Phil Tippett, the Oscar-winning founder of vfx shop Tippett Studio, has been selected by the VES (Visual Effects Society) board of directors as the recipient of the George Melies Award for Artistic Excellence. The award will be presented at the 7th Annual VES Awards, which will be held at the Century Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.
The Melies Award reserved for individuals who have ‘pioneered a significant and lasting contribution to the art and/or science of the visual effects industry by a way of artistry, invention and groundbreaking work.’ Previous recipients include CG pioneer Robert Abel and Pixar creative head John Lasseter.
‘Phil Tippett has functioned as one of the major engines pushing the visual effects industry further than it was ever thought possible,’ says VES exec director Eric Roth. ‘Phil has become one of the giants of our industry by pioneering new ways to make the fantastical a practical reality. Much of what we see on our screens today would not have been possible in decades past, and Phil has certainly led the way during that time.’
As a stop-motion animator and head of the ILM creature shop, Tippet brought to life the Imperial Walkers and Luke Skywakler’s Taun-taun in Star Wars: Episode V’The Empire Strikes Back, and animated robots for Robocop and Robocop 2. He was also at the forefront of digital animation, having supervised the dinosaur animation in Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking blockbuster Jurassic Park and created the CG bugs for Starship Troopers. He made his directorial debut with the direct-to-video sequel Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation. Tippett received an Academy Award for his work in Jurassic Park, and a Special Achievement Award for Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi.
‘It is always nice to receive recognition for doing something that you love,’ says Tippet. ‘I have been doing exactly what I have always wanted to do’making movies and bringing impossible creations to life. I am honored to accept this award and am humbled that my work has been so recognized by my peers.’
Tippett has contributed to more than 60 feature films and commercials. He starting Tippett Studio in his garage in 1984, and has since assembled a crew of artists, animators, engineers and production staff occupying five buildings in Berkeley, Calif. The shop is currently in production on Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell and X-Men Origins: Wolverine for 20th Century Fox. Recently completed projects include stereoscopic commercials for the Electronic Arts video game Spore and Texas Instruments’ DLP Projection, as well as the marketing campaign and feature film work for Disney’s talking dog movie, Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
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