Director | Animation Director | Visual Effects Supervisor (character/creatures) | Creative Producer
Independent -- Vancouver, BC
pauljohngriffin@gmail.com
US

pauljohngriffin.weebly.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgriffin/
http://www.animationinsider.com/?s=Paul+Griffin https://thehrartist.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/position-of-the-month-–-animator-–-conversations-with-artists/ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/afm-double-dutch-does-animated-747098 http://www.nyit.edu/box/profiles/paul_griffin

Paul Griffin

Yes. It's true. My face is mostly made out of rubber.

It's been put to good use on many occasions acting out scenes with animators, telling crazy stories and used as a lip-sync reference for dozens of animated characters. Surprisingly, clients and studios pay real money for this and it's really hard to believe I get to make a living at what seems like having a lot of fun, telling stories.

Joy is one of the fundamentals necessary to creating great work. I find if a crew are and I are enjoying what we do, it contributes to telling a better story.

For me, this joy all started a long time ago with a love for drawing which led to The Classical Cartoon Animation Programme at Sheridan College, then a scholarship to The New York Institute of Technology - Computer Graphics Laboratory (CGL). Little did we know at the time but ‘the lab’ would become the launchpad for both Pixar and Lucas Digital. After getting a Bachelor’s of Science degree I returned to Toronto and joined the crew of folks at Sythavision (Tron) to work on various design and commercial projects and eventually The Fly for David Cronenberg, my first feature film. Working with various studios in Toronto I got to direct the first computer animated characters for syndicated television as well as do broadcast graphics and commercial work.

In 1994 we moved to Marin County, California and I joined Industrial Light + Magic first working on Casper for Steven Spielberg and then moving into the ILM CG Commercials group. Leading a very talented team, we were able to complete high-end commercials including several that aired during the Superbowl for successive years. Eventually, I was asked to join the ILM features division as part of the Senior Creative Group that incorporated the Visual Effects Supervisors and Animation Directors, leading to working on films such as Jack Frost and Magnolia (involving a plague of raining frogs). This also opened up the chance to start directing projects for George Lucas such as Star Wars: Phantom Menace Extended Scenes, adding more to the Star Wars story for the DVD project, as well as Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, the in game cinematic story of a major AAA game release for Lucasarts. Both Star Wars projects involved ground up scene creation from the story right through to delivered footage.

After 10 years at ILM it was time to move on, so when I was invited to Weta Digital, my family sold our home and many of our belongings to relocate to New Zealand and work on Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. When the film wrapped with an exciting 11 wins at the Academy Awards and an amazing country wide party to celebrate, I was asked to stay to help Peter Jackson do development on King Kong. A very exciting time since Peter was entirely open to storytelling suggestions and I was able to contribute to several sequences, especially getting to design many shots in the final NY sequence. I remember pitching Peter, “Kong has died. Every thing has slowed down as if we’ve gone into a dream. The slow motion biplanes coming into frame are like angels of death, coming to collect Kong’s soul”.   He put it into the movie verbatim.

Since Weta, I’ve done some more more films, Fantastic Four, Zathura, Pan’s Labyrinth, District Nine… I’ve had the chance to direct some animated series, Viva Pinãta (Fox), The Lebrons(Lebron James) and work on animation from some popular fantasy/sci-fi shows for television, Once Upon a Time (ABC), The X-Files (FOX), Legends of Tomorrow (DC) and Stargirl (CW/DC), amongst others.

I’ve had a chance to meet and work with so many great folks who have been generous with their time and experience. Heroes: I’ve worked with Betty Boop and Popeye animators, been lucky to meet some of Disney’s Nine Old Men, had dinner with both Chuck Jones and Ray Harryhausen and their wives, met Brad Bird and design legend, Syd Mead. I’ve also been able to work with some of the best film directors of our time and learn from them which has really made me better aware of story. I was involved in forming and leading The Independent Story Group at Industrial Light + Magic as well as developing story and vfx for the ending of LOVE, an indie film for Tom Delonge [Blink-182, Angels&Airwaves].  Some of my favourite words from clients have always been, “do you have any ideas here?”  I  am continuing to seek opportunities in telling great stories, both for clients as well as developing my own. Maybe we’ll have a chance to work together.

Production stories? I got ‘em and am happy to share a tale or two over a cup of coffee. Feel free to check out my credits, job experience and references, but just so you know...

My best achievement is being married to my fabulous wife Laurie and having three amazing kids, Kristen, Brad and Tiffany. I’m enormously proud of my family.

And although my kids are grown up now, animation and storytelling still puts me in touch with a precocious, curious kid, who loves to act up every day.

That’d be me.

Work Experience

•director• Director - The Lebrons: Season 3 2014
Series Director - Viva Pinata (FOX TV) - Bardel Entertainment 2007 Director - Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Industrial Light + Magic 2001 Director - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - Extended Scenes 2000 •animation director / supervisor• Animation Supervisor / Head of Department, Zoic Studios 2016-2020
Animation Director Dhoom 3 - Counterpunch Studios 2013 Animation Supervisor- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Image Metrics 2007-2008 Animation Director - Fantastic Four, Zathura, Pan’s Labyrinth... - CafeFX 2005 
Animation Director - Jack Frost, Magnolia Industrial Light + Magic 1996-2003 Animation Director at Arcca Animation - Captain Power and the Solders of the Future 1986 •creative producer• Creative Producer (pre-production) - The Monkey King - Movieplus Canada 2016 Animation Consultant - District 9 - Image Engine 2009 Executive Producer - The Vortex - Feature Film Development 2009 Creative Producer - Viva Pinata (FOX TV) - 54 Episodes - Bardel Entertainment 2007 visual effects supervisor Visual Effects Supervisor (pre-production) - The Lady and The Panda - Movieplus Canada 2016 VFX Supervisor / Animation Director - LOVE - feature film - Griffin Interplanetary Studios 2010
VFX Supervisor / Animation Director - Griffin Interplanetary Studios 2008-Present •animation | project lead• Animation Lead - Happy Feet Two - Dr D Studios 2011 Senior Animator King Kong, Lord of the Rings - Weta Digital 2006 Animator at NYIT Computer Graphics Laboratory 1984 •commercials / design• Senior Animator / Generalist at Dome Productions - broadcast design and commercials 1992-1994 Senior Animator / Generalist at Topix - animated commercials 1991 Senior Animator & Designer at Synthavision - The Fly, Robot Rebellion (VG) 1985

Film Credits

•s e r i e s t e l e v i s i o n• Zoic Studios 2020 space force (3 episodes) - animation supervisor 2020 home before dark (1 episode ) - animation supervisor 2020 stargirl (4 episodes ) - animation supervisor 2020 resident alien (series pilot) - animation supervisor 2018-2020 dc’s legends of tomorrow (28 episodes) - animation supervisor 2019 amazing stories (2 episodes) - animation supervisor 2017-2020 futureman (5 episodes) - animation supervisor 2018-2020 chilling adventures of sabrina (22 episodes) - animation supervisor 2019 charmed (4 episodes) - animation supervisor 2019 wu-tang clan: an american saga (1 episode) - animation supervisor 2019 the twilight zone (2 episodes) - animation supervisor 2019 the story of god, with morgan freeman (1 episode) - animation supervisor 2019 deadly class (1 episode) - animation supervisor 2019 manifest (2 episodes) - animation supervisor 2018 staties (series pilot) - animation supervisor 2018 arrow (1 episodes) - animation supervisor 2018 salvation (4 episodes) - animation supervisor 2018 the 100 (6 episodes) - animation supervisor 2018 the x-files ( 3 episodes) - animation supervisor 2017 zoo ( 9 episodes) - animation supervisor 2017 game of thrones (1 episode) - animation supervisor 2017 searchers (series pilot) - animation supervisor 2017 santa clarita diet (9 episodes) - animation supervisor 2017-2018 once upon a time (abc) (27 episodes) - animation supervisor Bardel 2006 viva pinata - series director / creative producer Arcca 1985 captain power and the soldiers of the future - animation director

 •t v m o v i e s• Zoic Studios 2019 sweet tooth - animation supervisor 2019 z-o-m-b-i-e-s 2 - animation supervisor 2018 the perfection- animation supervisor Griffin Interplanetary Studios 2008 knights of bloodsteel - animation director 2009 riverworld - animation director 1985 captain power and the soldiers of the future: the beginning–animation director •f e a t u r e f i l m s
• Dr D Studios (Sydney) 2011 happy feet two - lead animator Griffin Interplanetary Studios 2010 love - animation director / vfx supervisor Image Engine 2009 district 9 – animation consultant Image Metrics
2013 dhoom 3 –facial animation supervisor 2008 the curious case of benjamin button – facial animation supervisor 2008 the mummy: tomb of the dragon emperor – facial animation supervisor CafeFx 2006 snakes on a plane – animation supervisor 2006 pan’s labyrinth– animation supervisor (uncredited) 2005 mr and mrs smith – animation supervisor 2005 fantastic four – animation supervisor 2005 shark boy and lava girl – animation director 2005 zathura: a space adventure– animation supervisor Weta Digital 2004 king kong –previz / development artist 2005 lord of the rings: return of the king– animator ILM 2002 star wars: episode ii “attack of the clones” – lead sequence animator 2001 jurassic park iii - animation sequence supervisor 2001 the mummy returns - animation sequence supervisor 1999 magnolia – animation director 1999 deep blue sea – animation supervisor 1999 star wars: episode i “the phantom menace” - sr. animator 1998 jack frost – animation director 1995 casper - animator Synthavision 1985 the fly – senior animator •s h o r t f i l m s• 2010 taking leave of your sensei - director, producer 1984 the bunglar - director 1983 snow - animator •m u s i c v i d e o• ILM 1997 men in black (Music Video) - animation supervisor MTV Award for Best Music Video from a Feature Film •s p e c i a l p r o j e c t s• Eighth Wonder Studios (Melbourne) 2009 the vortex project (ip) - executive producer ILM 2002 bounty hunter (vg) – animation director 2001 star wars: episode i “the phantom menace” dvd - animation director Topix 1989 second city “traveling show” – lead animator Sythavision 1985 robot rebellion (vg)– animator, designer •c o m m e r c i a l s• ILM 2003 diet pepsiwoman (japan) “launch” – animation director 2003 honeycomb “the player”- animation director 2003 pepsiman (japan) “return” – animation director 2003 pepsiman (japan) “bank robbery” – animation director 2002 honeycomb “recipe for disaster”, “highscore” – animation director 2001 budweiser “coming home” – animation director 1998 pontiac “coyote” - animation supervisor 1998 diamond walnuts “cookie jar” - animation supervisor Clio Award - Computer Animation 1998 diamond walnuts “gingerbread couple” – animation supervisor 1997 pepsiman (japan) “mirage” - lead animator 1997 berger bank “smiley” - lead animator 1997 moen “spider” - lead animator 1997 gm “ev1 electric car” - lead animator Clio Award - Computer Animation Emmy Nomination 1996 ilm “lightning tag” (internal project) - lead animator 1996 intel “carpet” - lead animator 1996 compuserve “whale” - lead animator, concept design 1995 peter pan peanut butter “evolution” - lead animator 1995 gte “carried away” & “carried away again” - technical director 1995 pizzahut “new spirit” & “flying ghost” - technical director Dome Productions 1994 french’s mustard “more fun on your bun” – director 1994 cheerios “make a tree” – lead animator 1993 hewlett-packard “see dot run” – project lead, lead animator 1992 fruit rollups – lead animator 1991 post cereal “home alone” – lead animator 1991 captain crunch “christmas crunch” - animator Topix 1990 teddy grahams “a real handful” - animator 1990 gm “get the ball rolling” – project lead 1990 suzuki “stars” – project lead 1989 lifesavers “the goodtime roll” – animator, concept design 1989 sears “paint” & “house” - animator •b r o a d c a s t g r a p h i c s• 1993 ctv “the 1994 olympics” –project lead: animator 1992 viewers choice – project lead: lead animator 1990 cbc “ the juno awards” – animator, designer 1989 cbc “the 1990 olympics” –project lead: animator

Skills & Titles

• director • • animation director/supervisor • • creative producer • • vfx supervisor (creature / character focus) •

Awards

• Clio Award - Best Computer Animation - General Motors, EV1 • Clio Award - Best Computer Animation - Diamond Walnuts • NCGA Award - Lifesavers, The Good Times Roll • CCGA Award - Best Animation - Teddy Grahams • Gemini Award - Technical Achievement - Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future • Imagina: Prix Pixel - General Motors,EV1 • MTV Award - Best Video from a Motion Picture: Men in Black w/ Will Smith