Jean-Christophe "Pitof" Comar (born 4 July 1957) is a retired French
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.
While it is a creative role, most supervisors possess a st ...
and director notable for ''
Vidocq'' and ''
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
''.
Early life
Pitof was born Jean-Christophe Comar on 4 July 1957 in Paris. From an early age, he harboured an interest in
photography
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...
. As a teenager, he built a photography studio in the basement of his parents' house and landed a job as a photographer's assistant.
Career
Pitof entered the film industry in 1976 as an assistant director and film editor. He branched out into visual effects in 1986 when he co-founded Duran Duboi, a post-production studio. He continued working as a visual effects supervisor and assistant director until 2001, when his directorial debut, the supernatural thriller film ''
Vidocq'' was released. The film was notable for being the first motion picture to be shot using entirely digital cinematography.
In 2004, Pitof made his English-language debut with the Hollywood film ''
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
'', starring
Halle Berry
Halle Maria Berry (; born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. She began her career as a model and entered several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant and coming in sixth in the Mis ...
and
Sharon Stone
Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress. Known for primarily playing femme fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the recipient of various ...
. The film was critically panned, and is considered
one of the worst movies of all time, and Pitof was awarded the
Razzie Award
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, ...
for Worst Director for the film.
Pitof was set to direct the US-Chinese co-production ''
Empires of the Deep
''Empires of the Deep'' is an unreleased 3D action-adventure fantasy film, written by Randall Frakes, directed by Jonathan Lawrence, Michael French and Scott Miller, and starring Olga Kurylenko. The film was conceived by Chinese real estate tyc ...
'' although he eventually dropped out.
Filmography
Director
*''
Vidocq'' (2001)
*''
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
'' (2004)
*''
Fire and Ice: The Dragon Chronicles'' (2008) (
TV)
Second unit director
*''
Alien Resurrection
''Alien Resurrection'' is a 1997 American science fiction horror film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, written by Joss Whedon, and starring Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder. It is the fourth installment of the ''Alien'' franchise, and was f ...
'' (1997)
Producer
*''Closer Apart'' (2012)
*''The Coin'' (2012)
*''The Activist'' (2013)
Writer
*''
Vidocq'' (2001)
*''Le pistolet'' (2003)
Visual effects supervisor
*''
Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar
''Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar'' (french: Astérix & Obélix contre César) is a 1999 feature film directed by Claude Zidi, the first installment in the ''Asterix'' film series based on Goscinny and Uderzo's Astérix comics. The film combines ...
'' (1999)
*''
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc'' (1999)
*''
Alien Resurrection
''Alien Resurrection'' is a 1997 American science fiction horror film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, written by Joss Whedon, and starring Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder. It is the fourth installment of the ''Alien'' franchise, and was f ...
'' (1997)
*''Didier'' (1997)
*''Fantome avec Chauffeur'' (1996)
*''
Beaumarchais
Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist, ...
'' (1996)
*''Fallait pas'' (1996)
*''
The City of Lost Children
''The City of Lost Children'' (french: La Cité des enfants perdus) is a 1995 science fantasy film directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, written by Jeunet and Gilles Adrien, and starring Ron Perlman. An international co-production of ...
'' (1995)
*''
Happiness is in the Field'' (1995)
*''Ma Femme me Quitte'' (1995)
*''Dead Tired'' (1994)
*''The Daughter of d'Artagnan'' (1994)
*''
Blue Helmet
Peacekeeping by the United Nations is a role held by the Department of Peace Operations as an "instrument developed by the organization as a way to help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace". It is distinguished ...
'' (1994)
*''
Giorgino
''Giorgino'' is a 1994 French thriller film directed by Laurent Boutonnat.
Plot
In the 1918 war-stricken Giorgio Volli returns to the orphanage where he had been working with children for a while. When arriving he finds out that the tragedy had ...
'' (1994)
*''Montparnasse Pondichery'' (1994)
*''Cash-Cash'' (1994)
*''
The Visitors'' (1993)
*''The Thirst for Gold'' (1993)
*''Fanfan & Alexandre'' (1993)
*''
Metisse
Metisse is a 2.5D X window manager with many features that set it apart from the traditional 3D "cube" workspace. Windows can be turned three-dimensionally in any direction, enabling the user to fit more windows onto a screen, and they can be sc ...
'' (1993)
*''My Name Is Victor'' (1993)
*' (1992)
*''
Delicatessen
Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
'' (1991)
Awards and accolades
;2005
*
Kids' Choice Award
The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (also known as the KCAs or Kids' Choice) is an annual American children's awards ceremony show that is produced by Nickelodeon. Usually held on a Saturday night in late March or early April, the show honors ...
(nominated) for ''Catwoman''
*
CNOMA Award for Best Make-Up for ''Catwoman''
*
Golden Raspberry Award
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, ...
for Worst Director for ''Catwoman''
*World Stunt Award (nominated) for ''Catwoman''
;2001
*Silver Grand Prize of European Fantasy Film at
Fantasporto
Fantasporto, also known as Fantas, is an international film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Giving screen space to Fantasy film, fantasy/Science fiction film, science fiction/Horror film, horror-oriented commercial fe ...
for ''Vidocq''
*International Fantasy Film Award for Best Special Effects at Fantasporto for ''Vidocq''
*International Fantasy Film Award for Best Film (nominated) at Fantasporto for ''Vidocq''
*Best Film at
Sitges
Sitges (, , ) is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, in Spain, renowned worldwide for its Film Festival, Carnival, and LGBT Culture. Located between the Garraf Massif and the Mediterranean Sea, it is known for its beaches, nightspot ...
for ''Vidocq''
*Citizen Kane Award to the Director Revelation at Sitges for ''Vidocq''
*Best Visual Effects at Sitges for ''Vidocq''
*Best Makeup Effects at Sitges for ''Vidocq''
*Best Original Score at Sitges for ''Vidocq''
;1999
*Solutions Productions Achievement in Post-Production Award for ''Asterix & Obelix vs Caesar''
;1998
*
Saturn Award
The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films be ...
for Best Special Effects (nominated) for ''Alien Resurrection''
;1997
*
Imagina
IMAGINA (originally known as International Forum of New Images) was the name of an annual festival on computer graphics (CG) and communications technology (CT) that took place from 1986 to 2000 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. It was created by the Institu ...
Award for Best Visual Effects (second prize) for ''Alien Resurrection''
;1996
*Imagina Golden Teapot for "Homage to Jesse and Carl"
*MIFED Golden Prize for "Homage to Jesse and Carl"
*Master of Visual Effects in Paris for "Orangina the flipper"
;1995
*Best Use of Visual Effects at Spotitalia for "Mulino Bianco"
* "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres" (One of the French highest cultural honors awarded by the Minister of Culture)
;1994
*Technical Grand Prize at the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
for ''Dead Tired''
References
External links
*
*
Pitof at ECI Global Talent Management
{{Authority control
1957 births
Living people
French film directors
French male screenwriters
French screenwriters