Hollywood is in mourning as legendary CGI and visual effects artist Con Pederson has passed away. Pederson, who was 91, is perhaps best known for his work on “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Some of his other notable credits include “View from the Top” and “Scoobie-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pederson passed away on January 2 after a battle with Alzheimer’s. His son, Eric Pederson, told the outlet that the icon passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills.
Cam Pederson Leaves Behind a Wonderful Legacy
Before getting into the film industry, Pederson attended UCLA, majoring in art and anthropology. He made student films while at the university and was later hired by Disney. From there, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and worked on various rocket projects.
Later, Pederson worked for Graphic Films, which supplied content for NASA. This led him to make a short film called “To The Moon And Beyond.” At some point, Stanley Kubrick saw the movie and then hired him to work on “2001: A Space Odyssey.
In additon to film, Pederson had several other talents, one of which was creating crossword puzzles. The New York Times published some of his puzzles.
Pederson leaves behind his wife, son, and stepchildren.
Tributes are Pouring In
Pederson has a massive hand in making visual effects what they are today. Because of that, many of his industry colleagues and fans of his work are paying tribute to his legacy.
VFX artist John Nelson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that Pederson “could animate by hand and could program the computer to do animation that normal programs could not achieve. He was a Renaissance man and an artist.”
Michael Benson said of him in his 2008 book “Space Odyssey,” “The film’s post-production process was epic in its complexity, and Con was the smartest guy in the room. ‘2001’ absolutely would not have happened without Con.”
A fan on X said, “I’m so sorry to hear of Con Pederson’s passing. His brilliant work on ‘2001’ was truly groundbreaking. What a legacy he leaves behind for film lovers everywhere!”
Someone else wrote, “A true titan of visual effects has left us. Con Pederson’s work on 2001: A Space Odyssey didn’t just set the standard for science fiction; it invented a visual language that cinema is still trying to catch up to nearly 60 years later. His contributions to the realism and scale of that film were unmatched. Rest in peace to a legend who literally helped us see the future.”
