Simon J. Smith
Encyclopedia
Simon J. Smith is a British voice actor
, director
, animator
, camera
operator
and layout artist for DreamWorks Animation
and PDI
. Smith came to PDI/Dream Works in 1997 as Head of Layout for the company’s feature film division. A CG animation veteran with nearly 20 years of experience, Smith supervised the layout department on PDI/Dream Works’ first animated feature Antz
, before acting as the Three Blind Mice, serving as the head of layout and cameraman in Shrek
. He then directed the Universal Studios
Theatre experience Shrek 4D.
, where he worked at SVC Television, the editing and effects house Framestore and post house VTR, where he established his own 3D department. Immediately prior to joining PDI/Dream Works, Smith served at The Mill as the CG supervisor on commercial projects for Nike
, Honda
, Volvo
and VW Polo. He was a pioneer in the field of pre-visualization, and used that skill set to create PDI’s layout department, which became an integral part of PDI’s filmmaking process. Smith was also instrumental in helping to set up CG layout department for Aardman Animation for the production of Chicken Run
. Known for his work on the award-winning pop video Go west for the Pet Shop Boys
, Smith also received the first ever Gold Leaf
Award for his 3D directorial work on the commercial West Lites.
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
operator
Operator (profession)
An operator is a professional designation used in various industries, including broadcasting , computing, customer service, physics, and construction. Operators are day-to-day end users of systems, that may or may not be mission-critical, but are typically managed and maintained by technicians or...
and layout artist for DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
and PDI
Pacific Data Images
Pacific Data Images is a computer animation production company that was bought by DreamWorks SKG. The company is now known as PDI/DreamWorks and is half of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc., the public company formed by merging PDI and the feature animation division of DreamWorks.-History:PDI was...
. Smith came to PDI/Dream Works in 1997 as Head of Layout for the company’s feature film division. A CG animation veteran with nearly 20 years of experience, Smith supervised the layout department on PDI/Dream Works’ first animated feature Antz
Antz
Antz is a 1998 American computer animated action adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation. It features the voices of well-known actors such as Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lopez, Sylvester Stallone, Dan Aykroyd, Anne Bancroft, Gene Hackman, Christopher Walken, and Danny Glover as...
, before acting as the Three Blind Mice, serving as the head of layout and cameraman in Shrek
Shrek
Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
. He then directed the Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
Theatre experience Shrek 4D.
Career
Smith began his career in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he worked at SVC Television, the editing and effects house Framestore and post house VTR, where he established his own 3D department. Immediately prior to joining PDI/Dream Works, Smith served at The Mill as the CG supervisor on commercial projects for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
and VW Polo. He was a pioneer in the field of pre-visualization, and used that skill set to create PDI’s layout department, which became an integral part of PDI’s filmmaking process. Smith was also instrumental in helping to set up CG layout department for Aardman Animation for the production of Chicken Run
Chicken Run
Chicken Run is a 2000 British stop-motion animation film made by the Aardman Animations studios, the production studio of the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit films...
. Known for his work on the award-winning pop video Go west for the Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
, Smith also received the first ever Gold Leaf
Gold leaf
right|thumb|250px|[[Burnishing]] gold leaf with an [[agate]] stone tool, during the water gilding processGold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades...
Award for his 3D directorial work on the commercial West Lites.
Acting
- ShrekShrekShrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
Three Blind Mice 2001 - Bee MovieBee MovieBee Movie is a 2007 computer animated family comedy film starring Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, Megan Mullally, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, and Patrick Warburton. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, it is directed by Simon J...
Truck Driver/Chet 2007 - Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance PartyShrekShrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
Three Blind Mice 2001 - Shrek 4D Three Blind Mice 2003
- Shrek 2Shrek 2Shrek 2 is a 2004 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film, produced by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon. It is the second installment in the Shrek film series and the sequel to 2001's Shrek...
Three Blind Mice 2004
Documentaries
- HBO First LookHBO First LookHBO First Look is an American television show on HBO that chronicles up and coming movies. It first started in 1992 with a documentary on A League of Their Own starring Tom Hanks, and still airs today. The series shows behind-the-scenes looks at the filming and interviews with the actors. The show...
'Himself 1992 - Inside the Hive: The Making of 'Bee MovieBee MovieBee Movie is a 2007 computer animated family comedy film starring Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, Megan Mullally, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, and Patrick Warburton. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, it is directed by Simon J...
' Himself 2007 - Creating a Fairy Tale World: The Making of 'ShrekShrekShrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
' Himself 2001
Animation/Layout
- AntzAntzAntz is a 1998 American computer animated action adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation. It features the voices of well-known actors such as Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lopez, Sylvester Stallone, Dan Aykroyd, Anne Bancroft, Gene Hackman, Christopher Walken, and Danny Glover as...
Layout Supervisor 1998 - ShrekShrekShrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
Head of Layout 2001 - Shrek 2Shrek 2Shrek 2 is a 2004 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film, produced by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon. It is the second installment in the Shrek film series and the sequel to 2001's Shrek...
Layout Consultant 2004
Directing
- Bee MovieBee MovieBee Movie is a 2007 computer animated family comedy film starring Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, Megan Mullally, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, and Patrick Warburton. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, it is directed by Simon J...
2007 - Shrek 4-DShrek 4-DShrek 4-D is a 4-D film at various theme parks around the world. Universal Parks & Resorts owns the main rights to the film which is currently shown at their parks in Hollywood, Florida, Japan and Singapore...
2005 - Far Far Away Idol (Shrek 2) 2004
- Megamind: The Button of DoomMegamind: The Button of DoomMegamind: The Button of Doom is a 2011 animated short film released on DVD/Blu-ray with Megamind on February 25, 2011, starring Will Ferrell and David Cross...
2011 - Untitled The Penguins of Madagascar film TBA