Biography

Nigel Sumner is a visual effects supervisor and creative leader at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Born in the UK, he earned a master's degree in Computer Animation from Bournemouth University, where he also taught animation techniques, software, and programming languages while lecturing undergraduates and postgraduates. Sumner joined ILM in 1999 as a technical director in their commercials division and moved into the feature film division in 2000. In 2007, he relocated to Singapore to lead ILM's global team of digital artists, overseeing ambitious projects in collaboration with ILM's U.S. studios. As Creative Director of ILM's Singapore and Sydney studios, he helps guide the company's artistic direction and global strategy. Over his career, Sumner has supervised visual effects on some of the biggest blockbuster films. For Pacific Rim (2013), he served as the Singapore visual effects supervisor, contributing to the film's sweeping mechanical and creature effects. He later served as a visual effects supervisor on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), helping to realise the epic battle sequences and photorealistic character work. In television, he has also been credited as a Visual Effects Supervisor for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022), handling large-scale environmental and simulation work for ILM. Multiple prestigious awards have recognised Sumner's work. He was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), alongside his collaborators Neil Corbould, Hal T. Hickel, Mohen Leo, and John Knoll. He also earned a BAFTA nomination for Pacific Rim (2013), shared with Hal T. Hickel, John Knoll, and Lindy DeQuattro. At the Visual Effects Society Awards, he was nominated in 2017 for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature for Rogue One, shared with John Knoll, Erin D. O'Connor, Hal T. Hickel, and Neil Corbould. For Pacific Rim, he won the Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Feature Film, shared with Lindy DeQuattro, Eddie Pasquarello, Derrick Carlin, and Chris Lentz. On The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2023 for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie, shared with Ron Ames, Jason Smith, Ara Khanikian, Dean Clarke, Ken McGaugh, Tom Proctor, Greg Butler, and Joe Henderson. At the same time, the series won a Visual Effects Society (VES) Award in 2023 for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode ("Udûn", S1E6), a recognition shared with Jason Smith, Ron Ames, Thomas Proctor, and Dean Clarke.

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