Animator for Transformers 2 Coming to Art Institute

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire will host an award-winning animator who has worked on the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Eagle Eye films, as well as other projects.

Hock Hian Wong will visit Room 154 of The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire on Saturday, Sept. 27at 12:30 p.m.

“He'll talk about his experience working with producers and directors like Michael Bay and Roland Emmerich and also his experience directing cinematics and doing animation for games and films,” said Santosh Oomen, academic director for the Media Arts & Animation department at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire.

Bay is the producer of Transformers and its 2009 sequel, Pearl Harbor and other films. Emmerich directed Independence Day, Godzilla and other films.

Besides animation, Wong is also an expert in pre-visualization, a concept used by many producers to create scenes before they begin shooting a film. This process can be as simple as filming the “story board” and as complex as creating 3-D renditions that might be used to create the film’s scenes and characters.

Wong created pre-visualization for both Transformers 2 and Eagle Eye, as well as for a Harry Potter ride at a theme park. He’s now working with Emmerich on the film 2012, which will be released next year.

As a freelance animator, Wong primarily works with film producers and directors, but his clients also produce both shows and commercials on television.

Prior to becoming a freelance animator last year, Wong worked in the cinematics department of Sony Computer Entertainment, where he supervised animation of such games as Warhawk, Lair, Killzone, Socom and many others.

Wong’s visit is combined with an end-of-quarter party for The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire, so visitors can also enjoy a pizza lunch while there.

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