Olaf Gremie

Olaf Gremie is not a household name in pinball. But the chances are, if you have played a Jersey Jack machine in the last six years, you have seen his work.

Based in Amsterdam, Gremie is a creative director and animator who was introduced to the pinball industry by fellow Dutch animator Jean-Paul de Win, whom he had known through their shared work in broadcast animation. De Win's introduction brought Gremie into contact with Jersey Jack Pinball, where he has built a growing reputation as a display animator with a sharp eye for detail and a deep respect for the medium.

Gremie's first pinball credit came with Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (2019), where he was brought in specifically to create all Oompa Loompa animations. The project marked his entry into a medium with its own unique creative demands, and his work on the machine helped establish a relationship with JJP that would grow considerably in the years that followed. By Elton John (2023), that trust had translated into a lead animator role, with Gremie taking full responsibility for translating the theatrical visual identity of one of music's most iconic performers into an engaging and immersive display experience.

On Avatar: The Battle for Pandora (2024), Gremie contributed to the display graphics under the art direction of Jean-Paul de Win. Working within the visual world established by James Cameron demanded the highest creative standards, with every animation subject to approval by Lightstorm Entertainment. "Working at that level of detail and creative precision is exactly what I love to do," Olaf says. Of all his contributions to the machine, he regards the animations for the Deep Sea Crab Suit battle sequence as a personal highlight.

As lead animator on Harry Potter (2025), Gremie contributed to what became one of JJP's most warmly received machines in recent memory. The machine's editions achieved Pinside community ratings pushing into the nines, among the highest scores ever recorded on the platform. Harry Potter won Game of the Year at the 2025 TWIPY Pinball Awards, where Gremie received the Best Animations prize. Game designer Eric Meunier publicly acknowledged his contribution by name at the ceremony, a moment that spoke to the weight Gremie's work carries within the production team.

Most recently, Gremie has contributed animations to Sonic the Hedgehog (2026), the latest title from legendary designer Steve Ritchie, further cementing his place within the JJP creative family.

What comes through most clearly when Olaf talks about his work is a genuine sense of privilege and responsibility. "Working in the pinball industry is, to me, an honor. I take it seriously, and I feel a real responsibility to produce the very best work I can, because I know these machines won't just end up anywhere. They'll be bought by enthusiasts, collectors, and people with a genuine passion for pinball. People who notice every detail." It is a mindset that speaks directly to the nature of the medium itself. "The animations on the screen are often the moment a machine truly comes to life: the multiball breaking loose, a wizard mode announcing itself, the attract-mode loop a collector will see thousands of times in their game room. Those are the details that matter to the people who care most, and I want my work to live up to that," Olaf says.

It is a standard Gremie consistently strives to meet.