Hoyt Yeatman is the dynamic force behind The Secret Lab's innovative visual effects. He has contributed to the conception, design, supervision and production of special effects for more than 100 motion picture, television and commercial projects. He was also one of the original founders of Dream Quest Images, an Academy Award®-winning visual effects company. Yeatman attended UCLA where he studied animation and film. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in 1977, Yeatman joined the effects crew of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977), an experience which springboarded him into work on the animation and special effects for NBC's "Laugh-In" specials, "Buck Rogers" and "Battlestar Galactica." Following this, Yeatman was recruited by the production team of Paramount Pictures for STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979), the first of a series of highly successful films based on Gene Roddenberry's television series phenomenon "Star Trek." It was on this film that he and Abdi Sami, co-founder of Dream Quest, first met and planned the creation of their own visual effects company in 1979. Dream Quest Images was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 1996 and became The Secret Lab, the digital production studio of Walt Disney Feature Animation, in 1999. Yeatman has been invited to be a guest speaker at seminars and conferences throughout the country, as well as in Canada, England, Japan, Italy and Monte Carlo. He states that one of the pleasures of his work is to combine the challenge of creating seamless visual images with the pure enjoyment of finding the solution for complex film visuals. "My one real love will always be film," Yeatman says. "I truly enjoy my work - it presents physical, emotional and intellectual challenges in a most unique and ever fascinating way." Other notable vfx credits include ONE FROM THE HEART, E.T. -- THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL and BLADE RUNNER (all 1982), BLUE THUNDER, "V" (TV mini-series) and TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE (all 1983), GREMLINS and THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION (both 1984), D.A.R.Y.L., PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE and NATIONAL LAMPOON'S EUROPEAN VACATION (all 1985), SHORT CIRCUIT and THE FLY (both 1986), THE BLOB, THE ABYSS and Michael Jackson's MOONWALKER (all 1988), FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY and NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION (both 1989), GRAND CANYON (1991), FINAL ANALYSIS (1992), CRIMSON TIDE (1995), THE ROCK (1996), CON AIR (1997), ARMAGEDDON (1998), MISSION TO MARS (2000), THE PRINCESS DIARIES (2001), KANGAROO JACK (2003), SKY HIGH (2005), and UNDERDOG (2007). Yeatman can also credit the 3rd, 4th and 5th installments of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1987-1991).

Best Achievement in Visual Effects 1989: THE ABYSS (w. John Bruno, Dennis Muren & Dennis Skotak)  Nominated for Achievement in Visual Effects 1998: MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (w. Rick Baker, Alan Hall & Jim Mitchell)  Technical Achievement Awards (Certificate) 1999: (of Dream Quest Images) For the identification and diagnosis leading to the elimination of the "red fringe" artifact in traveling matte composite photography. (w. John C. Brewer of the Eastman Kodak Company) 2 nominations, 1 Award, 1 Scientific/Technical Award