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Jeff Unay

Film Director & Artist

Soon after graduation from Full Sail's Computer Animation program, Jeff landed an artist position with Raven Software working on the Quake franchise. He later transitioned into visual effects for film where he worked as a character modeler at Tippett Studio and then as a lead modeler at Weta Digital in New Zealand.

At Weta, Jeff worked on two Academy Award-winning visual effects films: King Kong (2005) and Avatar (2009). Jeff's groundbreaking work creating the faces for the digital leading characters for Avatar led him to win a Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Live Action Character in a Motion Picture.

In 2010, Jeff began working full-time as a director and cinematographer in Seattle, WA. He wrote, co-shot and co-edited Valve Corporation's first feature film, Free to Play (2014), which went on to receive a record-setting 5.5 million views in its opening weekend.

Jeff has recently completed his directorial debut feature film, The Cage Fighter, which was released in theaters and VOD in February 2018. The film is distributed by IFC Films/Sundance Selects and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award this year. Independent magazine recognized Jeff as one of "10 Filmmakers To Watch in 2017." He is a Sundance, TFI and Points North Institute Fellow.

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Credits:
The Cage Fighter, Half-Life: Alyx, King Kong, Avatar, Quake 4, Free to Play, Weta Digital, Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Live Action Character in a Motion Picture for Avatar

Graduation Year:
2002

When you're really passionate about something, only then can you create your best work – the type of work you're meant to do.”
—Jeff Unay
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Create something that resonates.

7th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees