Robert Chapin

Robert Chapin on location in India assisting with stunt coordination during filming for Nenu Meeku Telusa, 2008
Born Robert Chapin
April 3, 1964
Miami, Florida, United States
Nationality American
Alma mater University of Central Florida
Occupation Fight Choreographer, Actor, Writer, Director, Producer
Website
www.robertchapin.com

Robert Chapin (born April 3, 1964 in Miami, Florida), is a stunt, fight and swordplay choreographer, visual effects artist and supervisor, actor, writer, director, and producer. He is popularly known for acting in and creating the longest running action horror web series called The Hunted.[1] He is also known for creating visual effects for American Beauty, Crouching Tiger, Big Lebowski and X-Men.[2] Chapin first starred in a film called Ring of Steel, of which he also wrote. As a fight choreographer and instructor, he is certified with the Societies of American, British, and Canadian Fight Directors. He has trained with stars such as Plácido Domingo, Robin Williams, David Hasselhoff, John Saxon, Marc Singer, Richard Grieco, Richard Lynch, Mike Norris, James Lew, Olivier Gruner, Jeff Conaway, Raye Hollitt, Tessie Santiago, and Angelica Bridges.[3][4]

Early life, background and career

Robert Chapin was born in April 3, 1964 in Miami, Florida to a family of puppeters, Leonora and Gerald Chapin. Chapin grew up making movies with brother, Stuart Chapin. Throughout his junior high and high school years, he attended drama and musical classes. In 1982, he received a music scholarship in Miami Dade Community College where he also took a course in Computer Science. At that same time, he also began training in stage combat and swordplay with a group that performed living chessgames called The Royal Chessmen at local fairs. Later on, he joined a jousting troupe called The Knights Arrant, and a small troupe called Ring of Steel, which performed swordfights at local theme park called Pirates. It was in this time that he met Matthew Gratzner, and Shannon Gans who created New Deal Studios in Los Angeles.[2][4][5][6]

In 1985, he moved to Orlando, Florida. There, Chapin worked his way through college at the University of Central Florida by performing swordfights at a local dinner theater known as Shakespeare's Taevern. In 1986, Chapin's father died, but he continued his college until he graduated in 1987. Also at this time, he continued to take drama classes and choreographed swordfights for a critically acclaimed production, Romeo and Juliet.[2][5][6]

Convinced by his brother, Chapin moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a swordsman on feature films such as Hook and Army of Darkness.[7] In 1991, Chapin's mother died, two years before Bob wrote and starred in his first film, Ring of Steel, which was distributed by MCA Universal. Over the years, Chapin went on to star in several action films while building his credentials as an actor, stuntman, and fight coordinator. Also in this time, he began a career as a visual effects artist, using his skills and knowledge in computer science. He started with Pacific Data Images in Los Angeles, and then moved from one company to another. Chapin also worked with critically and widely acclaimed award winning films such as X-Men, Fantastic Four, Armageddon, and American Beauty. He also headed several indie films before he became an in-house visual effects supervisor at New Deal Studios.[2][5]

Chapin continuously kept up his acting and swordfighting skills. He trained for years with the infamous acting coach, Larry Moss, and was certified in six weapons as an actor-combatant in 1995 with the Societies of American, British, and Canadian Fight Directors at the First International Stage Combat Workshop in London, England.[2][5][7]

In 2001, he co-created the The Hunted with writer/actor Andrew Helm. The Hunted is one of the longest running web shows online.[2][5]

Filmography

The following are the films and TV series or shows participated by Chapin as a visual effects artist or animator, actor, director, producer, and stunt and swordplay choreographer:

Visual Effects Artist / Animator (Film)[8]
Year Project Notes
2012 Saving Santa Post-production; Visual effects supervisor
2012 The Grey Visual effects artist
2010 Shutter Island Digital effects supervisor: New Deal Studios
2009 Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Digital effects supervisor in New Deal Studios (Uncredited)
2009 Watchmen Previs artist (Uncredited)
2008 100 Feet Digital supervisor
2008 Iron Man Previs artist (Uncredited)
2008 Paraiso Travel Visual effects supervisor
2008 Cloverfield Visual effects (Uncredited)
2007 The Red Chalk Digital artist
2007 Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer Visual effects in Hammerhead Productions
2006 Night at the Museum Visual effects (uncredited)
2006 The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift Effects animator in Hammerhead Productions
2006 X-Men: The Last Stand Visual effects
2005 Fantastic Four Visual effects
2004 The Chronicles of Riddick Visual effects
2004 Miss Castaway and the Island Girls Visual effects supervisor
2003 X2 Visual effects
2002 Queen of the Damned Visual effects
2002 The Bacchae Visual effects supervisor
2001 The Animal Visual effects
2000 Almost Famous 3D artist
2000 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Digital artist
2000 The Convent Visual effects supervisor
1999 American Beauty 3D artist
1999 Muppets from Space Visual effects
1998 Mighty Joe Young Visual effects
1998 Pleasantville Visual effects (Uncredited)
1998 Armageddon CG animator; Credited as Dr. Bob Chapin
1998 Six Days Seven Nights Visual effects (Uncredited)
1998 The Big Lebowski 3D Digital artist
1997 The Devil's Advocate Computer animator
1997 Trojan War Visual effects (Uncredited)
1997 Con Air Computer graphics effects
1997 Dante's Peak Visual effects supervisor
1997 Lancelot: Guardian of Time Visual effects supervisor
1997 Deadlock Visual effects
1996 My Fellow Americans Visual effects
1996 Extreme Measures Visual effects (Uncredited)
1996 Alaska Visual effects
1996 Matilda Visual effects (Uncredited)
1996 The Nutty Professor Special visual effects
1996 Before and After Visual effects
1996 White Squall Visual effects
1995 Steal Big Steal Little Visual effects
1993 RoboCop 3 Production Support
1992 The Babe Film recordist and Assistant Animator
Visual Effects Artist / Animator (TV/Web)[8]
Year Project Notes
2010 The Hunted 2 episodes - Visual effects
2008 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Pilot episode - Visual effects
2007 Chuck Chuck Versus the Crown Vic episode - Visual effects
2007 Criminal Minds Visual effects - Identity episode
2006 There & Back: Ashley Parker Angel Visual effects supervisor - 10 episodes
2005 Invasion Pilot episode - Visual effects
2005 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 4x4 Episode - Visual effects
2000 The Privateers TV movie; Visual effects
1998 The Tempest TV movie; Visual effects

Stunts (Film/TV/Web)[8]
Year Project Notes
2011 Hirokin Stunts
2011 Legends of Atoll Stunt coordinator
2008 Nenu Meeku Telusa...? Assistant stunt coordinator
2006 Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny Stunts
2006 Kill Your Darlings Stunts
2005 Soldier of God Sword fight choreographer
2004 Next Action Star Utility stunts
2002 Scooby-Doo Stunt double (Uncredited)
1999 The Magnificent Seven Stunts
1998 Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights Fight coordinator
1997 Lancelot: Guardian of Time Fight coordinator
1996 Beetleborgs: Vampire Files Stunts
1996 Kindred: The Embraced Stunts
1996 Baywatch Stunt double
1996 Dragon Fury II Fight coordinator
1996 The Dark Mist Stunts
1995 Dragon Fury Fight coordinator
1995 Enter the Blood Ring Stunts
1994 - 1995 Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills Stunt coordinator; Stunt double
1994 Renaissance Man Stunts
1994 2002: The Rape of Eden Stunts; As Bob Chapin
1994 Eyes of the Serpent Stunts
1993 Robin Hood: Men in Tights Stunts
1992 Ring of the Musketeers TV movie; Stunt player
1992 Army of Darkness Stunts (Uncredited)
1991 Hook Stunts (Uncredited)
Actor (TV/Film/Web)[8]
Year Project Role
2011 Legends of Atoll thug
2008 Faux Baby Elliot
2008 Pirate's Blood Andrew Selkirk
2002 The Bacchae Battalion leader
2001 - 2011 The Hunted Dr. Bob / Mikey
2000 The Privateers Captain Antilles
1999 The Magnificent Seven Martin, Cowboy with Whip
1998 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch King Arthur
1998 Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights Kether
1997 Lancelot: Guardian of Time Sir Gawain
1996 Dragon Furry II Mason
1995 Dragon Furry Mason
1995 Enter the Blood Ring fighter
1994 Ring of Steel Alex Freyer
Director (TV/Film/Web)[8]
Year Project Notes
2005 Soldier of God Second Unit Director
2001 - 2011 The Hunted Director
1997 Deadlock Second Unit Director
Writer (TV/Film/Web)[8]
Year Project Notes
2001 - 2011 The Hunted Director
1994 Ring of Steel
Producer (TV/Film/Web)[8]
Year Project Notes
2009 - 2011 The Hunted Producer - 3 episodes

Awards and recognition

Awards

Year Association Award/Recognition Category Nominee Result Reference
2010 Visual Effects Society 8th Visual Effects Society Awards Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Feature Motion Picture For the National Air and Space Museum escape in the Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: Robert Chapin (Digital Effects Supervisor), Tony Chen (Model Maker), Forest Fischer (Model Crew Chief), and Ian Hunter (Visual Effects Supervisor) Nominated [9][10]

Recognition

See also

External links

References

  1. "Interview with Bob Chapin of "The Hunted"". ShareStoryWorlds.com. March 8, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Robert Chapin - Biography". Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  3. "Robert Chapin -- Actor, Writer, Fight Choreographer, Instructor". RobertChapin.com. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Mosby, John (April 2002). "Cause & FX (Part 2)". TheHunted.tv. Impact Magazine. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Moshier, Christopher (July 7, 2006). ""The Hunted" creator Robert Chapin". FanFilmFollies.com. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Mosby, John (April 2002). "Cause & FX (Part 2)". TheHunted.tv. Impact Magazine. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Stephenson, David. "Rogue Cinema - An Interview with Robert Chapin". Rogue Cinema. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 "Robert Chapin - IMDb". Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  9. "Visual Effects Society Awards 2010". Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  10. "8th Annual VES Awards". Visual Effects Society. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  11. "HMAISociety". Hawaii Martial Arts International Society. Retrieved March 5, 2012.