Frank Foster

Well-known Motion Picture Producer / Director

Even as a student filmmaker, Frank Foster was an early producer of computer graphics.  His first 16mm film, "Phosphenes" was made in 1972 and won numerous awards including the honor of representing the US at the 1973 World Festival of Animated Film, in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.   In 1974, as an undergraduate, he co-directed the First International Computer Film Festival.  The event attracted more than 200 films from all over the world and a lecture series that featured many of the leading computer graphics pioneers, including John Whitney Sr.

In 1980, he introduced digital technology into the laser entertainment industry at a company called LASERMEDIA.  His graphics department created animation not only for use in films, but also in large projection systems at venues like the 1984 Summer Olympics and Walt Disney World’s EPCOT center.

By the mid-eighties the music industry was developing a new standard called MIDI.  Foster joined 3 partners to create one of the first music software companies, Hybrid Arts, Inc.  They developed and sold one of the first digital music sequencers called “MIDITRACK” as well as the first commercially available digital audio sound cards. Foster continued to develop the digital music industry for two years while at ATARI, Corp. 

Mr. Foster was recruited by TriStar Pictures in 1991 as one of the first employees of the group that later became Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI).  Here he provided consistent leadership in the expanding role of the PC and Windows NT based multimedia production. His SPI production credits include: "Contact", "The Craft", "Wings of Courage", "Striking Distance", "Speed", “Johnny Mnemonic” and "Jumanji", “Jonny Quest” SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater (several titles), “The Story of Computer Graphics”.

In 1997 he was promoted to Senior Vice President and took on the role of advising SONY Corp. on strategic multimedia planning including the company’s SONY VAIO line of computers.  His multimedia production group at SPI, became a technology leader in the creation of Internet based content.  Including online versions of the well-known game show "Jeopardy!" and a 3D VRML game based on the movie "Starship Troopers".

Mr. Foster is a long time member of SIGGRAPH, having chaired the "Electronic Theater" in both 1987 and 1995.  He recently completed directing a feature length documentary for the organization called "The Story of Computer Graphics". His current project is directing a feature length animated film based on the artwork of the French artist Jean “Moebius” Giraud.  The film is one of the first features to be created completely with computer animation in Hong Kong.