TyRuben Ellingson

Associate Professor, Communication Arts

Program Director/Professor, Cinema

Department of Communication Arts

Cinema Program

Associate professor TyRuben Ellingson is Chair of Communication Arts and Program Director of Cinema. A distinguished concept designer, Ellingson’s film career began in 1989 when he became an art director at George Lucas’ visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic. While at ILM, Ellingson contributed to the creation of ground-breaking special effects in films such as Jurassic Park, Star Wars: A New Hope (1997 Special Edition), The Flintstones, Casper and Disclosure. After leaving ILM in 1995, Ellingson worked with numerous directors including Guillermo Del Toro on Mimic, Blade 2, Hellboy and Pacific Rim, Neill Blomkamp on Elysium and Chappie, and served as lead vehicle designer for James Cameron’s Avatar. Ellingson earned his MFA in painting from Southern Methodist University; and both his MA in painting and Bachelor of Elective Studies from Saint Cloud State University.