Jim Rygiel (born February 17, 1955) is an American
visual effects supervisor
In the context of film and television production, a visual effects supervisor is responsible for achieving the creative aims of the director or producers through the use of visual effects
Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated VFX) is the process ...
. He has worked on major feature films since 1984, including ''
The Lord of the Rings
''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's b ...
'' movie trilogy (for which he won three consecutive
Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects) and ''
Godzilla
is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film '' Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films prod ...
''. He currently works at
FuseFX visual effects studio.
Early life
Rygiel was born in
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha () is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the seat of Kenosha County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 99,986 which made it the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Kenos ...
.
Rygiel attended
St. Joseph Catholic High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He holds a Bachelor of
Fine Arts from the
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a public urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and a member of the University of Wiscon ...
. In 1980, he received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Otis Parsons School of Design (now called
Otis College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design is a private art and design school in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1918, it was the city's first independent professional school of art. The main campus is located in the former IBM Aerospace headquarte ...
).
Career
Pacific Electric Pictures
Starting his career in 1980, Rygiel joined Pacific Electric Pictures, one of the earliest companies to employ
computer animation for the advertising and film markets.
Digital Productions
In 1983, Rygiel's work took him to
Digital Productions where he began work on ''
The Last Starfighter
''The Last Starfighter'' is a 1984 American space opera film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan ( Lance Guest), a teenager recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also features Robe ...
'' (1984), a film notable for its pioneering use of digital imaging in place of models. While at Digital Productions, Rygiel's commercial work was nominated for numerous awards, winning a prestigious CLIO award for the introduction of the
Sony Walkman
Walkman, stylised as , is a brand of portable audio players manufactured and marketed by Japanese technology company Sony since 1979. The original Walkman was a portable cassette player and its popularity made "walkman" an unofficial term fo ...
.
Pacific Data Images and Metrolight
From 1987 to 1989, Rygiel supervised numerous projects while at visual effects companies
Pacific Data Images (PDI) and Metrolight.
Boss Film Studios
In 1989, Rygiel was asked to form and head a computer animation department at
Boss Film Studios. This department of one grew to over 75 animators and 100 support staff within a little more than a year, winning several awards, including a CLIO Award for the Geo Prism automobile commercial. While at Boss, Rygiel supervised many feature films, both as Digital Effects Supervisor and Visual Effects Supervisor.
His credits there include ''Starship Troopers'', ''Species'', ''Outbreak'', ''Air Force One'', ''The Scout'', ''The Last Action Hero'', ''Cliffhanger'', ''Batman Returns'', ''Alien III'', and ''Ghost''.
Post-Boss Films career
After Boss Films' closure, he went on to supervise ''
The Parent Trap'', ''
Star Trek: Insurrection'', ''
Anna and the King'', and ''
102 Dalmatians''. In 2006, Rygiel co-founded Rocket Science Studios. He currently serves as president of production.
Awards and nominations
In 2002, Rygiel received the
American Film Institute's first AFI Digital Effects Artist of the Year award, the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for Best Visual Effects for his work on ''
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring''. Rygiel is a member of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...
as well as the
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rygiel, Jim
Living people
Best Visual Effects Academy Award winners
Best Visual Effects BAFTA Award winners
Otis College of Art and Design alumni
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee alumni
Visual effects supervisors
1955 births