SFX Guru Stan Winston wins Tesla Award

Stan Winston, the special effects master who has created the monstrous extraterrestrials of "Aliens", the fanciful character of "Edward Scissorhands", the astounding dinosaurs of "Jurassic Park" and the frightening "Terminator", has been named the 2005 Tesla Award winner in Recognition of Visionary Achievements in the field of filmmaking and the cinema arts by the International Press Academy (IPA). Winston received the award at the IPA’s 10th Annual Satellite Award presentation on December 17th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.

The IPA is recognized as one the larger entertainment media member associations of accredited domestic and foreign journalists in the world. Not since Lon Chaney has one individual been responsible for the creation of so many memorable character icons. A multiple Academy Award® winner, Winston is among the world's foremost creator of creatures, from the realistic robots of "A.I. - Artificial Intelligence" to the lizard-like Zorgons of the recent film "Zathura". Winston has won four Academy Awards® and has been nominated for 10. He has also claimed three British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards, two Emmys and numerous other industry awards.

He won his first Oscar® nomination for creating robotic-looking make-up for "Heartbeeps" in 1981, the first year that make-up effects were recognized as an official category. Winston picked up two Academy Awards® for "Terminator 2: Judgment Day", for Best Make-Up and Best Visual Effects and a second BAFTA Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects; followed by his fourth Oscar® for fashioning the live-action dinosaurs in "Jurassic Park".

Stan Winston moved to Hollywood in 1969 to become an actor, but became a make-up apprentice at Disney Studios, and found a new passion. He has worked closely with past Tesla winner James Cameron as well as Tom Cruise, Stephen Spielberg, Joel Silver and Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 2001, he formed Stan Winston Creatures - a new company featuring toys and comic books, introducing never-before-seen characters from the minds of the artists at the world famous Stan Winston Studio.

The IPA Award is named for renowned inventor Nikola Tesla, one of world's greatest electrical and mechanical engineers, as well as one of history’s eminent innovative thinkers. Stan Winston joins the Tesla roster of past winners along with James Cameron, George Lucas and Jerry Lewis.