Joe Viskocil
{{Short description|American special effects artist}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| imagesize =
| name = Joe Viskocil
| birth_name =
| other_names =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|12|21}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2014|8|11|1952|12|21}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California
| occupation = Visual effects artist
| yearsactive = 1974–2014
| children =
}}
Joseph Viskocil (December 21, 1952 – August 11, 2014) was an American special effects artist who had over 80 film credits from 1974 to 2014. He created special effects for some of the most famous movie franchises and was awarded an Academy Award for his work on Independence Day (1996).
Career
In 1977, Viskocil assisted John Dykstra and George Lucas in creating the pyrotechnics for Star Wars, including the explosion of the Death Star at the film's climax.{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Mike |title=Joe Viskocil, Visual Effects Guru on 'Star Wars' Films, Dies at 63 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/joe-viskocil-visual-effects-guru-724996/ |access-date=January 5, 2022 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=August 12, 2014}} In 1980, he returned to create pyrotechnics for The Empire Strikes Back. For the next three decades, he worked on films from the most famous franchises, including Ghostbusters, Batman and Star Trek.
After serving as pyrotechnics supervisor for the 1996 film Independence Day, Viskocil was awarded the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects alongside Volker Engel, Douglas Smith and Clay Pinney at the 69th Academy Awards. Viskocil and miniature supervisor Mike Joyce were responsible for the creation of a 15-foot-wide, 5-foot-high (4.57 metres by 1.52 metres) miniature of the White House, built for destruction during the film.{{cite news |last1=Giardina |first1=Carolyn |title='Independence Day': How Visual Effects Have Dramatically Escalated Since the Original Film's Release |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/independence-day-visual-effects-supervisor-904590/ |access-date=January 5, 2022 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=June 24, 2016}}
=Style=
In the 1990s, Viskocil opposed using computer-generated imagery in the creation of some special effects:
{{Blockquote
|text=When it comes to pyro techniques, what was done 50 years ago is still good today. There are a billion chemicals out there now that one can add, subtract or manipulate to create a desired effect.{{cite news |title=Pyromania fires up the industry |url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/pyromania-fires-up-the-industry-1117341608/ |access-date=January 5, 2022 |work=Variety |date=May 8, 1997}}
}}
Following the September 11 attacks, Viskocil expressed guilt over making the explosions in Independence Day appear lifelike, saying "I started thinking maybe I did my job too well, and it might have been the nucleus of an idea for someone to say: ‘Hey, let’s crash a plane into the White House.’"{{cite news |last1=Barber |first1=Nicholas |title=Why are we hooked on films about mass destruction? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jun/18/why-are-we-hooked-on-films-about-mass-destruction-independence-day-resurgence |access-date=January 5, 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=June 18, 2016 |language=en}}
Personal life
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable plainheaders" |
| style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! scope="row" data-sort-type="number"|Year ! scope="col"|Title ! scope="col"|Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable"|Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
| 1977
| | |
| 1980
| | |
| 1984
| | |
| 1984
| | |
| 1985
| The Return of the Living Dead | | |
| 1987
| | |
| 1988
| Killer Klowns From Outer Space | | |
| 1989
| | |
| 1991
| | |
| 1991
| | | style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news |last1=Horn |first1=John |title=Launching a small-scale offensive |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91911940/launching-a-small-scale-offensive/ |access-date=January 5, 2022 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=September 12, 2004 |page=E14}} |
| 1992
| | |
| 1994
| | |
| 1995
| | |
| 1995
| | |
| 1996
| Pyrotechnics supervisor | | style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news |title=Aliens crush cities (at a theater near you) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91911252/aliens-crush-cities-at-a-theater-near/ |access-date=January 5, 2022 |work=The Miami Herald |date=December 18, 1995 |page=2c}} |
| 1997
| | |
| 1997
| Volcano | | |
| 2000
| | |
| 2002
| | |
| 2002
| | |
| 2004
| Pyrotechnics supervisor | |
| 2011
| | |
| 2022
| The Prey: Legend of the Karnoctus | |Posthumous release |
Awards
| class=wikitable |
| scope="col" style="width:5em;" | Year
! scope="col" style="width:26em;"| Category ! scope="col" style="width:25em;"| Nominated work ! scope="col" style="width:5em;" | Result ! scope="col" style="width:1em;"| {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| style="text-align:center;"|1996
| Academy Award for Best Visual Effects | {{win}} |
| style="text-align:center;"|2017
| Visual Effects Society Hall of Fame | {{N/A}} | {{win}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0899670}}
{{Academy Award Best Visual Effects}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Special Effects}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Viskocil, Joe}}
Category:Best Visual Effects Academy Award winners
Category:American special effects people
Category:Academy Award for Technical Achievement winners
{{US-film-bio-stub}}