Curt Chiarelli

Moby ID: 51219

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Curt Chiarelli has been providing innovative design, sculpture and illustration services for the Motion Picture/Television, Toy/Collectible, Interactive Video Game, Publishing and Museum Exhibit industries for over 20 years. A native born and bred Chicagoan, Curt began his career early at the age of 20 when he was contracted to create storyboards for the McDonald’s Corporation.

At the age of 23 and barely out of college, he became this country's youngest production designer when he was hired by HBO to art direct a comedy feature presentation, "Men Will Be Boys".

From that point forward he began to receive a steady stream of commissions until his first major career breakthrough occurred in 1991 when he created the stop-motion animation model of the character, Goro, for the Williams Electronics international blockbuster hit video arcade game, "Mortal Kombat".

In 1994 he left his staff position in the Exhibit Design Department at the John G. Shedd Aquarium to accept an invitation from Skellington Productions to join their team in the creation of the stop-motion animation models and effects for the feature length motion picture, "James and the Giant Peach". Noticing that his employment prospects were much enhanced and the weather far more accommodating, he decided to remain in the balmy climes of California.

Now, 10 years later, after several significant commissions, having his work featured in the prestigious Spectrum anthologies, a rewarding collaboration with world renowned fantasy illustrator, Boris Vallejo, a high-profile commission creating the action figures for the record-breaking Halo video game product line and teaching advanced-level courses at several local universities, he has purchased a home and studio in the San Francisco Bay Area where, to the background strains of everything from J. S. Bach to Jerry Goldsmith, he continues to harness the wellsprings of his imagination for such clientele as: Microsoft Corporation/Bungie Studios, Miller Brewing Company, Gemmy Corporation, Walt Disney Productions, Universal Studios, Steve Johnson's Edge FX, The Cartoon Network, MTV, HBO, Lucasfilm Licensing, Warner Bros. Toys, RC 2 Corporation/JoyRide Studios, Hasbro Toys, Moore Action Collectibles, McFarlane Toys, Playing Mantis Toys, Fisher-Price Toys, Dark Horse Comics, Diamond Comics Distribution, Conte Collectibles, Franklin Mint, Noble Collection, Ashton-Drake Galleries, Illusive Concepts, Mattel Interactive, 3DO, Electronic Arts, Accolade and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, amongst many others.

Member of the National Sculpture Society, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, the Film Music Society and the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists.

Credited on 1 game

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Mortal Kombat (1992, Arcade) Stop Motion Miniature by

[ full credits ]

Related Sites add

  • Interview
    A Thursday, 20 February, 2002 interview with the artist regarding his career and work on the Halo action figure line.
  • chiarellistudios.com
    The professional design, sculpting and illustration work of Curt Chiarelli

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