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John Nelson (born July 21, 1953) is an American visual effects supervisor. He has won two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects for his work on the films Gladiator (2000) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017). He has also been nominated for I, Robot (2004) and Iron Man (2008). He also won the 2018 British Academy of Film and Television Arts for the Special Visual Effects in Blade Runner 2049. After graduating with high distinction from the University of Michigan in 1976, he worked as a cameraman, technical director, and director at the pioneering computer animation and commercial production company Robert Abel and Associates, where he won two Clio awards and earned six additional Clio nominations. Early in his career while at ILM, Nelson modelled, animated, lit, and composited several shots for Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), including the iconic scene in which the shotgunned head of the chrome terminator splits open and reseals. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Visual Effects Society, the International Cinematographers Guild, and the Directors Guild of America. Description above from the Wikipedia article John Nelson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
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2025
Hurry Up Tomorrow
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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2025
The Residence
TV show Visual Effects Supervisor
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2017
Blade Runner 2049
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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2015
Point Break
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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2015
Blackhat
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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2010
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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2008
Iron Man
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
- 2005
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2004
I, Robot
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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2000
Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport
Movie Self
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2000
Gladiator
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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1998
City of Angels
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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1997
Anaconda
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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1996
The Cable Guy
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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1993
My Life
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
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1992
Stay Tuned
Movie Visual Effects Supervisor
More credits
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1991
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Movie CG Animator