Biography

AJ has over 20 years of combined film and games experience with an emphasis on animation, performance capture and visual storytelling.

Prior to his film career, AJ worked at Sega of America, Midway Games and High Moon Studios, where he took on various roles, eventually working as a motion capture supervisor and animator specializing in cinematics.

In 2007, AJ moved to Los Angeles to animate on Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, then worked as a Lead Virtual Cinema Artist on James Cameron’s Avatar. As an artist and visualization supervisor, AJ has helped create iconic shots and sequences for films such Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Tomorrowland, Iron Man 2, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, War for the Planet of the Apes and Avatar: The Way of Water.

Currently, AJ works as a Sequence Supervisor on the Avatar sequels.

Carolina Parakeet, which he also wrote and edited, is his directorial debut. His second short film, The Smiling Man, has screened in over 60 film festivals, including SXSW, and won numerous awards. The Smiling Man debuted online on Crypt TV, going viral with over 10 million views, then premiered on network television on Robert Rodriguez’ El Rey Network Horror Anthology, presented by John Carpenter. In 2018, The Smiling Man launched on ALTER as its first short, amassing another 11 million views and counting.

AJ’s original feature length horror script The Visiting Stone was a Quarter-finalist for the 2022 Academy Nicholl Fellowship for Screenwriting. In 2023, he received a Visual Effects Society award for Outstanding Visual Cinematography in a CG Project for his work on Avatar: The Way of Water.

AJ continues to work on The Visiting Stone, which he hopes to be his feature film directorial debut.

original narrative films

A Night of Horror: Nightmare Radio (2019)
Feature Film, Horror
Role: Segment Director

The Smiling Man (2015)
www.thesmilingmanmovie.com
Short Film, Horror
Role: Writer, Director

Carolina Parakeet (2014)
www.carolinaparakeetmovie.com
Short Film, Horror
Role: Writer, Director

The Visiting Stone (in development)
Feature Film, Horror
Role: Writer, Director

music videos

Island Woman (2009)
Myong Hong, Rdub Recordings
Role: Director

Emily (2005)
The Stereotypes, Earthling Records
Role: Director

commercial credits

Mophie - All Powerless / Superbowl Commercial (2015)
72 and Sunny, Director: Joe Kosinski
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

League of Legends: The Harrowing (2014)
elastic / a52, Director: Andy Hall
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

Destiny - Become Legend (2014)
72 and Sunny, Director: Joe Kosinski
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

Kia Sorrento - Space Babies / Superbowl Commercial (2014)
Method, Director: Jake Scott
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

Coca Cola - I.S.S. (2014)
The Mill, Director: ?
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

Kia Soul - Bringing Down the House / Superbowl Commercial (2013)
Method, Director: Carl Rinsch
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

HALO Reach: Deliver Hope (2010)
Method, Director: Noam Murro
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Storytelling in Mixed Media
Anemahenasyon ‘20
Role: Speaker

Behind the Battle: War for the Planet of the Apes
San Diego International Comic-Con 2017
Role: Speaker

Creating a new Dawn for Planet of the Apes
WonderCon 2015
Role: Speaker

Creating a new Dawn for Planet of the Apes
CTN Animation eXpo 2014
Role: Speaker

The Art of Previs
CTN Animation eXpo 2012
Role: Speaker

The Visual Technology Behind Action, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Filmmaking
Wondercon, 2012
Role: Panelist

Creating HALON Reach: Deliver Hope
Previs Society Forum, 2011
Role: Speaker

The Birth of Eye-Def Acting
SXSW Interactive, 2010
Role: Panelist

feature film credits

Avatar: The Way of Water
Director: James Cameron
Role: Sequence Supervisor
WINNER: VES Award for Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Director: Matt Reeves
Role: Previs / Postvis Supervisor

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2016)
Director: J.J. Abrams
Role: Postvis Supervisor

Ride Along 2 (2016)
Director: Tim Story
Role: VFX Supervisor

Alice 2: Through The Looking Glass (2016)
Director James Bobin
Role: Motionbuilder Artist / Art Department

Tomorrowland (2015)
Director: Brad Bird
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

Pixels (2015)
Director: Chris Colombus
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Director: Matt Reeves
Role: Previsualization Supervisor

300: Rise of an Empire (2014)
Director: Noam Murro
Role: Pitch Previs Supervisor

Ride Along (2014)
Director: Tim Story
Role: VFX Supervisor

47 Ronin (2013)
Director: Carl Rinsch
Role: Previs / Postvis / Finals Supervisor

World War Z (2013)
Director: Marc Forster
Role: Previs Artist

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 & 2 (2011, 2012)
Director: Bill Condon
Role: Previs / Postvis Supervisor

Battleship (2012)
Director: Pete Berg
Role: Digital Artist

Iron Man 2 (2010)
Director: John Favreau
Role: Previsualization Artist

Avatar (2009)
Director: James Cameron
Role: Lead Virtual Cinema Artist

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
Director: Rob Cohen
Role: Animator / Motion Capture Artist

television credits

The Oscars 2015
Elastic / A52
Role: Previsualization Supervisor (Opening Song)

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
Fox Entertainment
Role: Visual Effects Artist

VIDEO GAME CREDITS

The Bourne Conspiracy
High Moon Studios, Vivendi Universal
Role: Motion Capture Supervisor

World In Conflict
Vivendi Universal
Role: Motion Capture Supervisor, Animator

Gauntlet: The Seven Sorrows
Midway Games
Role: Cinematics Animator

Sonic Adventure
Sonic Team, Sega of America
Role: Online Development