Watching movies has always been an escapist adventure for moviegoers, because for about two hours, films get to enthrall the audience with vivid images and dazzling special effects. Through movies, we have a choice to travel beyond time and space, or maybe fall in love with romantic-comedies. A good number of us film fanatics, want to be scared silly by ogres and ghosts or be terrified by scenes that were previously unimaginable.
For Filipino-American Ariel Velasco Shaw, it is all about the gorgeous visual effects, and in Hollywood, he is a master, a pioneer even.
Ariel has been at the forefront of the visual effects community for over 25 years and is considered as a senior member of the digital production community, starting his career in 1984 when he joined New York Institute of Technology, one of the premier computer graphics facilities in the world. His early research in digital imaging set the foundation for today’s digital imaging production process.
“Before that, I dabbled into still photography, which was my first love,” Ariel revealed to the Asian Journal in a recent interview. Then, his world widened when he discovered the wonders of filmmaking.
In 1989, he was asked to join Walt Disney Feature Animation, to aid in designing a digital-imaging department that was capable of completing full-length feature films via computer. The end result was the first full-length animated film to be digitally post produced, and the launch of the highly regarded digital ink and paint system CAPS. During his tenure as the Digital Imaging Supervisor at Walt Disney Feature Animation, he worked on such classic films as The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. His Disney career culminated in an Academy Award Nomination in Visual Effects for his breakthrough work on The Nightmare Before Christmas.
“That was quite exciting, and I was very honored,” Ariel said, referring to the nomination. “Too bad, we were up against Jurassic Park,” he added, breaking into laughter.
In 1994, Shaw left Disney and lent his expertise to Boss Film Studios, where he assisted in the company’s transition to a fully functioning digital effects studio. While there, Shaw supervised the feature films True Lies, The Scout and Drop Zone. After a successful stint at Boss Film Studios, Shaw then segued over to Warner Digital Studios, where he worked on Batman Forever, My Fellow Americans, Vegas Vacation and Contact. Later, at Pacific Title/Mirage, Shaw handled the visual effects for Lethal Weapon 4, Armageddon and Soldier, and received an Emmy Award nomination for Tom Hanks’ HBO series From the Earth to the Moon.
This month, Ariel returns to the Final Destination series and his first foray into 3D filmmaking.
The Final Destination film series began in 2000 with the release of Final Destination, directed and co-written by James Wong . It was followed by the sequels Final Destination 2 (2003), Final Destination 3 (2006) (also directed and co-written by Wong), The Final Destination (2009) and this year’s Final Destination 5.
The fifth installment of the popular horror film series, features thrilling and suspenseful visual effects by the Academy Award-nominated Filipino American FX master (he was also part of the first and the third installments of the film franchise). As the Visual Effects Supervisor of Final Destination 5, Shaw oversaw the film’s many elaborate special effects, including those used for the terrifying collapse of a suspension bridge.
A Hollywood veteran with over 25 films to his credit—including such blockbusters as 300, The Nightmare Before Christmas and the first and third Final Destination films—Shaw is highly regarded as a visual effects pioneer whose early research in digital imaging established the foundation for today’s revolutionary digital imaging production process.
The Manila-born visual effects master moved to the United States with his family when he was barely four years old. They settled in Brooklyn, New York.
During our interview, we asked Ariel if he had any dream projects.
“I have a lot, actually,” he said, “I am very much fascinated by Filipino myths and ghost stories, particularly in Baguio City. The stories are pretty much unheard of outside the Philippines so it would be nice to showcase that.”
For now, Ariel looks forward to collaborating with other Filipino-Americans in Hollywood, particularly Matthew Libatique, who was nominated for an Academy Award last year for his cinematography work for Black Swan.
“My sister has worked with him, and I hope I’d be able to work with him someday. That would be a great collaboration and I promise you, it is going to happen,” he said.
That would be something to watch out for, not just by their fellow Filipino-Americans but also for all lovers of film. As Ariel said as we concluded the interview, “Stay tuned!”
(www.asianjournal.com)
(NYNJ aug 12-18, 2011 LifeEASTyle pg. 2)
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