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IMDbPro

Aaron Sims(I)

  • Art Department
  • Special Effects
  • Visual Effects
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Aaron Sims
A family vacation is turned into a nightmare when they are abducted by a family of deranged killers in this "Texas Chainsaw" style comedy sci-fi horror thriller romantic drama.
Play trailer2:01
Skinned Deep (2004)
1 Video
8 Photos
Aaron Sims is one of the most innovative and versatile concept artists working in films today. To industry insiders, he is revered for his multi-faceted approach to creature development and design. To audiences, he is the genius behind many of today's most memorable movie monsters.

Sims' youth in Arlington, Texas was filled with animation and highly detailed pencil renderings of nature that his father produced professionally, motivating Sims to follow his interests in art and animation. As a teenager he began working for the renowned illustrator Don Ivan Punchatz. In the mid-80s, Sims moved to Los Angeles to begin his career as a special effects makeup artist for the film industry. His work quickly attracted the attention of legendary Academy Award winner Rick Baker, with whom Sims collaborated for the next twelve years. During that time, Sims served as a leading special effects artist on some of the most popular, defining movies of the 1990s: Gremlins 2, Batman Forever, Mighty Joe Young, Nutty Professor, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Men in Black.

A pivotal event in defining Sims' future occurred when Baker introduced him to a new digital imaging program called Adobe Photoshop. Sims embraced computer technology with enthusiasm and began to combine Softimage 3D animation software, Photoshop's painting capabilities and his knowledge and experience as a special effects artist.

In the late 1990s, Sims started working for another Academy Award winner, Stan Winston, who encouraged Sims' pioneering methods. With advanced computers and cutting-edge software, Sims altered forever the industry's process of design and development. In 2000, working through the Stan Winston Studio, Sims introduced his visionary design process to Steven Spielberg, and became the lead character designer for Artificial Intelligence: A.I. Sims created unprecedented designs for all of Spielberg's robot characters and, in doing so, validated his groundbreaking approach to character creation. Having thus raised the bar in the concept design industry, Sims took the Stan Winston Studio to the forefront of innovative film design. During this exciting time, Sims co-founded Stan Winston Digital and led the studio, as art director and head concept artist, on such films as Constantine, Fantastic Four, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Eight Below, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Spielberg's War of the Worlds, and Tim Burton's Big Fish.

Sims' creative approach to concept design using digital technology has had significant affects on the film industry. Softimage development teams have advanced aspects of their software from Sims creative use of their product. Sims has also inspired many of the current techniques used by top artists and designers in the entertainment industries. The demand for training in his methods has led to an ongoing partnership with Alex Alvarez and the Gnomon School of Visual Effects on a series of instructional DVDs.

With the same adventurous spirit that fueled his willingness to embrace digital technology, Sims decided to leave the Stan Winston Studio to work as an independent concept artist on 30 Days of Night, The Golden Compass, I Am Legend, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Incredible Hulk and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. In 2007, he co-founded White Rock Lake Productions with business partner and long-time friend John Norris while also opening his own fully capable design studio, The Aaron Sims Company.
  • More at IMDbPro
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    • Agent info
    • Resume
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  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Awards
    • 2 wins & 3 nominations

Photos8

Aaron Sims
Aaron Sims
Aaron Sims
James McLoughlin, Bart Mixon, and Aaron Sims in Fright Night Part 2 (1988)
Aaron Sims in Fright Night Part 2 (1988)
Aaron Sims
Bart Mixon, Aaron Sims, and Dinah Cancer in Fright Night Part 2 (1988)

Known for

Steven Spielberg, Ben Mendelsohn, George Michael, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, Perdita Weeks, Kamara Benjamin Barnett, Mandy June Turpin, T.J. Miller, Lena Waithe, Stephen Mitchell, Neet Mohan, Win Morisaki, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Kae Alexander, Sarah Sharman, Robert Gilbert, Raed Abbas, Letitia Wright, Tye Sheridan, Asan N'Jie, Hannah John-Kamen, Cara Theobold, Olivia Cooke, Alphonso Austin, Amy Clare Beales, Jane Leaney, Kathryn Wilder, and Philip Zhao in Ready Player One (2018)
Ready Player One
7.4
  • Art Department
  • 2018
The Eye: Calanthek (2021)
The Eye: Calanthek
6.5
Short
  • Director
  • 2021
Will Smith, Kona, and Abbey in I Am Legend (2007)
I Am Legend
7.2
  • Art Department
  • 2007
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
7.6
  • Art Department(The Aaron Sims Company)
  • 2011

Credits

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IMDbPro

Art Department

  • The Return of the Rocketeer
    • concept artist
    • Pre-production
  • Mouse Guard
    • concept artist
    • Pre-production
  • Jude Law, Joshua Pickering, Jacobi Jupe, Ever Anderson, Alyssa Wapanatâhk, and Alexander Molony in Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)
    Peter Pan & Wendy
    • concept artist
    • 2023
  • Sylvester Stallone in Samaritan (2022)
    Samaritan
    • concept artist (uncredited)
    • 2022
  • Ethan Hawke, Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe, Björk, Alexander Skarsgård, Claes Bang, and Anya Taylor-Joy in The Northman (2022)
    The Northman
    • concept artist
    • 2022
  • Antonio Banderas, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tom Holland, and Tati Gabrielle in Uncharted (2022)
    Uncharted
    • concept artist
    • 2022
  • Cowboy Bebop (2021)
    Cowboy Bebop
    • concept artist
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Paul Rudd, Logan Kim, Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, and Celeste O'Connor in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
    Ghostbusters: Afterlife
    • concept artist
    • 2021
  • Pierce Brosnan, Minnie Driver, Idina Menzel, Billy Porter, Camila Cabello, and Nicholas Galitzine in Cinderella (2021)
    Cinderella
    • concept artist
    • 2021
  • Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in Candyman (2021)
    Candyman
    • concept artist
    • 2021
  • Ryan Reynolds, Taika Waititi, Dwayne Johnson, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lil Rel Howery, Jodie Comer, Owen Burke, and Joe Keery in Free Guy (2021)
    Free Guy
    • concept artist
    • 2021
  • Paul Giamatti, Dwayne Johnson, Jesse Plemons, Edgar Ramírez, Emily Blunt, and Jack Whitehall in Jungle Cruise (2021)
    Jungle Cruise
    • concept artist
    • 2021
  • Chris Pratt and Yvonne Strahovski in The Tomorrow War (2021)
    The Tomorrow War
    • concept illustrator
    • 2021
  • The Underground Railroad (2021)
    The Underground Railroad
    • concept artist
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2021
  • Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, and Judah Prehn in Resident Alien (2021)
    Resident Alien
    • concept artist (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • James Earl Jones, Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Arsenio Hall, John Amos, Paul Bates, Shari Headley, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Clint Smith, Akiley Love, Bella Murphy, Jermaine Fowler, Teyana Taylor, Rotimi, Nomzamo Mbatha, and KiKi Layne in Coming 2 America (2021)
    Coming 2 America
    • concept artist
    • 2021
  • Ray McKinnon, Mads Mikkelsen, David Oyelowo, Kurt Sutter, Mylène Dinh-Robic, Nick Jonas, Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, and Cynthia Erivo in Chaos Walking (2021)
    Chaos Walking
    • concept artist
    • 2021

Special Effects

  • Dark Light (2019)
    Dark Light
    • creature concept designer: The Aaron Sims Company
    • 2019
  • Shree Crooks in Stephanie (2017)
    Stephanie
    • visual effects
    • 2017
  • Doom (2005)
    Doom
    • concept art director: Stan Winston Studio
    • 2005
  • War of the Worlds (2005)
    War of the Worlds
    • concept artist: Stan Winston Studio
    • 2005
  • Keanu Reeves in Constantine (2005)
    Constantine
    • concept art director: Stan Winston Studio
    • 2005
  • Mike Myers and Sean Hayes in The Cat in the Hat (2003)
    The Cat in the Hat
    • art director
    • 2003
  • Emma Caulfield Ford and Chaney Kley in Darkness Falls (2003)
    Darkness Falls
    • concept designer: creature effects
    • 2003
  • Haley Joel Osment in A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
    A.I. Artificial Intelligence
    • key concept artist: Stan Winston Studio
    • 2001
  • Jim Carrey in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
    How the Grinch Stole Christmas
    • designer/sculptor: Rick Baker/Cinovation
    • 2000
  • Eddie Murphy and Janet Jackson in Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
    Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
    • designer/sculptor: Rick Baker/Cinovation
    • 2000
  • Mighty Joe Young (1998)
    Mighty Joe Young
    • designer/sculptor: Rick Baker/Cinovation
    • 1998
  • Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves in The Devil's Advocate (1997)
    The Devil's Advocate
    • painter: Cinovation Studios
    • 1997
  • Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in Men in Black (1997)
    Men in Black
    • sculptor: Cinovation Studios
    • 1997
  • The Amazing Panda Adventure (1995)
    The Amazing Panda Adventure
    • Sculptor: Cinovation
    • 1995
  • Jim Carrey, Tommy Lee Jones, Nicole Kidman, Val Kilmer, and Chris O'Donnell in Batman Forever (1995)
    Batman Forever
    • sculptor: Rick Baker/Cinovation Studio Crew
    • 1995

Visual Effects

  • Nicolas Cage and Laurence Fishburne in Running with the Devil (2019)
    Running with the Devil
    • visual effects coordinator
    • 2019
  • Miles Muir in Watch the Sky (2017)
    Watch the Sky
    • visual effects producer
    • 2017
  • Shree Crooks in Stephanie (2017)
    Stephanie
    • concept artist
    • visual effects artist
    • 2017
  • Bonnie Aarons in The Conjuring 2 (2016)
    The Conjuring 2
    • visual effects artist
    • 2016
  • Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, and Will Poulter in We're the Millers (2013)
    We're the Millers
    • visual effects artist
    • 2013
  • Devil's Pass (2013)
    Devil's Pass
    • visual effects
    • 2013
  • Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, and Robert Pattinson in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
    The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
    • concept artist (uncredited)
    • 2012
  • Jeremy Irvine in War Horse (2011)
    War Horse
    • concept artist
    • 2011
  • Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
    The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
    • concept artist (uncredited)
    • 2011
  • Rites of Spring (2011)
    Rites of Spring
    • character design
    • 2011
  • Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, and Daniel Bristol in Sucker Punch (2011)
    Sucker Punch
    • visual effects artist
    • 2011
  • Natalie Portman in Black Swan (2010)
    Black Swan
    • concept artist (uncredited)
    • 2010
  • Michelle Pfeiffer, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes, Allison Janney, James Marsden, Elijah Kelley, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, and Nikki Blonsky in Hairspray (2007)
    Hairspray
    • matte painter: Riot
    • 2007
  • Enn Reitel in Dead Silence (2007)
    Dead Silence
    • concept artist
    • 2007
  • Paul Walker in Eight Below (2006)
    Eight Below
    • art director: SW Digital
    • 2006
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos1

Official Trailer
Trailer 2:01
Official Trailer

Personal details

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  • Official site
    • Company Site
  • Alternative name
    • Aaron Simms
  • Other works
    Terminator 3 Art Director (Stan Winston Studio)

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