Marvel, 'Star Wars' VFX artist joins faculty of Philippine school
MANILA, Philippines — Noted visual effects (VFX) specialist Oliver Kirchhoff has joined the faculty of iACADEMY, a tech and design school with branches in Makati and Cebu.
Kirchhoff has spent nearly 30 years in the 3D and VFX industry, which began with 3D computer-aided design and simulations for clients like BMW and Siemens.
He then transitioned to entertainment working as an animator on the "Starhunter" series and the Oscar-winning movie "The Pianist" before taking on more VFX roles in different projects.
His first Marvel Studios job was as a camera technical director for Weta Digital on "The Avengers," going on to work on future installments "Iron Man 3," "Ant-Man and the Wasp," and the other "Avengers" movies.
For the "Star Wars" franchise, Kirchhoff was a layout artist in "The Force Awakens," "The Rise of Skywalker," and "The Mandalorian."
Other high-profile projects he worked on include "Man of Steel," "The Wolverine," "Aquaman," "Aladdin," "King Kong," "Kong: Skull Island," "Bird Box," "2012," "Spectre," "Prometheus," "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," and two "The Hobbit" movies.
Related: Michelin Guide arrives in Greater Manila, Cebu for 2026 selection
The school's president and chief operating officer Raquel Perez-Wong said in a statement that Kirchhoff's contributions to major production would inspire students to dream bigger and achieve more.
In his own statement, Kirchhoff said he was excited to teach VFX at the school given his passion to share what he knows and to help the next generation of artists grow.
He mentioned finding great joy in mentoring and guiding others as a team lead or in his previous teaching experience at Denmark's Animation Workshop.
"In the classroom, students can expect hands-on, real-world insights that go beyond just techniques — I aim to inspire creativity, problem-solving, and the mindset needed to thrive in the VFX industry," he added.
"My goal is to empower students to not only master the tools but to develop the skills and vision that will set them apart in this exciting field."
RELATED: Jericho Rosales takes lead in TBA's 'Quezon,' 1st film in 7 years
