Mathieu Raynault

Mathieu Raynault is a Canadian digital matte painter, visual effects art director and now CEO of Raynault vfx. Since his graduation, 25 years ago, from the Laval University Art & Architecture School in Quebec City, as well as the National Animation and Design Center (NAD) in Montreal, he has been producing matte paintings and illustrations on projects.

Early in his career, as an artist working for ILM and Weta Digital, he contributed to film productions like The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix series, King Kong, Gangs of New York, and the Star Wars saga.

Mathieu Raynault is also known throughout the visual effects community for his entrepreneurial ventures. In 2011, after five years at Rodeo FX, the internationally known vfx studio he co-founded, Mathieu launched his own creative studio in Montreal, Canada.

Under his direction, Raynault vfx has established its reputation with work on such notable films as Fantastic Beast 3, Watchmen, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Arrival, and Ghost in the Shell.

Filmography[]

Other projects

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones - cinematic/trailer as matte painter
The Act of War - cinematic as matte painter
Men of Valor - cinematic as matte painter
Apocalypse Season 2 as matte painter
The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne as 3D artist / matte painter
Discovery Channel - Super Volcano as concept artist / matte painter
Discovery Channel - Inside The Space Station as 3D artist / matte painter

Career[]

RAYNAULT VFX, Montreal, Canada as CEO, owner and visual effects supervisor, 2011–Present

RODEO FX, Montreal, Canada as co-founder, visual effects supervisor and art director, October 2006 - September 2011

FREELANCE art director and matte painter, Montreal, Canada, January 2006 - September 2006

WETA DIGITAL, Wellington, New Zealand as senior matte painter, May 2002 - December 2005

UBISOFT, Montreal, Canada as matte painter, 2004 - 2005

THE ORPHANAGE, San Francisco, California as matte painter, November 2003 - February 2004

MOKKO STUDIO, Montreal, Canada as art director, 2003 - 2004

ESC Entertainment, California as matte painter, January 2002 - September 2002

SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS, California as matte painter, March 2002 - June 2002

ILM (Lucas Digital), San Francisco, California as matte painter, 2000 - 2002

ICESTROM, Montreal, Canada as matte painter, 1998-2000

TUBE IMAGE, Montreal, Canada as CG artist, 1997-1999

Recognitions and awards[]

2021: HCA Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Best Visual Effects for Free Guy.
2019: VES Awards - Raynault was part of the winning team for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode for Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Season 1.
2019: Emmy Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role for Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Season 1.
2019: Academy Awards & VES Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Best Visual Effects for Solo: A Star Wars Story.
2018: Emmy Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for Lost in Space Season 1.
2018: VES Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature for Mother!.
2017: VES Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature for Allied.
2017: Academy Awards, VES Awards & BAFTA Film Award - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Best Visual Effects for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
2017: Emmy Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for Black Sails Season 4.
2017: BAFTA Film Award - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects for Arrival.
2017: Critics Choice Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Best Visual Effects for Arrival.
2017: Canadian Screen Awards - Raynault was part of the winning team for Achievement in Visual Effects for Race.
2016: Emmy Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for Black Sails Season 3.
2014: Leo Awards - Raynault was part of the winning team for Best Visual Effects in a Motion Picture for Elysium.
2009: His Financial Time print piece wins Silver Award at the Creative Circle for Best Landscape Poster and Silver Honor at the Campaign's Big Awards 2009.
2008: Academy Awards - Raynault was part of the Oscar-winning team for Best Visual Effects for The Golden Compass. Credited as digital matte painter.
2006: Academy Awards - Raynault was part of the Oscar-winning team for Best Visual Effects for King Kong. Credited as digital matte painter.
2005: “Into the Pixel” award winner - E3 2005. The “Babylon on Fire matte painting created for the videogame Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones was selected by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences for its videogame art exhibition at the E3 video game convention.
2004: Academy Awards - Raynault was part of the Oscar-winning team for Best Visual Effects for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Credited as digital matte painterr.
2003: Academy Awards - Raynault was part of the nominated team for Best Visual Effects for Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Credited as digital matte painter.
2003: Academy Awards - Raynault was part of the Oscar-winning team for Best Visual Effects for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Credited as digital matte painter.
2003: Art work and matte painting selected and presented in the book The Art of The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers) by Gary Russell (Houghton Mifflin, 2003).
2003: VES Awards winner for Best Matte Painting in a Motion Picture for Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
2003: VES Awards nominee for Best Matte Painting in a Motion Picture for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
2003: VES Awards nominee for Best Matte Painting in a Motion Picture for Gangs of New York.
2003: VES Awards nominee for Best Visual Effects for Gangs of New York (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).
2002: Saturn Awards nominee for Best Special Effects & digital matte work for The Mummy Returns.
2000: CG artwork selected and presented on the CG Channel “Top CG Elite Gallery”
2000: Monitor Awards nominee for Best visual effects for The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne.
1996: Third prize for excellence in architecture design, class of 1996 at Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada.

External links[]

Mathieu Raynault: peintre... en cinéma! - La Presse
Rodeo FX : La petite boîte qui veut monter - La Presse
D'Indiana Jones à Incendies - Le Journal de Montréal
Mathieu Raynault on IMDb
Mathieu Raynault on Linkedin
Official website