David Santiago – Visual Effects Consultant and Supervisor
After receiving his degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, David moved to California to work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena and earn a Masters in Electrical Engineering-Microwave Systems/Electrophysics at the University of Southern California. After 6.5 years developing ultra-stable fiber optic distribution systems, cryogenic microwave oscillators, and ionic frequency standards, David went to Digital Domain to learn digital visual effects on Dante's Peak, Fifth Element, Titanic and Armageddon. David joined VIFX, which soon became Rhythm and Hues, and after a few years became the Effects Supervisor and Head of the Effects Department of Moon Crescent Studios where he helped design and develop the studio’s pipeline. As a Senior Effects Technical Director at Asylum Visual Effects, he created effects for feature films, music videos and commercials. David concentrates on pipeline design and process integration and optimization. He designed and implemented pipelines for such projects as The Ant Bully, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Master and Commander: Far Side of the World, and Black Hawk Down.
David's book, "Creating 3D Effects for Film, TV and Games" provides a thorough introduction to the world of digital effects. He has used every major software package in production (Alias/Maya, Prisms/Houdini, Softimage/XSI, Lightwave, 3D Studio Max, Flame/Flint/Inferno, Elastic Reality, Photoshop, Gimp, Studio Paint, Renderman, Mental Ray, RasTrack, Chalice, Shake, etc.). David has presented to SIGGRAPH audiences on effects techniques and methodologies, lectured several times at DHIMA, and taught many in-studio classes on shader writing, scripting, and general approaches to effects creation and problem solving. He was an instructor for the Saturday Science Academy of the Pasadena Unified School District, teaching fifth, sixth and seventh graders math, electronics and computers, and was a special workshop instructor for Weather Satellite Technology at the Pasadena City College in 1994. He has served as president and creative director of a community theater as well as acted, sang, danced, performed improv comedy, technical directed and set designed at theaters around Los Angeles. He enjoys helping independent and student filmmakers develop and complete their projects. He is a member of The Visual Effects Society.
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Feature Films |
Television |