Member Profile: Michela Ledwidge
1. What do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
I’m an artist and creative/technical director. I’m also co-founder and CEO of Mod (https://mod.studio), an Australian studio specialising in real-time and virtual production.
2. What was your first job?
I started my career at the National Library of Australia, where I set up and ran the NLA’s first web service – back in the days when the team was one “webmaster” and two librarians.
3. Where did you complete your formal education?
I earned my BA Honours majoring in Computer Science from the University of Sydney.
4. How did you first get involved with ACM SIGGRAPH?
My interactive short film Horses for Courses was selected for (and won!) Web3D RoundUp, the precursor to Real-Time Live!, ACM SIGGRAPH 2001 in L.A.
5. What is your favorite memory of a SIGGRAPH conference?
Most recently, chairing Real-time Live! SIGGRAPH Asia 2023, in my home town, Sydney, a short walk from my studio, supported by my awesome production team.
6. Describe a project that you would like to share with the ACM SIGGRAPH community.
We’re hard at work on the next release of Grapho (https://grapho.app) – Mod’s “graph data science + storytelling” toolkit, first used for our VR documentary A Clever Label featured at the SIGGRAPH 2022 Vancouver Immersive Pavilion, and used last year in five countries.
7. If you could have dinner with one living or non-living person, who would it be and why?
Prince, David Bowie or Gerald Durrell come to mind. Original thinkers who’ve made me laugh, cry and see the world differently.
8. What is something most people don’t know about you?
I’m an amateur naturalist who happily swaps out HMDs for my dive mask during the hot summer months here in Sydney.
9. From which single individual have you learned the most in your life? What did they teach you?
My life partner and business partner, Mish Sparks. She’s taught me to pace myself and look at the big picture.
10. Is there someone in particular who has influenced your decision to work with ACM SIGGRAPH?
I’ve met so many inspiring folks through the ACM SIGGRAPH community that it’s hard to single people out but special shout outs to Elizabeth Baron, Coco Conn, Kim Libreri and Danny Hillis.
11. What can you point to in your career as your proudest moment?
The thing I’m proudest of is that, despite the last few years having been so brutal for indie studios, Mod is still here in 2025, continuing work on original story-driven interactive entertainment. I’m so proud of our small team.