Thrain Shadbolt

Part of Wētā FX since 2008, Visual Effects Supervisor Thrain Shadbolt has steadily forged wide-ranging experience.

Thrain recently supervised visual effects for Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020), driving key sequences throughout the sequel. Wētā FX’s VFX Supervisor on Birds of Prey (2020), led the creation of Harley Quinn’s pet, a photoreal CG hyena called Bruce. He also supervised visual effects for Emmy-nominated The Umbrella Academy (2019), steering the highly efficient workflow used by Wētā’s artists to create the chimpanzee Pogo throughout the series.

Drawing on his experience as a CG Supervisor on Avatar (2009), Thrain was a VFX Supervisor for Avatar: Flight of Passage, a 3D flying simulator ride launched in 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. He led the team in creating the ride’s immersive Pandora jungles in 10K, 60fps, omnidirectional stereo, winning a VES Award for his achievement.

Thrain has worked in supervisory roles on many other pivotal films. He was a Visual Effects Sequence Supervisor on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), a Digital Effects Supervisor on The Avengers (2012), and a CG Supervisor on Iron Man 3 (2013) and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012).

Thrain is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.