Mir Zafar Ali
| Mir Zafar Ali | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Occupation | Visual effects specialist |
| Known for |
The Day After Tomorrow (2004) The Golden Compass (film) (2007) Spider-Man 3 (2007) Ghost Rider (2007 film) (2007), Life of Pi (film) (2012), Frozen (2013 film) |
| Religion | Islam |
'Mir Zafar Ali' (Urdu:میر ظفر علی) is a Pakistani movie visual effects specialist and artist. He is noted for winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for the Walt Disney animated film Frozen, and was the first Academy Award in the animation category for Walt Disney Animation Studios. The 3D musical fantasy-comedy film is now the highest-grossing animated film in history, beating the Lion King and Toy Story 3[1] He also worked in the team that won the Academy Award for best visual effects for the 2007 movie The Golden Compass . He is the first Pakistani to have been connected with an Academy Award winning venture, for Best Visual Effects.[2]
Noted for bringing the villain ‘Venom’ to life in the movie Spider-Man 3, Ali has also worked on visual effects and graphics in many more Hollywood movies, including The Day After Tomorrow, X-Men, Stealth, Monster House, The Golden Compass, The Incredible Hulk, The Mummy and Aliens in the Attic. His ability to create water waves also won him much praise and publicity.[1]
Ali has worked for several visual effects shops in Hollywood. These include Digital Domain and Rhythm and Hues. Both companies filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Personal life
Ali was born into a Muslim family in Karachi, Pakistan. He initially studied software engineering in college in Pakistan. He is a graduate of the Beaconhouse School System[3] and FAST National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences[4] in Karachi. Not finding software engineering exciting, he decided to start a career in visual effects and specialized from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, United States.[1] He is married to Tamanna Shah.
Awards
• 2008 - Academy Award for Best Visual Effects[5] for The Golden Compass as effects technical director[6]
• 2014 - Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film[7] for Frozen (2013) as visual effects artist[8]
Filmography
| Movie | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters | 2013 | Digital Effects |
| Frozen | 2013 | Effects Coordinator |
| The Cabin in the Woods | 2012 | Effects Coordinator |
| Life of Pi | 2012 | Special Effects |
| Hop | 2011 | Special Effects |
| Yogi Bear | 2010 | CGI Artist |
| Land of the Lost | 2009 | Digital Effects Artist |
| The Incredible Hulk | 2008 | Animation Director |
| Spider-Man 3 | 2007 | Animator |
| The Golden Compass | 2007 | Animation Director |
| Monster House | 2006 | Animator |
| Open Season | 2006 | Digital Effects Artist |
| Stealth | 2005 | Animator |
| The Day After Tomorrow | 2004 | Animator |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Anwar, Husna (June 14, 2011). "Home-grown talent: Oscar-winning visual effects artist makes Karachi look so good". Express Tribune.
- ↑ "A Pakistani wins an Oscar!". PakVibes.
- ↑ Beaconhouse Alumnus Bags One More Oscar
- ↑ FAST-NU alumnus, Mir Zafar Ali, wins 3rd Oscar for movie "Frozen"
- ↑ "80th Academy Awards". oscars.org. The Oscars. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ "The Golden Compass Full Cast and Crew". IMDb. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ "80th Academy Awards". oscars.org. The Oscars. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ "Frozen Full Cast and Crew". IMBd. IMBd. Retrieved 13 March 2015.