Bill Kovacs
{{short description|American computer graphics technologist (1949–2006)}}
{{More citations|date=June 2025}}
Image:Bill Kovacs 11-Sep-2002 at Rezn8.jpg
Bill Kovacs (October 25, 1949 – May 30, 2006) was a pioneer of computer animation technology. In 1997, he shared the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences's Scientific and Engineering Academy Award for Digital Imaging.
Early life
Bill Kovacs was born on October 25, 1949.{{citation needed |date=June 2025}} He graduated with a bachelor of architecture from Carnegie Mellon University in 1971.{{Cite web |url=http://www.lmu.edu/Page16868.aspx |title=Bill Kovacs |website=Loyola Marymount University |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051226040436/http://www.lmu.edu/Page16868.aspx |archive-date=2005-12-26 |url-status=dead}}{{citation needed |date=June 2025 |reason=year and degree}} He later graduated from Yale University with a masters of environmental design in 1972.{{citation needed |date=June 2025 |reason=year and degree}}
Career
Kovacs worked as an associate at the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. There he worked on the firm's computer-aided design system. He then worked at the computer animation company Robert Abel and Associates as a vice president of research and development from 1978 to 1984.{{citation needed |date=June 2025}} At Abel, Kovacs (along with Roy Hall and others) developed the company's animation software. Kovacs used this software, with others in the film Tron.{{citation needed |date=June 2025}}
In the early 1980s, Kovacs co-founded Wavefront Technologies.{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jun-04-me-passings4.3-story.html |title=Bill Kovacs, 56; Shared an Oscar for Work in Computer Animation |date=2006-06-04 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2025-06-01}} He was chief technology officer of Wavefront from 1984 to 1994 and lead the development of products, including The Advanced Visualizer.{{citation needed |date=June 2025}} The company was later sold to SGI for {{USD|138000000}}. Along with Richard Childers and Chris Baker, he was a key organizer of the Infinite Illusions at the Smithsonian Institution exhibit in 1991.{{citation needed |date=June 2025}} Following retirement from Wavefront, Kovacs co-founded Instant Effects, worked as a consultant to Electronic Arts and RezN8, serving as RezN8's CTO from 2000 until his death.{{citation needed |date=June 2025}}
Kovacs was a lecturer at Expressions New Media and San Francisco's Academy of Art College. He also served on the presidential advisory board at the Academy of Art College. He was a visiting artist for technology at Loyola Marymount University. In 2005, he was a member of the adjunct faculty in the Department of Animation at Woodbury University, developed and taught The Future of Media: The Evolution of Digital Technology. From 2004 until his death, he served as a special advisor to Heather Kurze, the dean of the School of Architecture and Design at Woodbury University. Beginning in 2005, Kovacs advised Dori Littell-Herrick, the new chair of the Department of Animation at Woodbury on the role of technology in the growing department, both in facilities and in curriculum. Together with other faculty, he participated in creating interdisciplinary classes involving architecture and animation students, including "Urban Environments in Maya". Kovacs also assisted Littell-Herrick to broaden the pool of adjunct faculty for the department.{{citation needed |date=June 2025}}
Personal life
Kovacs's domestic partner was Kathy Salyer. Following a stroke, Kovacs died on May 30, 2006, aged 56, at his home in Camarillo, California.
Awards
In 1997, Kovacs shared the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences's Scientific and Engineering Academy Award for Digital Imaging with Roy Hall for their roles in developing Wavefront's Advanced Visualizer computer graphics system. In 1980, he received two Clio Awards for his work on animated TV commercials.{{citation needed |date=June 2025}}
References
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External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0468224 |name=Bill Kovacs}}
{{Tron}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kovacs, Bill}}
Category:Recipients of the Scientific and Engineering Academy Award
Category:20th-century American educators
Category:People from Camarillo, California
Category:People in the computer animation industry
Category:Computer graphics professionals
Category:Yale University alumni
Category:Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni
Category:Loyola Marymount University faculty