ABSTRACT
Joe Letteri (born in 1957 in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania) graduated from the University of California in Berkeley in 1981. In 2001, he joined Peter Jackson's company Weta Digital in New Zealand. As a senior visual effects supervisor in charge of creative, artistic, and technical direction, specializing in performance capture technology, he won four Academy Awards (The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers and The Return of the King; King Kong; and Avatar) and was five more times nominated, won four BAFTA awards and four Visual Effects Society Awards. Everything starts with understanding the principles of good storytelling. An understanding of how shots are framed, the use of lighting for tone and motivation and the fundamentals of composition will always be an essential part of filmmaking. Starting with the basic language of film will always serve you as well. For visual effects in particular, having a good balance of art and technical skill is extremely valuable.
