Autodesk Media & Entertainment
ALT/SHIFT studio founder, Patrick Vogel, discusses why he fell for Autodesk 3ds Max, 50 years of Adidas, using AI as a tool and not a trick, and more.
When Patrick Vogel founded ALT/SHIFT nearly ten years ago, the goal was simple: make things look cool. Today, the Hamburg-based boutique studio is doing just that, creating stunning, realistic visuals for clients like Adidas and official German agencies.
ALT/SHIFT runs almost entirely on Autodesk 3ds Max. With 3ds Max’s huge library of tools and plugins, the software has become the studio’s creative engine. Whether it’s a slick product render, a VR tour, or a stylized animation, the team is all about visuals that punch you in the face.
“If I do nothing else, I want to make s**t look cool,” Vogel says.
Falling for 3ds Max
Originally drawn to architecture for its visual appeal, Vogel realized he wanted more creative freedom. Vogel’s creative journey accelerated in 2015 when he discovered 3ds Max, diving deeper into its capabilities while also exploring tools like the Chaos Corona renderer, Rhino, and Grasshopper.
“I was hooked immediately to 3ds Max because it looked so cool,” Vogel recalls. “And it was fun. I opened 3ds Max, threw a Noise modifier on something, and thought – okay, this has no limits.”
That spark led to the founding of ALT/SHIFT, where 3ds Max became the go-to tool for nearly everything.
“3ds Max is not just a software,” Vogel says. “For me, it’s more like a platform. There are so many interfaces, you have so many plugins, there is so much stuff you can do and customize. It looks really, really nerdy when you see it, because whenever I’m working with 3ds Max and the client is coming to the studio, everyone’s like, what the heck is he doing there? To them it looks like I’m hacking a NASA control panel. For me, it’s the solution for modeling, animation, shading and rendering.”
The studio is small and nimble, with three core artists and a network of freelancers. They’ve tackled everything from projection mapping to high-end video rendering. They also tap into online material libraries when needed, making sure every project is tailored and efficient. Their plugins include ForestPack and RailClone from Itoosoft, and tyFlow for simulating everything from liquid flows to character hordes.
“We used tyFlow to blow up a fake slushie in slow motion – completely in 3D. No compositing. No After Effects.”
Adidas in Every Era and Making Visuals That Pop
ALT/SHIFT’s portfolio is packed with eye-catching work. For Adidas’s 50th anniversary, the team recreated decades of sneaker culture. Each era had its own stylized world, built in 3ds Max and rendered with FStormRender. Think gritty 90s street scenes, neon-lit modern setups, and retro 80s basketball courts. “We built a retro basketball court that looks like it came straight out of a 90s MTV commercial.”
They also helped reconstruct a German skyscraper for the Presidium in Frankfurt. It was a rare architectural challenge that Vogel loved. “We don’t have lots of skyscrapers, so that was a really really cool project,” he says. “And of course, that’s just the versatility in terms of architecture that 3ds Max gives us. We can iterate super super fast, and we can always rely on the software. That’s just amazing for us.”
“3ds Max is like a sketchbook on steroids when it comes to architecture. You throw things in, rip them apart, reassemble – and it holds up.“
Vogel’s personal projects are just as inventive. One series Vogel runs on Instagram blends real footage with CGI to create fake food videos, crafted entirely in 3ds Max and tyFlow. “Instagram is my test lab. If I’m not having fun there, something’s wrong,” Vogel says. The videos are so convincing that actual chefs comment asking where they can buy the dishes. His portfolio has over 30,000 followers, and he’s already planning the next fun series.
“The best graded output is vital for us, because we just don’t like post,” Vogel explains. “We don’t like that you have so many boundaries when you create stuff that aims into the Photoshop direction when you work on an image. We enjoy working in 3D. And enjoy working on the small details in 3D. Post always feels like fixing. We’d rather build it right in 3D from the start.”
The team is also working on its own show about art, CGI, and creativity. Vogel says it blends all the disciplines they love and is something really new. “It’s like a cooking show meets studio jam session – but with art instead of food.”
Using AI the ALT/SHIFT Way
As AI becomes more common across the creative industry, ALT/SHIFT is embracing it too, on their own terms. The team uses AI tools like Magnific AI for tasks such as image upscaling, but always with transparency. If a client needs something turned around quickly, Vogel can deliver it faster and at a lower cost using AI. But he’s upfront about the trade-offs. AI techniques, while efficient, aren’t always perfect, and Vogel is clear with clients about what AI can and cannot do. “If I use AI, I tell you. It’s a tool – not a trick.”
“It’s simple: good studios + good AI + good ideas = better output. But bad input stays bad.”
He’s also vocal about the difference between using AI as a tool and relying on it as a crutch. “AI can help make a good project better, but it won’t make a bad project good,” Vogel explains.
Always Raising the Bar
Vogel doesn’t shy away from a challenge. If a project calls for a new skill, he and his team dive in without hesitation. “If you have to learn it, you will learn it,” he says. “In 2025, you have all the resources on the planet.”
That mindset, combined with the flexibility of 3ds Max, keeps ALT/SHIFT in a constant state of evolution. Whether it’s a high-profile client project or a personal creative experiment, the goal remains the same: push the limits of quality and realism. And make it loud, sharp, and unforgettable.
As creative and marketing industries face growing pressure to prove their value in a turbulent market, ALT/SHIFT is carving out its space by doing what it does best. With a small but mighty team and a deep love for the craft, ALT/SHIFT isn’t just keeping up – they’re pulling ahead.