We really do some crazy things here.

Fabrice, is it true that during your university days, you hadn’t even heard of Mackevision?
(Laughs) Can we maybe keep that to ourselves?

So it’s true?
Yes, it’s true. But in my defense, I have to say that I don’t have a background in CGI. I studied business and economics in Stuttgart-Hohenheim – it’s not like you’d automatically encounter Mackevision there.

How did you end up here?
It was very old school – I saw a job ad. Then I looked around and put out some feelers to find out what Mackevision was all about. I must admit that I was impressed by what I found out. Especially the sports cars and Game of Thrones – that’s what really hooked me! And after my interview I was absolutely certain that this is where I wanted to be, even though I had other offers.

And what’s it like to work on Game of Thrones?
(Laughs) No idea, that’s not my department. You’ll have to ask our VFX team.

So what do you do?
I work in Future Technologies, a team focusing on innovation and new tech. We analyze these new technologies and trends with an eye to bringing them into our company, and with the ultimate aim of developing new products, services, and solutions. One of our primary responsibilities here is putting together proofs of concepts (PoCs). Because our team also includes developers and is not tied up in the day-to-day production, we can develop PoCs fast and flexibly.

Can you give us an example?
Sure. For years Mackevision has been providing the configurator content for a number of premium automakers. Because full configurability is required, hundreds of millions of pictures are regularly produced using our mass image production – and for various reasons, they may contain errors. Manual or semi-automated testing cannot guarantee a fully error-free image catalog.

How can you change that?
Using machine learning techniques, certain image properties such as perspectives and vehicle components can be identified. So faulty images can be minimized and the quality-control process can be automated. We just recently completed an internal PoC related to this issue.

That sounds like you’d need a lot of 3D expertise.
When I was hired, I knew nothing about 3D – and a lot of our customers still don’t. I’m really good at seeing things through their eyes and explaining them in a way that makes sense to the customers.

And now you’re an authority on 3D?
Let’s say that over time I’ve managed to acquire a good working knowledge of the topic, but I still find something new to learn every day. Of course it helps that I sit in the same office as our experts, so I’m right at the source.

Do you have a lot of contact with customers?
Yes, that was also important to me – it’s something I really enjoy. But it’s not all that hard to get customers excited about our work. 

What do you mean?
Kicking off our corporate presentation or a meeting with our show reel is still one of the absolute highlights of my job. It’s incredible to see the customers’ amazement after we tell them that almost everything they’ve just seen was done by computer.

Clients like Daimler, Ferrari, and HBO have very high standards.
Which is as it should be. We also set ourselves a very high bar – to be the best and remain the best. And to be honest? We really do some crazy things here. It’s extremely cool to see an episode of “Lost in Space” or the new Audi configurator and know it came from my company.

It’s unusual to see that kind of pride extending across different departments.
That’s true. It is something special, and I find it very rewarding. It makes it easy to identify with the company as a whole.

Has anything changed in that regard now that Accenture is in the picture?
Not for me – that’s the only reality I’ve known here. The deal with Accenture was announced on my second day at work. It did give me pause for a minute, because I had thought I was joining a medium-sized firm. But now I see the opportunities it brings. Not just to the company, but to the people who work here as well.

How so?
It can unlock the doors to a lot of new possibilities. In terms of customers, and also for people’s careers. Mackevision already has offices in the United States, Japan, South Korea, and China. And Accenture brings countless new locations into the mix, because they have a presence on every continent. That can be pretty exciting.

Have you packed your bags already?
Not just yet! But I think it’s great that the option is there. Right now I’m happy in Stuttgart, with my job and with my colleagues.

Do you actually work directly with Accenture?
Yes, regularly.

On what?
It varies. At the beginning, it was our job to bring our new colleagues from Accenture up to speed on the details of what we do and our capabilities. Then we quickly moved into joint projects, which are not related to the automotive industry. I find it really exciting. We’ll continue to profit from this large network going forward – I’m sure of it.

Is there such a thing as a typical day at the office?
Fortunately not – that’s what makes my job so enjoyable! Every day is different depending on the project we’re working on. Sometimes I’m in the office, sometimes I’m with the customer, wherever makes the most sense. I’m pretty free to decide that for myself, which is generally how things work here.

You can do whatever you want?
If you mean, am I allowed to do things differently sometimes, then yes. Processes and responsibilities aren’t set in stone here – people are willing to listen and you can also take on projects independently. One of my big projects, for example, was introducing a global innovation platform for Mackevision.

And what is that exactly?
It’s an internal platform where employees can present their ideas. Then everyone else can take a look at these ideas and comment on them – which can help with the fine-tuning.

And then what happens?
At the end, each idea is evaluated. The best ideas are discussed by the company leadership and transformed into PoCs. After all, at Mackevision we have so many bright and creative minds around the globe. So of course we want to make the best possible use of their potential.