Jim Ojala, Duluth native, shares his personal journey from Duluth to NYC and finally to Hollywood where he is highlly regarded part of the film industry.

Ojala’s presentation will will be in the form of a fireside chat between two friends who share a common Finnish heritage and name: Jim Ojala, Hollywood producer and special effects master and Jim Ojala, Tacoma-based historian and writer. Pull up a seat by the (imaginary) fire and join Duluth native Jim Ojala for a lively, no-holds-barred Q&A fireside chat with video covering his 25-year journey through the wild FX world of special makeup and creature effects. From his attention-getting public access show in Duluth to his creation of monsters for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Where the Wild Things Are” to his work crafting masks and costumes for popular bands ranging from Slipknot to Snoop Dogg, Ojala shares intimate, behind-the-scenes stories from both the indie trenches and Hollywood soundstages. Hear how he built his own FX studio from scratch and directed music videos and commercials before returning home to the shores of Lake Superior to shoot his first feature f ilm—the eco-thriller “Strange Nature”. Ojala’s colorful career is one carved in latex, blood (fake), and a whole lot of Finnish sisu.

PRESENTER

Jim Ojala is an American special effects and makeup artist, screenwriter and film director.
Hollywood filmmaker and special effects master. His company, Ojala Productions, provides special effects for rock bands. He was born and raised in Duluth and started his career at the Duluth public access television station. James Ojala, Tacoma-based historian and authhor/co-author of a dozen books and hundreds of online articles about history rock-’n’-roll, photography, the sport of rowing, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and much more.