Michael Backauskas

Michael John Backauskas is a visual effects (VFX) editor, coordinator, and supervisor, who has contributed as such to several Star Trek live-action productions. In 1979 he had already chalked up an early contribution as one of the visual effects editors to , while employed at Future General Corporation, the company of that movies' VFX producer, Douglas Trumbull. Backauskas' work on Star Trek earned him and his team two visual effects Emmy Awards.
Years later, Michael Backauskas joined the Star Trek spin-off television franchise, starting out as a VFX coordinator on the first season episode , serving on the VFX team of Robert Legato and Gary Hutzel. He subsequently, now teamed up with VFX Supervisor Ronald B. Moore, transferred to , coordinating the effects for the seventh season. During his tenure at that season, Backauskas was given the opportunity to flex his muscles as VFX supervisor for two episodes only, and , but was never permanently elevated into the position. He continued coordinating the effects for the first season episode, and the even-numbered episodes of Voyagers first season (a few of which were held over for airing as part of the second season). During the transition from The Next Generation to Voyager, Backauskas was provisionally assigned to the VFX team of David Stipes and Joe Bauer for the last episode of the former and the first five episodes of the latter, as Ron Moore was temporarily unavailable to the television franchise due to his work on . From episode six, , onward, Backauskas was again teamed up with Moore as one of the alternating VFX teams for the remainder of Voyagers first season. Upon completion of that season, Backauskas left the franchise. His vacancy was filled by Mitch Suskin, who came over from digital VFX company Foundation Imaging.
==Career outside Star Trek==
Upon completion of The Motion Picture, his first professional employment in the motion picture industry, Backauskas remained a few years in the employ of Trumbull's company, Entertainment Effects Group (EEG), working as VFX editor or assistant editor on their productions, such as (1982, starring Edward James Olmos, with Joanna Cassidy and James Hong), (1983, directed by Trumbull and starring Louise Fletcher), and (1986, after EEG became Boss Film Studios). As free-lancer Backauskas has worked on (1987, featuring Anthony De Longis, Meg Foster, Frank Langella and Robert Duncan McNeill). He also did VFX optical line-up for (1986, starring Kim Cattrall), (1987, starring Michael Nouri), (1988, featuring Joanna Cassidy and Christopher Lloyd), (1989, featuring Ken Jenkins), and Paramount Pictures' (1990, featuring Timothy Carhart, Daniel Davis, Gates McFadden, and Ned Vaughn).
After his tenure on the Star Trek television franchise, Backauskas was a VFX editor for Digital Domain on (1997, which featured David Warner). More recently, Backauskas has worked for Rhythm & Hues as a visual effects editor on such films as (1998), (2002), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), (2006), (2007), (2009), (2010), (2010), (2011), (2011), (2011), and Chronicle (2012), but found himself unemployed when Rhythm & Hues went bankrupt in February 2013.
== Star Trek credits ==
* 
** – Visual Effects Coordinator (Season 7)
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
** – Visual Effects Supervisor
** – Visual Effects Supervisor
** – Visual Effects Coordinator
==Awards for Star Trek==
Backauskas received the following awards for his work on Star Trek,
=== Emmy Awards ===
Backauskas received the following Emmy Awards in the category "Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects":
* for the episode , shared with Dan Curry, David Stipes, Scott Rader, Adam Howard, and Erik Nash
* for the episode , shared with Dan Curry, David Stipes, Joe Bauer, Edward L. Williams, Scott Rader, Don Greenberg, Adam Howard, Don Lee, Robert Stromberg, John F.K. Parenteau, Joshua D. Rose, and Joshua Cushner
=== International Monitor Awards ===
* International Monitor Award win in the category Film Originated Television Series – Electronic Visual Effects for VOY Season 2, shared with Dan Curry, David Stipes, Adam Howard, Joe Bauer, Edward L. Williams, Scott Rader, and Don Greenberg
== External link ==
* 
es:Michael Backauskas
Backauskas, Michael
Backauskas, Michael