From Art School To Avatar

Aug. 12, 2010 - PRLog -- Austin based production company, luzworks will be presenting the first in a series of special events called “2.0”. To inaugurate the occasion, film designers TyRuben Ellingson and Yuri Bartoli will give a live presentation at 6:30PM on August 30th at El Sol y La Luna on 600 E 6th Street in Austin, TX. The two will talk about their unique and creative artistic contributions to the James Cameron classic movie AVATAR which is being re-released with additional scenes nationally August 27th. Ellingson and Bartoli will also make a special announcement during the evening with Jonathan de la Luz, President of luzworks, a Austin-based motion picture production company, as to their long term local filmmaking impact.

TyRuben Ellingson is the Lead Vehicle Designer for James Cameronʼs AVATAR. He joined the team at Lightstorm in early 2006 and provided the designs for the AMP suit and RDA combat aircraft. As the show moved into post-production, TyRuben designed the RDA mining equipment and RDA ground vehicles, several of which were also used in the AVATAR video game.

Combining his fine art successes with a life long interest in film, Ellingson landed a position at George Lucas' Industrial, Light and Magic in 1989 as a Visual Effects Art Director. While at ILM, Ellingson contributed to the creation of ground-breaking special effects in films such as JURASSIC PARK, STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE, and DISCLOSURE. Other films to which he has lent his creative talents include BLADE TRINITY, SIGNS, EAGLE EYE, SURROGATES, PRIEST (2011) and BATTLE: LOS ANGELES (2011).

Yuri Bartoli is the Supervising Virtual Art Director for James Cameronʼs AVATAR. In May of 2005, he began work on Avatar as one of four artists initially hired to work directly with James Cameron to design the creatures and environments of Pandora. His journey ran through to the very end of production, five years in total, making Bartoli the longest running creative on the picture.

Coming from a background in traditional art, film and illustration with a BFA from School of Visual Arts in New York City, Bartoli made the move to California to work as a concept artist on STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES. He has been working in the visual effects, commercial and film industry for over 10 years at companies such as Pacific

Data Images and Dreamworks Animation. As Visual Effects Art Director on such films as EVOLUTION, MINORITY REPORT and AI, he honed his skills in special effects, art and matte painting as well as computer graphics and later transitioned into computer animated feature films. It was while working on films such as MADAGASCAR and SHREK 2 that he learned valuable pipeline production techniques that would assist him in later films.
Jonathan de la Luz has been in motion picture industry over 30 years as a writer- producer and production/ financial consultant working with various studios and independent production companies. He produced his first movie, the cult classic, MEET THE HOLLOWHEADS (aka LIFE ON THE EDGE) in 1989. It was directed by legendary make-up special effects pioneer, Tom Berman (THE GOONIES).

In 2000 Jonathan, as an entrepreneur, created Azisa Pictures and based in East Texas. This company developed several scripts and made use of cutting edge digital technologies to create high quality independent films utilizing a host of varied locations. "The truth is," says de la Luz, "the whole world is our back-lot." One such result was, THE HUNT, which Jonathan co-wrote the story and screenplay also co-produced. It was Azisa Pictures first movie undertaking. Jonathan also wrote the screenplay, produced and directed the follow-up production entitled AGENDA, which is a unique contemporary feature film neo-noir murder-mystery-thriller. Both films received several awards.

Moving to Austin, Texas in early 2010, Jonathan created a new solely owned entity, luzworks, an entertainment production and distribution company that develops intellectual properties for film, television, Internet and toy markets.

Check the website for more details at  www.luzworks.com/fromartschooltoavatar

Beyond the special announcements for the evening of August 30th at El Sol y La Luna on 600 E 6th Street in Austin, TX - the one and a-half hour presentation, FROM ART SCHOOL TO AVATAR, will chronicle the journey TyRuben and Yuir have been on since they both left art school with behind-the-scenes antidotes. They will also discuss why they choose Austin, Texas to make an important announcement with local producer Jonathan de la Luz and his luzworks company. The event will be hosted by Nicholle Walton of Edgen Films. Admission is free. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Seating is limited.

TyRuben Ellingson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHIa7C9gCnc



Yuir Bartoli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vhxcx5n3gjQ

# # #

Luzworks is a multi-media entertainment company that produces film, television and internet production which creates and manages content that will be available free via the company's “cross-subsides” distribution platform.