Team Deakins JON ALEXANDER - Compositing Supervisor
May 7, 2025
Jon Alexander is a talented compositing supervisor and visual effects artist known for his work on blockbuster films like DEADPOOL and AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. He shares fascinating stories from his career at Industrial Light & Magic, highlighting the evolution of visual effects from optical techniques to modern CGI. Jon discusses groundbreaking advancements he witnessed, like those during HOWARD THE DUCK, and explores the impact of AI and LED technology in filmmaking. His insights provide a unique look into the artistic and technical challenges of visual storytelling.
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First Wire Removal in Howard the Duck
- Howard the Duck featured the first wire removal technique to make puppet wires disappear.
- Pixar's early digital painting tech changed visual effects by removing visible wires far better than optical blurring.
Earthquake Creates Perfect Shake Effect
- During compositing for a fire sequence, an earthquake began shaking the room.
- The director loved the accidental camera shake effect and chose it for the scene.
Optical Compositing Demands Precision
- Optical compositing was an exacting, all-or-nothing process without undo options.
- Precise layering order and choreography was crucial or the image wouldn't appear correctly.