“With great power comes great responsibility.” This iconic line from the Marvel Universe has echoed through the Spider-Man saga since the 1960s, and it resonates with Aragonese talents as well. Pablo Ibáñez, a 22-year-old visual effects composer, joined the blockbuster team of Thor: Love and Thunder. He handled chroma key integrations, diverse 3D effects, and brought to life the powers of the villain, portrayed by Christian Bale, among other responsibilities.
Ibáñez feels fortunate to work in the world of visual effects, a field he has loved since his youth. A true Marvel fan, he still admires other epic sagas like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, and he fondly recalls poring over comics as a child. He notes that a sequence from the latest film was being shot in New Zealand and expresses a desire to learn from one of Spain’s top directors, Juan Antonio Bayona, should an opportunity arise.
Ibáñez began his studies at the Salduie Vocational Training Center in Zaragoza before moving to Madrid to pursue advanced specialization in visual effects for cinema, television, and advertising, followed by a professional master’s degree in digital composition of visual effects. The latter, led by Adrián Pueyo, served as a catalyst for Ibáñez’s career. He recalls following Pueyo’s work closely and explains how the technical grounding helped him excel in visual effects, drawing inspiration from works like The Jungle Book and Pirates of the Caribbean. He emphasizes that the hands‑on training sharpened his craft and prepared him for real productions.
Balancing study with demanding shifts, Ibáñez soon landed his first roles at Entropy Studios in Zaragoza, where he could contribute to television series and films. Productions such as Open Seas on Netflix, 30 Monedas on HBO, El Asfalto on Prime Video, and García y García helped him gain experience and visibility in the industry.
The young Zaragoza native later moved to Ireland and joined an international company, SSVFX, continuing to build his portfolio. His passion did not begin by chance; from a young age he experimented with video projects, editing with basic tools and sharing early montages with friends. He launched a YouTube channel in 2010 and started filming and editing family footage, gradually expanding to more ambitious projects and early visual effects experiments using transitions and assemblies that laid the groundwork for his later work.
beginnings in Zaragoza
During his early years in the Aragonese capital, Ibáñez contributed to local brands and community initiatives before seeking bigger challenges. His move to Ireland opened doors to a broader world of audiovisual productions, and he continuously learned from larger projects and teams. His trajectory culminates in standout work on Thor’s fourth installment, while he also earned recognition in other Marvel projects available on Disney+.
As a visual effects composer, Ibáñez describes a role that spans many facets: planning, chroma key work in blues and greens, 3D integration, wire removal, and the synthesis of various 3D elements such as texturing, animation, and lighting. He includes simulations like smoke and explosions as part of the ongoing process to ensure every shot looks as real as possible on screen, whether the film reaches completion or not. He notes that each production dictates different workflows and collaborations among multiple studios and artists behind the final result.
Seeing his name in the end credits has been a long‑held dream fulfilled. He recalls going to the cinema with friends to watch Thor: Love and Thunder and feeling an overwhelming sense of pride when the credits rolled. That moment reinforced his dedication to growing as a visual effects editor and composer, and he remains grateful for the collaborative partner who helped him along the way.