COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) -
Columbus native Jeff Beeland was one of the big winners Sunday at the 85th Annual Academy Awards.
Beeland was a part of the team that won the Oscar for visual effects for the film "Life of Pi."
We spoke with Beeland Monday by telephone and heard firsthand the exciting news.
"It's nice to be recognized on a level everyone knows about for the work you've done, so it's a good feeling. I think everyone was pleased with how it all turned out," explains Beeland.
Beeland was born and raised in Columbus, graduating from Pacelli High school before attending Savannah College of Arts and Design.
After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to fulfill his dream of a career in film visual effects.
"Growing up playing video games, watching movies, enjoying art classes and being pretty good with computers, visual effects was kind of mash-up of all those things I liked growing up, so it was a pretty easy decision once I made it and it's worked out pretty well I would say."
Beeland worked as a Pipeline Supervisor on the "Life of Pi" for 25 months, which contains spectacular animation depicting a young boy and wild tiger lost at sea in a life boat.
Beeland did not attend the ceremony, but watched anxiously with 150 of his closest friends at a local LA restaurant.
"You know, you don't always get to choose what projects you get to work on, but when you get one like this it's nice to have the results display the amount of work that went into it and people appreciate it," says Beeland.
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