Brooks Institute Alumnus Receives Industry Acclaim for Visual Effects Work

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – (March 30, 2009) – The visual effects work that Edson Williams and his team at Lola VFX did to create the physical transformations in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” earned them both the British Film Academy Award (BAFTA) for visual effects and the Visual Effects Society (VES) award for best visual effects in a movie. The production was no small feat. Serving as Visual Effects Supervisor for Lola VFX, it was Williams’ job to coordinate with the director to ensure that the age-reduction and digital cosmetic work was seamless in more than 300 shots.

This sort of work requires very sharp attention to detail, lots of experience and a strong industry education. Williams shared that his experience started early, “When I was in the 6th grade, my mother bought a Super-8 camera and editing equipment, and I started making special effects films in my garage.” From that point, he was hooked and spent the years that followed pursuing his dream. He chose to study photography at Brooks Institute where he refined his skills, met industry experts, and began experimenting with the latest digital imaging technology.

“I had two mentors in my career,” recalled Williams. “Mat Beck, who taught me how to be an effective visual effects supervisor – he has a great eye for detail, and Harry Liles who still teaches at Brooks. Harry was the faculty member who pushed the hardest to get digital imaging into Brooks. Harry helped arrange for the purchase of an SGI Unix Workstation with 3D software and I was fortunate enough to be chosen as its first user.” Williams also credits faculty member Rand Molnar as having a positive influence on his education.

After graduating from Brooks Institute in 1991 with a BA in Professional Photography, Williams went on to teach digital imaging until fate took his hand in 1994 when a friend asked for his help preparing shots for the movie “Stargate.” At this point Williams recognized where his talent could take him. “To date, I have worked on close to 100 feature films, including the iceberg in “Titanic,” the lava in “Volcano” and the age reduction sequence in “X-Men.”

In 2004, Williams combined efforts with Greg Strause, Collin Strause, and Thomas Nittmann to form Lola VFX, a company specializing in digital cosmetic surgery. “My background in photography has been an immense help. I can chat with directors and cinematographers on a technical level, and I have been taught the compositional rules that I apply frequently.” In an industry that never stops moving forward, he and his business partners strive always to keep at the forefront of technology. Williams gives a preview of things to come: “Our next push is stereoscopic (3D) movies. We are working on a secret project that requires a 20-year flashback sequence, in 3D. These are the toughest shots we have ever done. I welcome the challenge.”

About Brooks Institute
Brooks Institute celebrates more than 60 years of educating students in the visual and media arts. With campuses in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California, the school offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in fields including Professional Photography, Visual Journalism, Film and Video Production and Graphic Design, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography. Brooks’ graduates are visible nationally and internationally, working for distinguished organizations including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Los Angeles Times and other national media outlets, including Hallmark Publishing, Cousteau Society, HBO, Kodak and other industry leaders in the visual media arts fields. Brooks is part of the Career Education Corporation network of schools (NASDAQ: CECO). For more information about Brooks Institute and the school’s programs, visit www.brooks.edu, or call 805-966-3888.