‘Avatar’ VFX artist Eric Saindon rushed to hospital for surgery after Oscar win
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Eric Saindon checked himself into a Beverly Hills hospital at noon on the day of the Oscars after experiencing severe pain, according to a representative from Weta FX, the visual effects production studio behind ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’. Saindon would have felt this discomfort all day.
The team that brought Pandora to life in James Cameron’s blockbuster hit the stage to celebrate the visual effects Oscar win for Avatar: The Way of Waters on Sunday. However, things quickly changed for one member of the team as senior visual effects supervisor Eric Saindon was rushed to hospital for surgery shortly after his victory.
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Saindon suffered a ruptured small intestine
Saindon was rushed to a Beverly Hills hospital at noon after suffering excruciating pain all day during the Oscars. Saindon opted to continue attending the awards ceremony and was given painkillers by his doctors after testing negative for kidney stones and appendicitis.
Saindon struggled with discomfort to receive the Best Visual Effects Oscar, but after the ceremony he had to leave his press conference to return to the hospital. Saindon underwent surgery after doctors discovered he had a ruptured small intestine. He is now recovering, according to the Weta FX spokesperson.
Saindon’s Big Oscar Win
Weta FX employee Saindon won his first Oscar for ‘The Way of Water’. He started as a visual effects supervisor on the film set, working to bring the water scenes to life. During filming, he was promoted to senior visual effects supervisor. He oversaw the visual effects for the 2009 original “Avatar.” Previous credits include working as a VFX supervisor on films like ‘Night at the Museum’, ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ and ‘The Green Knight’, as well as films like ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ , “Pete’s Dragon”. ‘, and other well-known ones. The two “The Hobbit” trilogy films he worked on that were released in 2012 and 2013 earned him his first two Oscar nominations.
