his move into large-scale immersive work, most notably at the Las Vegas Sphere. Under his direction, Woodblock contributed extensive full-dome content to Anyma: The End of Genesys, marking a major expansion into spatial, large-format storytelling.

More recently, Woodblock played a key role in Odyssey by Illenium, a 90-minute, character-driven, fully CG cinematic experience presented in 12K across the Sphere’s interior. Produced over the course of nearly a year, the project represents a new tier of production, created in collaboration with partners including Sphere Entertainment Co., The Third Floor, and Silent House. The work functions as a continuous, immersive film environment experienced by tens of thousands of viewers per night.

Brunck has been vocal about the need for sustainable production practices in digital media, advocating for smaller, agile teams and workflows that prioritize clarity over bloat. This perspective has positioned Woodblock as a studio that is actively shaping industry trends. Beyond production, Brunck remains closely tied to education. His ongoing involvement with Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg and international panels reflect a broader commitment to developing the next generation of artists.

Below is a curated selection of short films produced by Brunck. For the full showcase, see the complete collection

The Shark in the Park: Written & Directed by Fabian Pit Pross IMDB

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Disclaimer: This article is presented for editorial and informational purposes only. Lesterbanks has no affiliation with, financial interest in, or formal relationship with Ilija Brunck or Woodblock. All opinions expressed are independent and based on publicly available information and creative work.