Robert Abel

Infobox Person
name = Robert Abel


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birth_date = 10 March 1937
birth_place = Cleveland, Ohio
death_date = 23 September 2001
death_place =
occupation = Movie director
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parents =
children =:"For the cricketer, see Bobby Abel"Robert Abel (10 March 1937 – 23 September 2001) was a pioneer in visual effects, computer animation and interactive media, best known for the work of his company, Robert Abel and Associates.

Born in Cleveland, he received degrees in Design and Film from UCLA. He began his work in computer graphics in the 1950s, as an apprentice to John Whitney.cite news|title=Remembering Robert Abel |author=Ellen Wolff |work=Millimeter |date=October 2001 |page=10 |url=http://www.futurevisions.net/doa/docs/The%20Bob%20Abel%20Project.htm]

In the 1960s and early 1970s, Abel wrote or directed several films, including , Elvis on Tour, and Let the Good Times Roll.

In 1971, Abel and Con Pederson founded Robert Abel and Associates (RA&A), creating slit-scan effects and using motion-controlled cameras for television commercials and films. RA&A began using Evans & Sutherland computers to previsualize their effects; this led to the creation of the trailer for The Black Hole, and the development of their own software for digitally animating films (including Tron).

In 1984, Robert Abel and Associates produced a commercial named "Brilliance" for the Canned Food Information Council for airing during the Super Bowl.cite web | title = Commercials: How They Changes Film Production Forever | publisher = Creative Cow | url = http://www.swdfx.com/PDF/CG1_article_COWNovDec_issue.pdf |format = PDF | accessdate = 2008-10-09 ] It featured a "Sexy Robot" with reflective environment mapping and human-like motion.cite web | title = Broadcast 25 Year Retrospective | publisher = Computer Graphics World | url = http://www.cgw.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=13AA24A40FE74ED79D3AA098FF996B84 | accessdate = 2008-10-09 ]

In the 1990s, Abel founded Synapse Technologies, an early interactive media company, which produced pioneering educational projects for IBM, including "Columbus: Discovery, Encounter and Beyond" and "Evolution/Revolution: The World from 1890-1930".

He received numerous honors, including a Golden Globe Award (for Elvis on Tour), 2 Emmy Awards, and 33 Clios.

Abel died from complications following a heart attack at the age of 64.

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Persondata
NAME= Abel, Robert
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Movie director
DATE OF BIRTH= 10 March 1937
PLACE OF BIRTH= Cleveland
DATE OF DEATH= 23 September 2001
PLACE OF DEATH=