UPDATED 7:53 p.m. PT Jan. 10, 2008
Jeff Barnes, co-founder and CEO of the Computer Cafe Group, was elected chairman of the Visual Effects Society board of directors.
He succeeds visual effects supervisor Jeff Okun.
Rounding out the VES 2008 board officers are first vice chair Carl Rosendahl, private consultant and Carnegie Mellon University faculty; second vice chair Richard Winn Taylor II, cinematic director at Electronic Arts LA and worldwide cinematic consultant at EA; treasurer Ray Scalice, vp and general manager of Pixel Magic; and secretary Pam Hogarth, director of industry relations of Gnomon School of Visual Effects.
“We want to increase awareness of VES, not just by its general membership, but across the board in the entertainment industry,” Barnes said, adding that that would include outreach to guilds, unions and trade associations.
At Computer Cafe, Barnes oversees the operations of its feature effects division, CafeFX, and its commercial visual effects and design studio, the Syndicate. Barnes also provides management support and development input for Sententia Entertainment, the company’s feature film production division.
As a visual effects production executive, his credits include “The Kite Runner” and “Pan’s Labyrinth.” He was executive producer on Sententia Entertainment’s first feature, “Danika.”
The Visual Effects Society is a 10-year old honorary society, whose membership comprises more than 1,600 visual effects professionals.
The organization’s sixth annual Visual Effects Society Awards is set for Feb. 10 at Hollywood & Highland.
