Neill Blomkamp Biography

Summary

"Neill Blomkamp" is a South African born, Vancouver, BC-based director of short films and advertisements. Blomkamp employs a documentary-style, hand-held, cinéma vérité technique, blending seamlessly with naturalistic and photo-realistic computer-generated imagery effects. He directed a series of three short films set in the Halo universe (known collectively as "Landfall") and was hired to direct the movie adaptation of the series before financial problems forced the project to be indefinitely postponed. In 2008 he won the Cannes Lions 2008 - Film Lions Grand Prix for the HALO 'combat' web commercial. He is currently represented by Ari Emanuel, CEO of William Morris Endeavor.

More recently, Blomkamp made his feature directorial debut with the science fiction film "District 9", produced by Peter Jackson.

In 2003 Blomkamp was commissioned to illustrate photo-real future aircraft for Popular Science's 'Next century in Aviation' and in 2004 was commissioned to illustrate 'The Future of the Automobile'

Filmography

"District 9" (2009) (writer, director)

Short films and other credits

"Stargate SG-1" (1998) (3D animator)

"First Wave" (1998) (3D animator)

"Mercy Point" (1998) (3D animator)

"Aftershock: Earthquake in New York" (1999) (3D animator)

"Dark Angel" (2000) (lead animator)

"3000 Miles to Graceland" (2001) (lead 3D animator)

"Smallville" (2001) (3D animator)

"Alive in Joburg" (2005) (director, visual FX)

"adicolor Yellow" (2006) (director, visual FX)

"Best Ever Ads 2" (2006) (himself)

"Tempbot" (2006) (director)

"Crossing the Line" (2008) (additional director)

Recognition

2008, Cannes Lions 2008 - Film Lions- Grand Prix - HALO COMBAT

2004, First Boards Awards - 'One of the top five directors to watch'

2004, Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival - 'Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase'

2004, Shark Awards (shortlisted)

2005, VES awards 'Outstanding VFX in a commercial' for "Citroen - Alive with technology"

Early career

Blomkamp began as a professional animator at the age of sixteen, working for Deadtime under Simon Hansen and Sharlto Copley in South Africa. Hansen and Copley also served as producers for Alive in Joburg. His family relocated to Vancouver when Blomkamp was 18, where he enrolled in Vancouver Film School. Blomkamp worked as a visual effects artist at The Embassy Visual Effects in Vancouver as well as Rainmaker Digital Effects. He is currently represented by SPY FILMS in Canada and Ridley Scott's RSA in California.