Terrence Masson BFA, MFA
Producers Guild of America
Visual Effects Society
ACM SIGGRAPH 2010 Conference Chair
What do I excel at as a producer and studio executive?
        My 20 years of experience with visual effects, feature animated film, and interactive entertainment has given me a deep and thorough understanding of what it takes to produce the best quality work in any situation. I work with other producers, directors, executives, and artists to guarantee the overall success of a project by optimizing and improving the quality of workflow between creative, technical and management. Whether feature animation, live action, commercial, large format or interactive entertainment, I believe that strong leadership, clear direction and teamwork are the key to getting the most quality out of any production.
 
  1. •    Producing and staffing optimal studio solutions for each projects particular needs
  2. •    Succeeding under tight deadlines for projects both large or small by maximizing production efficiency
  3. •    Operating with a “grace under pressure” that comes from a wide range of production experience
  4. •    Giving (and taking) direction very well while operating on my own or as part of a senior management team
 
Other Accomplishments
  1. •    Chair - SIGGRAPH 2006 Computer Animation Festival.
  2. •    Author of CG 101: A Computer Graphics Industry Reference, New Riders Press. 1999/2007
  3. •    Developed the original CG animation technique for the television series South Park in 1996
  4. •    Founder of Digital Fauxtography; a digital visual effects and animation company www.digfaux.com
  5. •    Member of the Purdue International Center for Entertainment Technology (PICET) Advisory Board
  6. •    Co-founder of The Visual Effects Resource Center ( www.visualfx.com is now www.VFXPro.com )
 
Creative Direction
            I have directed several award winning short animated films such as Bunkie & BooBoo (First Place World Animation Celebration 1998) and developed the very first digital character animation techniques for South Park the television series. I have flown the Millennium Falcon in The Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition and animated pixie dust in Hook ... to name just a few examples.
            I also have 15 years of full-time digital cinematography experience; including 18 major feature films, interactive games, pre-rendered cinematics and broadcast national commercials. For this work I have used most 3D computer animation products in the market today including Alias/Maya, 3Dmax, Houdini and SoftImage, as well as many proprietary tools at large companies such as ILM and Digital Domain.
 
Creative Writing
  1. •    Author CG 101: A Computer Graphics Industry Reference (2nd Ed., 2007)
  2. •    Co-writer of the Bruce Lee: Quest of the Dragon script
  3. •    Author of numerous articles and presentations at professional conferences worldwide
 
 
Major consulting history
 
Digital Fauxtography Inc. : Founder and Exec. Producer (1994 to present)
 
Northeastern University : Senior Academic Specialist (Jan. 2008 to present)
    Full time appointment combining teaching and curriculum development duties
 
Crest Animation Studios : Creative Director and Line Producer, Mumbai India (Fall 2006)
    Developed start up feature animated film production pipeline and creative standards
 
Technicolor : Visual Effects Supervisor (May 2005 to summer 2006)
   On set supervision of multiple live action episodic television series.
 
Meteor Studios : CG Supervisor Fantastic Four; (November 2004 to March 2005)
   For the live action Fantastic Four visual effects film I developed, optimized and supervised the pipeline for and team of 60 artists, animators and TDs from modeling through shading, lighting and compositing.
 
Dreamworks SKG : Head of Layout Flushed Away (pre-production); (Nov. 2003 to March 2004)
   For Dreamworks Animation as pre-production Head of Layout on Flushed Away (an Aardman feature film project) I evaluated software tools and established procedural pipeline standards for their previously 2D experienced production environment. This experience was in collaboration with the film’s Directors, Production Designer and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
 
C.O.R.E. Feature Animation : Director of Photography (pre-production); (June 2003 to Nov. 2003)
   Two years ago consulting at C.O.R.E. Feature Animation as pre-production Director of Photography I established their camera and lighting standards and procedures. I also interviewed and staffed the 35 person lighting department for the Toronto based, Disney backed feature length animated film, The Wild.
 
Kleiser Walczak Construction Company : Visual Effects Supervisor (ongoing consultant)        
   http://www.kwcc.com/newsletters/newsletter_spring_2003.html
 
Ronin Entertainment : Director of Development & Creative Project Lead ; (Jan. 2000 to Jan. 2002)
   Creative Lead and Co-Writer of Bruce Lee Xbox launch title. Responsibilities included budgeting, staffing, outsourcing, all supervising all camera, lighting, level design, asset creation and animation.
 
Industrial Light + Magic : Senior Technical Director & CG Sequence Supervisor; (1996 to Jan 2000)
   Shading, lighting and compositing for feature film and commercial divisions.
 
Sony Pictures High Definition Center : Visual Effects Supervisor; (Nov. 1995-Feb 1996)
   Developed new stereo HD rendering procedures and supervised department staff.
 
Sony Pictures Imageworks : Animation R&D Consultant; (Nov/Dec 1995)
   Evaluated in-house and commercial software for feature film Anaconda and other projects.
 
SimEx Digital Studios : Digital/Visual Effects Supervisor; (January-October 1995)
   Staffed, built and supervised start-up studio for special venue large format projects.
 
Warner Brothers Imaging Technology : Computer Graphics Supervisor; (March 1994-Oct 1994)
   As founding CG Supervisor, I built a new digital animation and visual effects department, designed and supervised multiple feature film projects including shot planning and previsualization with John Dykstra and Richard Yuricich.
 
Digital Domain : Technical Director & Digital Artist; (Oct 1993-March 1994)
   Founding TD, scripting, lighting and compositing on company’s first feature film and commercial projects.
 
The Trumbull Co. ; Image Engineering Supervisor (May 1992-Oct 1993)
   Built and supervised previsualization and shot-planning department to integrate Art Dept., Model Shop, rapid prototyping, motion control and 3D CG departments working directly with Doug Trumbull.
 
Industrial Light + Magic ; Computer Graphics Artist and Technical Assistant (1991)
   2D effects animation, wire removal and R&D.
 
National Boston Video Center : 3D animator (1990)
 
 
Feature film credits
 
Fantastic Four ; CG Supervisor at Meteor Studios
 
Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace ; CG Sequence Supervisor at ILM
 
Small Soldiers ; Senior Technical Director at ILM
 
Bunkie & Booboo ; Designer & Director at ILM (short animated film)
 
Spawn ; Senior Technical Director at ILM
 
Return Of The Jedi/Special Edition ; Technical Director at ILM
 
The Empire Strikes Back/Special Edition ; Technical Director at ILM
 
Lord Protector ; Digital Effects Supervisor(300+ shots) for Alpine Pictures
 
Anaconda ; Animation R&D consultant at Sony Pictures Imageworks
 
Cutthroat Island ; Digital Fauxtography Contract for 2D effects animation
 
Mars Odyssey (ride film)  ; Digital Visual Effects Supervisor at Simex Digital Studios
 
Batman Forever ; Digital Fauxtography, Opening title sequence
 
Batman Forever ; Shot planning, previsualization and animation for Warner Brothers Studios
 
Judge Dredd ; Digital Fauxtography Contract: Courtroom Lawgiver and 3-D map sequences
 
Dark Territory/Under Siege Two ; Digital Fauxtography Contract
 
Woodstock-25th Anniversary ; Restoration work for Warner Brothers Studios
 
True Lies ; Senior Technical Director at Digital Domain
 
Interview With The Vampire ; Senior Technical Director at Digital Domain
 
Color of Night ; Senior Technical Director at Digital Domain
 
Luxor (ride film) ; Image Engineering Supervisor at The Trumbull Co.
 
Hook ; Computer Graphics Animator and Technical Assistant at ILM
 
 
Short animated films
 
Bunkie & Booboo
-First place winner: "Best 3D/Effects Animation by an Independent". The World Animation Celebration 98.
-Featured in the 1998 SIGGRAPH Animation Festival and SIGKids Theaters.
-Featured in the new DVD/VHS release “Little Bytes” presented by Odyssey Productions.
-Selected for the1999 Mill Valley Film Festival: Sat. Oct 16, 1999
-Selected for the Hollywood Shorts monthly film series. (Sunday Sept.12th 1999)
-Screened at Sausalito Arts Festival Sept. 4-6, 1999.
-Featured in Visual Fantasy: The World of Computer Graphics 1999: Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, Tokyo
-Film debut at the Sonoma Valley Film Festival 1998
-Featured in NICOGRAPH98 CG Film Show Nov. 25th-27th 1998
 
Paranoimia
Designed and Directed this short animated film in 1990.
-Featured in the 1991 Mill Valley Film Festival(CA).
 
 
 
Other Awards and articles and neat stuff
 
  1. •    South Park: Developed the original CG animation technique and production pipeline with Producer David White to win the approval for the animated cable series.
(details online at: http://www.spscriptorium.com/SPinfo/MakingOfSouthPark.htm#Beginnings )
  1. •    Host of Creative Planet's "Visual Effects" Community Center Forum. (May, 2000 to May, 2001)
  2. •    Contributing writer for VFXPro.com
                "Paul Debevec and the Art of Photogrammetry"”
                “Understanding Motion Capture": a book review.
                "Details, details, details" article
                "Entering the VFX Industry" article.
                "The Art and Science of Digital Compositing": a book review.
  1. •    1999 Francis Cabot Lowell Fine Arts Young Alumni Award: University of Massachusetts Lowell
  2. •    Animation Magazine: Contributor to "Opportunities in Animation; Demo Reel Tips". Sept. 1999.
  3. •    Joel Seigels Inside Hollywood Oscar Special (3/18/99): Presenting Star Wars SE work.
  4. •    National Institute for Standards and Technology expert consultant for digital video graphics.
  5. •    SHOTS Magazine (November issue #49): ILM's Terrence Masson - profile. The commercial design industry's premier magazine and video.
  6. •    Good Morning America: George Lucas interview with Joel Seigel for Star Wars Special Edition. Presenting Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition work.
  7. •    ACM SIGGRAPH 1995(Aug/95): Interactive Entertainment Technical Director.
 
 
 
Education
 
-William Paterson University (Wayne, New Jersey)
Master of Fine Arts in Computer Animation 1990
    Graduate lab Assistant; maintained scheduling and maintenance of SGI based animation lab
Regular tutoring schedule of approximately one dozen fellow graduate students
 
-University of Massachusetts (Lowell, Massachusetts)
BFA Graphic Design: Computer Graphics / Graphic Design major 1989
Art History minor 1989
 
-Marian High School (Framingham, Massachusetts)
Voted Most Artistic in graduating class 1984