Los Angeles-based VFX and design company Asylum is pleased to announce the signing of award-winning animation director Piotr Karwas.
Karwas brings more than ten years of experience in the film industry to Asylum. While working for visual effects facility Digital Domain, he played an integral part in several high-profile feature films, including Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring, Alex Proyas’ I, Robot and Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“Piotr has an amazing resume, filled with distinct, visceral work,” noted Asylum Executive Producer Mike Pardee. “His dedication to creating innovative effects is in perfect sync with our goal of keeping Asylum at the leading edge of the VFX and design community.”

While with Digital Domain, Karwas also worked in their commercial division, collaborating with Michael Bay, David Fincher, Joe Pytka and others, building a portfolio of lively, buoyant spots for Budweiser, Walt Disney, Mountain Dew, Adidas and Gatorade.

Karwas is also an experienced director. His directorial debut, digitally animated short film Masks, earned the Golden Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, a win that led to directing PSAs for MTV and Greenpeace. His Digital Domain produced Do Robots Dream of Bunnies? debuted at the 2006 Siggraph convention. Karwas is currently in post on his most recent directing effort, Rapline.

In his new role with Asylum, Karwas will work to integrate his unique effects abilities across the company’s different mediums, including high-profile features, commercials, music videos, and emerging media content.

“Asylum is one of the most diversely talented effects shops in the business today,” Karwas stated. “They’ve been fortunate to work with an incredible list of clients, giving me maximum opportunity to experiment with new technologies in creative ways.”
About Asylum:

Asylum is a premier visual effects and design company, handling high-profile features, commercials, music videos, and emerging media content for web and mobile platforms. Asylum created the visual effects for such films as Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World (Academy Award and BAFTA nominated), Moulin Rouge, Minority Report, Phantom Of The Opera, Pirates Of The Caribbean ll & lll, Mel Gibsons’s Apocalypto, Tony Scott’s Dà©jà  Vu, Man on Fire & Domino and Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down. Asylum has done spot work for brands such as Nike, Sony Playstation, Coke, BMW, Gatorade and Visa.

In addition, Asylum Design has created award winning title and graphic design work for such films as Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, X-Men I & II, The Island, Bad Boys II and XXX.