| Effi Wizen | |
| Birth Name: | Efraim Wizen |
| Birth Date: | 29 October 1956 |
| Occupation: | computer animator and visual effects specialist |
Efraim "Effi" Wizen (born October 29, 1956, in Israel) is an Israeli computer animator and visual effects specialist.[1]
Wizen graduated from ORT Israel, having studied architecture. He also earned a B.Sc. in architecture and city planning from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. He is one of the first specialists in computer animation and visual effects, founding the first 3D animation company in Israel, “Dad_Pro”, in 1984.[2]
In 1987, Wizen created one of the first film digital compositing systems, called Toccata.[2] [3] Wizen used the system in one of the first digitally composed movie Taxandria in 1989 and Neverending Story III in 1994.[2] [4] He worked on both films as Digital Effects Supervisor. Also in 1994 he founded the post production house "Gravity VFX and Design", serving six years as the co-CEO.[5] He then opened Gravity VFX in Canada, aligning with "RhinoFX", and now known as "Gravity". In 1998, Wizen created the consortium[6] that was composed of Digital Domain, Kushner-Locke Company, Capitol Films of the United Kingdom, Israeli Financial Banking firm DLIN Ltd., and Israeli post-production facility Gravity VFX and Design (a VFX boutique with offices in Canada and Israel, of which he is CEO and creative director).[2] [7] [8]
In 1997, he handled digital effects for The Dybbuk of the Holy Apple Field.[9] In 2000/2001, he shared the Royal Television Society Craft and Design Award for Visual Effects – Digital nomination for Planet Storm.[10]
In 2010, he was the head of visual effects for São Paulo-based Estudios Quanta, a major regional film industry company.[11] In 2011, he combined with Brazilian producer Roberto d’Avilla and entrepreneur Perival Palesela to acquire Imarion, a Toronto visual effects and animation post-production company.[12]