Stan Winston
Stan Winston ( born April 7, 1946 in Richmond, Virginia, USA, † June 15, 2008 in Los Angeles, California, USA) was an American expert on special effects and make- up design, which through his work in numerous Hollywood productions became known. Among his creations are the creatures from the Terminator, Predator and Jurassic Park films.
Winston was also active as a director, his debut was in 1987 with the horror film The Halloween monster.
Life and work
Winston studied painting and sculpture. After he had worked in his youth as a stand- up comedian in his native Virginia, he moved in 1968 to Los Angeles to become an actor. But when he did not get roles like, he focused on a side job as a make- up assistant at the Disney Studios. A few years later, he received in 1972 for the effects in the movie Gargoyles an Emmy Award, a second in 1974 for The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman, with whom he had worked with Rick Baker.
In the coming years, Winston has been increasingly successful and well-known. For Star Wars, he designed the costumes of the Wookiees. In 1984, the effects work for James Cameron's Terminator and 1986 Aliens - The Return, for which he received his first Oscar. It was followed by numerous award-winning effects work in films such as Predator, Terminator 2 - Judgment Day, Jurassic Park and Michael Jackson's Ghosts. Winston thus gave more and more the reputation of being one of the leading and most innovative special effects designer in the world.
Winston's son Matt is an actor, best known for playing the role of temporal agent Daniels in the series Star Trek: Enterprise.
He most recently worked as a Creature effects supervisor for the film Terminator Salvation, in which he also has a cameo. Winston has been responsible for the first three Terminator films involved in the specialty and mask effects. He died during production in June 2008 - the film is dedicated to him.
Stan Winston died on June 15, 2008 surrounded by his family a long battle with cancer, called multiple myeloma.
Awards (selection)
Winston was four times awarded the Oscar. Just as often, he received the Saturn Award. His first Oscar he won in 1987 for the effects in Aliens - The Return. Twice he won the trophy in the category Best Visual Effects and Best Make -up for Terminator 2 -. Judgment Day in 1992 The last Oscar he won in 1994 for Jurassic Park.