Speaker

Jeff Gipson

Jeff Gipson (Director) made his directing debut with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first virtual reality short film, “Cycles” for which he won a Lumiere™ Award in 2019. His second short film “Myth: A Frozen Tale,” received the 2020 AIXR VR Film of the Year, after its debut at the world premiere of “Frozen 2.” His film credits include “Frozen,”  “Big Hero 6,” “Zootopia,” “Moana,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “Raya and the Last Dragon,” and “Wish.” Recently, Jeff has now accepted the position as immersive creative director at Universal Pictures

Born in Raton, NM and raised in Trinidad, CO, Gipson had a strong sense of adventure that he expressed through drawing and his love for BMX riding. At age 14, he was the lead advocate for building the first skatepark in his hometown. Inspired by the balance of collaboration and creativity, Gipson decided to study architecture and received a bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He went on to work on more than 70 skateparks around the world before realizing that his love for drawing and storytelling was too powerful to ignore.

While pursuing a master’s degree in architecture, Gipson decided to combine his skills in 3D modeling from building skateparks and apply it to filmmaking. He was an intern at Pixar Animation Studios and Laika Studios before finding his way to Disney. He now lives in Los Angeles and still goes back home to Trinidad to ride the first skatepark he helped build.Jeff’s current work focuses on grounded and heartfelt storytelling through evocative visuals and next generation technology. Creating stories that connect with audiences emotionally but encouraging them to interact and engage with the characters and worlds in new ways.

---

Website: www.jeffgipson.com
Instagram: @jeffkgipson