Joseph J. Lawson

Over his career, Joe Lawson has filled many roles as a filmmaker: director, writer, practical and digital visual effects supervisor and artist, storyboard artist, voice-over artist and actor as well as directing animated and live action productions including five features, commercials, Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future, Animal Armageddon and Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles. He also is the digital artist who put an arrow in Peter Jackson's chest for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King while at Rhythm & Hues studios. In 1999, he moved to Hollywood to work in Visual Effects and pursue his lifetime ambition of directing, fulfilled in 2012 with his first film the science fiction/horror adventure Nazis at the Center of the Earth followed quickly by an epic fantasy Clash of the Empires lensed in Cambodia. His followup was the dinosaur feature Age of Dinosaurs with Treat Williams and Ronny Cox. Showing a directorial range including Alone for Christmas, a family comedy with David DeLuise and Kevin Sorbo, his latest directed film is the war drama Ardennes Fury. On the journey he has worked in artist and supervisory roles at Foundation Imaging, Digital Domain, Rhythm and Hues, Zoic Studios, NBC/Universal, UFO Films, Radical 3D and The Global Asylum. He has worked on series including Star Trek: Enterprise and SyFy Channels' Caprica. He also served as VFX supervisor on the cult pop phenomena Sharknado, Sharknado 2, Sharknado 3 and Sharknado 4. Joe grew up the son of an Air Force sergeant, traveling with his parents and sister to over 22 homes by his 18th year. His involvement in media started at a ten-watt student radio station in Neah Bay, Washington, progressing to news feature reporter and television commercial director/production department director for almost 20 years for KRTV-3 in Great Falls, Montana with awards including a Rocky Mountain Emmy nomination, numerous commercial Addy Awards and an Advertising Federation Silver Medalist award in 1998. He also formed and has run his own interactive media, animation and production house Lawson Digital Arts since 1992. As a weather announcer he had the opportunity to fly with the Blue Angels along with writing, directing and editing numerous other documentaries and live specials. Joe is always ready to take on a challenge whether it's directing in a far off land old-school David Lean style or mashing up genres and creating exciting, emotional and iconic images that defy and exceed expectations while meeting budgets and deadlines. He also works hard to be an effective team leader while keeping sets and departments efficient and fun places to be. Joe lives in southern California with his wife Kelly and their two children.