Jeffrey A Okun
Jeffrey A Okun has just completed the visual effects work on 20th Century Fox's The Day The Earth Stood Still. Working closely with Scott Derrickson. the film's director, Okun was charged with creating invisible visual effects, which ranged from 3D Aliens, Spaceships and a iconic Robot (Gort) to virtual sets, future technology made real and a unique weapon-Nanobots! He is known for creating "organic" and invisible effects, as well as spectacular "tent-pole" visual effects that blend seamlessly into the storytelling aspect of the project.
Okun has also worked on wide-ranging effects as seen in such films as Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, Stargate, Sphere, Red Planet, Deep Blue Sea, Lolita, Cutthroat Island, Death to Smoochy, The Crow: City of Angels, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, The Last Starfighter and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
Okun's credits also include in camera and special optical effects for music videos from such varied artists as Sting, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Janet Jackson, Wayne Newton, Bryan Adams, Amy Grant, Dolly Parton, Prince, Michael Jackson, the Neville Brothers and Rod Stewart, as well as for TV commercials, including Reebok's Legends and Shaq Attack, Miller Lite's Sumo High Dive and Big Lawyer Round-up.
Okun created visual effects tracking and bidding software that is in wide use within the industry, as well as the revolutionary visual effects techniques dubbed the "PeriWinkle Effect" and the "Pencil Effect", both of which have been used in many projects to help achieve a more realistic sense of danger and accurate budgets.
Okun serves as the Chair of the Visual Effects Society Awards Committee, is a respected member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (sitting on the steering committee), the Academy of Television Arts and Science and BAFTA and is a member of the board of directors for the Gnomon School of Visual Arts.
