Steve Hubbard, a 2010 media studies graduate of Columbus College of Art & Design, was part of the team that won the Outstanding Visual Effects for 'Life of Pi' at the 11th Annual VES Awards ceremony, Feb. 5.
The movie triumphed in this category despite being placed alongside major blockbusters such as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Battleship, Prometheus and The Avengers.
Hubbrad worked on 20 shots from the movie. "I worked on fur and muscle simulations for Richard Parker (the tiger), the hyena, the zebra, tarp interactions with the animals and Pi, the ropes on the boat, and some movements on fish as well."
All together, the movie received four awards out of its six nominations at the ceremony including animated character in a live action feature motion picture for Richard Parker, FX and simulation animation in a live action and compositing in a feature motion picture for 'Storm of God.'
The ceremony also conferred its Visionary Award to Ang Lee, the director of 'Life of Pi,' for his application of visual effects in his films such as the 'Crouching Tiger', 'Hidden Dragon,' 'Sense and Sensibility,' 'Hulk and his latest venture.
The visual effects society comprises of more than 2,700 members world-wide that choose the nominees in 24 categories from five locations around the world.
'Life of Pi', an adaptation of Yann Martel's 2001 novel, fetched Lee an Oscar in best director category and visual-effects Academy Award for Hubbard's team.
Lee's first 3-D fantasy film venture is about a 16-year-old boy, who survives a shipwreck and is stranded in the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger.
