Movie visual effects Oscar nomination for Teesside University graduate

Working on a film inspired by a real-life dramatic wildfire rescue mission has earned a best visual effects Oscar nomination for a Teesside University graduate.

Russell Bowen is part of a four-strong team to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects for The Lost Bus.

Harrowing survival drama The Lost Bus is based on a rescue mission during the 2018 Californian wildfires, when a heroic bus driver helped 22 children to safety from the inferno.

The film features 1,400 visual effects, with some proving so real that one viewer was reported as saying they could ‘almost smell the smoke’.

Russell, whose role was Visual Effects Supervisor on the film, studied BA (Hons) Creative Digital Media at Teesside University, graduating in 2009.

“I remember visiting Teesside and being blown away by the facilities and being drawn to that,” said Russell. “After joining, I realised it was also the staff that made the place pretty special.

“When guest speakers used to come up to do talks for students about their work in film, from DNEG, MPC and Framestore, I knew I’d found my career and Teesside was going to help me get there.”

He spent 14 years with visual effects company DNEG, rising through the creative ranks as a runner to visual effects supervisor, working on films such as Venom; The Fate of the Furious and Star Trek Beyond. More recently he joined beloFX, working on projects including Star Wars: The Acolyte.

Usually based in Vancouver, Russell is currently in Dublin working on supernatural horror film The Mummy with Blumhouse and Warner Brothers, which is due for release in April.

He will join his team Charlie Noble, David Zaretti and Brandon McLaughlin in Hollywood for the Oscars ceremony on 15 March.

Russell, who is originally from Pembrokeshire, said: “To be Oscar nominated alone, regardless of a win, is quite incredible. The four of us named as nominees for The Lost Bus represent hundreds of artists that poured their hearts and souls into the creation of the visual effects.

“For me, those are the artists at beloFX, our VFX house based in Vancouver, Montreal and London. I’m proud to represent them at the most prestigious film awards night on the calendar.”

The Lost Bus, directed by Paul Greengrass, is currently showing on Apple TV after a limited theatrical release. The film was chosen for the shortlist from a submission of 371. It will be up against movies such as Avatar: Fire and Ash, Jurassic World Rebirth and vampire horror film Sinners.

Russell said: “Amazingly, we’re up against some of the very people who inspired me to go into the industry. When I heard we’d been nominated, I went through the motions of shock which turned into overwhelming joy. I’m just very thankful.”

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