Suzanne M. Benson facts for kids

Suzanne M. Benson is a talented visual effects producer born in 1958. She studied visual effects at the University of Arizona. Suzanne is famous for her work on movies like Creature, Aliens, Spy Hard, and Street Fighter. In 1987, she made history by becoming the first woman to win an Oscar for special effects. This award was for her amazing work on the 1986 film Aliens. That movie also won a BAFTA award and a Saturn Award for its special effects.

What is a Visual Effects Producer?

A visual effects producer helps bring movie magic to life! They manage the team that creates all the cool special effects you see in films. This includes everything from giant monsters to explosions and futuristic cities. They make sure the effects look great and are finished on time and within budget.

Her Amazing Movie Career

Suzanne Benson's first job in movies was in 1982. She worked as a production secretary for a film called Slapstick of Another Kind. In 1984, she became an associate visual producer for City Limits.

She then worked on Creature, which came out in 1985. At the same time, she was also busy with Aliens. This was the exciting follow-up to the 1979 hit movie, Alien. When Aliens was released in 1986, people loved it. Not only for the acting and directing, but also for its incredible special effects. For her hard work on Aliens, Suzanne won an Academy Award in 1987. After Aliens, she worked on Street Fighter (1994) and Spy Hard (1996). She then retired from the movie industry in 1997.

For most of her career, Suzanne worked with a group called L.A. Effects Group. This group was started in 1983 by top visual effects experts in Hollywood. Many of Suzanne's most famous projects were during her time with this group. She joined them between 1983 and 1984. She worked on their first film, Creature, as a visual effects producer. After Creature, the group was hired to create the special effects for Aliens. Suzanne worked as a visual effects producer with other talented people like Robert Skotak, Stan Winston, and John Richardson.

The Groundbreaking Effects in Aliens

Suzanne Benson is most famous for her work on the 1986 film Aliens. People who reviewed the movie said its use of puppets and props was the most detailed they had ever seen. This helped the film get excellent reviews overall.

Critics also praised how the movie used small models and miniatures. These made scenes look much bigger on screen. They did this by using clever tricks like rear projection (projecting images from behind), mirrors, beam splitters (which split light), and camera tricks. These advanced special effects were very creative and new for that time.

The special effects team also made alien suits that were more flexible and looked more real. These were much better than the suits used in the first Alien movie. They even used Mannequins when real actors couldn't do certain movements. These mannequins could be bent into positions that actors couldn't manage. They could also be made to explode, to show an alien getting shot. In 1986, when Aliens came out, these effects were considered the most advanced special effects ever seen.

Awards and Recognition

Suzanne Benson received important awards for her work on Aliens:

• 1987: Academy Award For Best Visual Effects: Aliens
• 1987: BAFTA For Best Visual Effects: Aliens