Jim Aupperle

Movies

Mad God
Compositing Artist
A figure known as "The Assassin" descends from the heavens into a nightmarish pit full of monsters, titans, and cruelty.
Making Magic: The Artistry of Karel Zeman
In this conversation, filmed by the Criterion Collection in 2019, animator and visual-effects supervisor Phil Tippett and visual-effects artist Jim Aupperle discuss their appreciation for director Karel Zeman and his cinematic techniques.
League of Gods
Visual Effects Director
During the reign of King Zhou, an official enters his bedchamber, and is devoured by the monstrous tails of Daji, his concubine. Outside their city, several warriors within a metal wagon discuss their strategies to free the Invisible People and their Chief, when Jiang Ziya appears to them. He tells them that when King Zhou was younger, he let himself become possessed by the Black Dragon for his quest for power.
Drag Me to Hell
Visual Effects Technical Director
After denying a woman the extension she needs to keep her home, loan officer Christine Brown sees her once-promising life take a startling turn for the worse. Christine is convinced she's been cursed by a Gypsy, but her boyfriend is skeptical. Her only hope seems to lie in a psychic who claims he can help her lift the curse and keep her soul from being dragged straight to hell.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Visual Effects Camera
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.
Troll
Visual Effects
When a family moves into a San Francisco apartment, an opportunistic troll decides to make his move and take possession of little Wendy (Jenny Beck), thereby paving the way for new troll recruits, the first in his army that will take eventual control of the planet. We soon discover Torok is the ex-husband of Eunice St. Clair, a resident in the building who was married to Torok.
Ghostbusters
Visual Effects Camera
After losing their academic posts at a prestigious university, a team of parapsychologists goes into business as proton-pack-toting "ghostbusters" who exterminate ghouls, hobgoblins and supernatural pests of all stripes. An ad campaign pays off when a knockout cellist hires the squad to purge her swanky digs of demons that appear to be living in her refrigerator.
Planet of Dinosaurs
Visual Effects
A spaceship gets lost and is forced to make an emergency landing on an unknown planet. The planet looks much like Earth, only with no trace of civilization. Soon the crew discovers that there are bloodthirsty dinosaurs on the planet. The crew hopes to be found and rescued, but until then, they must fight to survive.
Planet of Dinosaurs
Story
A spaceship gets lost and is forced to make an emergency landing on an unknown planet. The planet looks much like Earth, only with no trace of civilization. Soon the crew discovers that there are bloodthirsty dinosaurs on the planet. The crew hopes to be found and rescued, but until then, they must fight to survive.