In the Director's Chair: Michał Misiński, Juice in Tokyo

Michał Misiński, partner at Juice and film director behind global IPs like Cyberpunk 2077, shared his journey from designer to award-winning director, his perspective on VFX, and why AI might be the industry's best shot at long-term stability in an interview with Chloe Ko from m25 Network during her visit to Juice Tokyo. This is part of m25's founder series, which features founders who are adapting and thriving in the commercials and film industries. By sharing the journeys of today's leaders we aim to inspire the next generation in creative industries and highlight how hard work, straightforward thinking, and the right partners can lead to success.

Q>As a successful founder/director of a growing and adapting VFX global studio, what has been your journey to where you are today? You’ve achieved recognition as a local and regional name. Can you give us a brief insight into your path so far?

Michał>I didn’t have some master plan, it's been more like figuring things out as I go. I started out as a designer, obsessed with motion and visuals, and that slowly turned into directing. Juice wasn’t something I helped build from day one; I joined early and grew into a partner role.

It’s really been about taking on projects that challenge us, and learning how to keep evolving while dealing with the day-to-day realities of running a business. That mix of raw ambition and messy reality taught us a lot. And somewhere along the way, recognition started coming in, locally at first, then across the region in the US and APAC. But more than the awards, it’s been about staying true to the reasons we started doing this in the first place.

Q>What inspired you or led you to the industry? Was it something from your childhood, perhaps?

Michał>For me, it’s always been about curiosity. Back when I was shaping my visual instincts and sensitivity, I watched a ton of films and followed the graphic design scene closely. Cinematically, I was really drawn to directors like David Fincher and Kubrick, Zodiac and 2001: A Space Odyssey still feel untouchable in terms of how script and visuals are fused so precisely. Every frame feels intentional.

On the design side, it was GMUNK who really opened my eyes. His early motion work completely changed how I understood animation, there was always something unexpected, and even now, the way he sees the world still feels fresh. A lot of what he started is still echoing through creative decks today.

And now, with a kid of my own, I’m tapping back into that original sense of wonder. Watching how they interact with the world reminds me how much creativity is rooted in the weird, unpolished, unpredictable stuff.

Q>Do you have a mentor you really look up to, someone who inspires you to go further?

Michał>I’ve been lucky to cross paths with a lot of inspiring people, but it’s never been about one person, but it’s always the ones who challenge how I think. It’s the people who don’t just nod along, they raise an eyebrow, ask the question I was hoping no one would ask, and make me look at the problem sideways. That kind of push keeps things interesting, and honest. Those are the ones who’ve shaped my craft forward and why I leaned deeper into my role as a partner at Juice.

Q>Can you talk about the most complex moments in setting up Juice, as well as what led you to create your own studio in the first place?

Michał>I didn’t start Juice as a founder, I joined as part of the artistic team and, over time, stepped into a partner role. In the early days, it wasn’t about some big plan to build a huge company; it was about creating a space where ideas didn’t need permission. Of course, figuring out how to balance raw ambition with the everyday reality of running a studio was a challenge those early days, but those lessons shaped us.

Juice Tokyo, though, grew in a different way, more organic, under the leadership of Michał Dwojak Hara, carrying that same spirit into one of the most exciting markets.

Q>Is there one particular project that stands out in terms of complexity or challenges faced?

Michał>The end credits animation for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, which also doubled as a promotional music video, definitely stands out. The scale, ambition, and complexity tested us on every level. But what made it special for me wasn’t just the visuals; it was about delivering players a memorable closing chapter to their adventure.

Working with an IP as iconic as Cyberpunk 2077 could have felt like being boxed in creatively, but CD PROJEKT RED showed real trust and gave me the space to put my own spin on it. Sure, I had to respect the universe, but that didn’t mean watering down the vision. The deadlines were brutal, the coordination intense, but in the end, we didn’t just survive the process, we made something we’re damn proud of.

Q>How have you seen the industry change? Are things better these days, in your view?

Michał>The industry’s changed, and not always for the better. While tools have improved and demand is high, VFX studios are stuck in a cycle of project-to-project hustling, working on razor-thin margins with little room for stability or long-term planning. It’s a race where cheap labor and fast delivery are prioritized over quality and sustainability business models. If we don’t rethink how we value the work, we risk the entire production chain collapsing.

But AI could be a chance to level the playing field, if used wisely. It has the potential to streamline processes and give studios, especially smaller ones, a better shot at long-term stability.

Q>What do you foresee for the rest of 2025? Are there any new trends, market movements, or ways of working you’re anticipating, particularly with the AI innovations taking place?

Michał>Like I’ve mentioned, AI’s influence is definitely picking up speed, and 2025 feels like a year where we’ll see tech and creativity blending more than ever. What Darren Aronofsky is doing with Primordial Soup and Google DeepMind is especially interesting, giving filmmakers early access to generative video tools, but keeping the creative intent front and centre. That’s the kind of direction I’d like to see more of.

At Juice, we’re always curious about how new tools can open up possibilities, but we’ve never lost sight of the craft. We are reshaping our pipelines, sure, but what’s most exciting is how we, as creatives, can still drive the ideas, now enhanced with AI, more streamlined. 2025 is going to be about finding that sweet spot, between what tech can handle, and what only we, with all our messy, human perspective, can bring to the table.

Check out Michał Misiński's reel here.