Tim McGovern

Tom McGovern (June 24, 1955 - March 30, 2024) worked in visual effects for film for over 40 years. He was a senior visual effects supervisor, founding member of Sony Pictures Imageworks where he was senior VP of creative and technical affairs, and chief creative officer of animation development at the production company Whisper Pictures. He was also a founding member and board member of Visual Effects Society (VES) as well as a founding co-chair of the VES Awards.

He began his career in the early days of digital, computer-based VFX, including work on pioneering 1982 movie Tron while at the former Robert Abel and Associates. He went on to become a founding member of Sony Pictures Imageworks, serving as senior VFX supervisor, as well as senior VP of creative and technical affairs. At Imageworks, his work ranged from Last Action Hero to The Ghost and the Darkness.

He received a Special Achievement Oscar for the VFX in the 1990 sci-fi classic Total Recall on which he served as CGI director.

He was working at DNEG, earning credits on movies including Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Dunkirk, Ant-Man at the Wasp, First Man, Men in Black: International, and Jungle Cruise. In recent years he lived in Mumbai, where DNEG has a base, and additionally served as chief creative officer of animation development at the production company Whisper Pictures.

He received the Visual Effects Society Founders Award and was awarded VES Fellowship and Lifetime Membership. He was a founding member of the Society and a board member for nearly 20 years, including a stint as vice chair.  For VES, he also served as founding co-chair of the VES Awards, which were presented for the 22nd time in February 2024.