After Essex: In Conversation with Ellen Poon

After Essex celebrates the journeys and accomplishments of our diverse and inspiring alumni around the globe. 

Ellen Poon, world-renowned visual effects expert behind the likes of Moana, Inception and The Green Mile, joins us live from Hollywood. 

Throughout her thirty-year career, Ellen has worked with legendary directors including Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton and Woody Allen and there’s no doubt that you’ll recognise her on-screen accomplishments – from the creatures in Star Wars Episode 1, to the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park and the stunning imagery in Frozen.

Ellen has played a key role in the transformation of our cinematic experiences, working on some of the most successful films of all time, and it all started at Essex.

After graduating in 1984 with a BSc in Computer Science, Ellen joined Moving Picture Company where she developed technologies used for state-of-the-art adverts and productions, including those later used to create the effect of talking animals.

Ellen later moved to Hollywood and joined Industrial Light and Magic, a prestigious production house for cutting-edge visual effects and animation where she remained for 11 years as the only female Visual Effects Director. Now the CEO and Founder of visual effects company Lancet Films, Ellen is an independent producer and visual effects supervisor focusing on feature films.

As well as Hollywood blockbusters, Ellen has a passion for Chinese film projects and has worked alongside renowned directors on award-winning Chinese films including Hero and Monster Hunt, both which earned her Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Visual Effects.

In 2012, she was awarded an Honorary Degree by the University of Essex.  

In conversation with Professor Shohini Chaudhuri, Director of the Centre for Film and Screen Media, Ellen Poon shares her incredible After Essex journey.    

Any questions for Ellen can be sent in advance to alumni@essex.ac.uk or asked on the day using the Q&A function on Zoom.