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IMDbPro

Jim Rygiel

  • Visual Effects
  • Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Jim Rygiel
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. In 1983, Rygiel's work took him to Digital Productions where he began work on The Last Starfighter (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. From 1987 to 1989, Rygiel supervised numerous projects while at visual effects companies Pacific Data Images (PDI) and Metrolight.

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. After Boss Films closure Rygiel went on to supervise, The Parent Trap, Star Trek: Insurrection, Anna and the King, and 102 Dalmatians.

In 2002, Rygiel received the American Film Institute's first AFI Digital Effects Artist of the Year award, the Academy Award 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 as well as the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
BornFebruary 17
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornFebruary 17
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 3 Oscars
    • 26 wins & 8 nominations total

Photos20

Ian McKellen, Theresa Ellis Rygiel, Jim Rygiel, and Andy Serkis
when i worked at the kremlin
one leg
90th oscars
DGA awards
Sean Astin, Mark Ordesky, Rick Porras, Jim Rygiel, Sala Baker, Michael Pellerin, and Keith Stern
Mark Burnett and Jim Rygiel
Robin Griffin, Jim Rygiel, and Joel Osteen
octocopter in Matera
commercial
commercial shoot
commercial shoot

Known for:

Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, and John Rhys-Davies in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
8.8
  • Visual Effects
  • 2001
Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Christopher Lee, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Miranda Otto, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, and Andy Serkis in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
8.8
  • Visual Effects
  • 2002
Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, and Andy Serkis in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
9.0
  • Visual Effects
  • 2003
Godzilla (2014)
Godzilla
6.4
  • Visual Effects
  • 2014

Credits

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IMDbPro

Visual Effects

  • American Horror Story (2011)
    American Horror Story
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • Executive Visual Effects Supervisor FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2018–2021
  • JD Pardo in Mayans M.C. (2018)
    Mayans M.C.
    • visual effects supervisor
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Amazing Stories (2020)
    Amazing Stories
    • executive visual effects supervisor FUSEFX
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • Paul Bettany and Sam Worthington in Manhunt (2017)
    Manhunt
    • visual effects supervisor
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • L.A. Confidential
    • executive visual effects superviosr
    • TV Movie
    • 2019
  • Lost in Space (2018)
    Lost in Space
    • visual effects executive supervisor: FuseFX
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2018–2019
  • Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson in Empire (2015)
    Empire
    • Executive Visual Effects Supervisor: FuseFX
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2018–2019
  • Castle Rock (2018)
    Castle Rock
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Ben Kingsley, Jimmi Simpson, and Jacki Weaver in Perpetual Grace, LTD (2019)
    Perpetual Grace, LTD
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Ming-Na Wen, Clark Gregg, Iain De Caestecker, Nick Blood, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennet, and Elizabeth Henstridge in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013)
    Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FUSEFX (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Deadwood: The Movie (2019)
    Deadwood: The Movie
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Movie
    • 2019
  • Bill Hader in Barry (2018)
    Barry
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Chambers (2019)
    Chambers
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Scott Grimes, Penny Johnson Jerald, Seth MacFarlane, Peter Macon, Adrianne Palicki, J. Lee, Mark Jackson, and Halston Sage in The Orville (2017)
    The Orville
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in True Detective (2014)
    True Detective
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FUSEFX
    • executive visual effects supervisor: FuseFX
    • TV Series
    • 2019

Second Unit or Assistant Director

  • Jack Black in Gulliver's Travels (2010)
    Gulliver's Travels
    • second unit director
    • 2010
  • Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Patrick Gallagher, Mizuo Peck, Rami Malek, and Crystal the Monkey in Night at the Museum (2006)
    Night at the Museum
    • additional second unit director
    • 2006
  • Adam Sandler in Click (2006)
    Click
    • second unit director (uncredited)
    • 2006
  • Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, and Andy Serkis in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
    • second unit director (uncredited)
    • 2003

Actor

  • Paul Bartel, P.J. Soles, Mary Woronov, Rob Bottin, Daniel Davies, Clint Howard, Loren Lester, Dick Miller, Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Marky Ramone, Ramones, Vincent Van Patten, Dey Young, and Brian Markovitz in Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)
    Rock 'n' Roll High School
    • Guy in Line at Mayan Theater (uncredited)
    • 1979

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Fast Breaking News
    • MSN
  • Born
    • February 17
    • Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA
  • Spouse
    • Theresa Ellis Rygiel1991 - present
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Interviews
    • 27 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Jim holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree(University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) and a Master of Fine Arts degree (Otis Parsons School of Design, Los Angeles, Ca.). He also holds an Honorary Doctorate from (Otis Art Institute), as well as an Honorary Doctorate from the (Academy of Art University) in San Francisco California.
  • Quotes
    One of the things I was tormented over when I got out of art school was losing my æsthetic sense. People don't see that you are being creative if you are not painting or drawing. I don't see that at all. There is an æsthetic sense to this. It's how well you do your job. The best part is when you are completely done with the film and you watch the film with the audience and feel what they are feeling.

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