Robert Stromberg

Biography

Robert Stromberg is an American special effects artist, production designer, matte painter, and film director. He has had a distinguished career in Hollywood, contributing to some of the most visually imaginative films of recent decades.

Early Life and Background
Stromberg grew up in Carlsbad, California. He developed his artistic skills early, studying drawing and painting under a former Disney illustrator in his community. This foundation in traditional art later evolved into a passion for visual effects and cinematic storytelling.

Career and Key Work
Stromberg began his professional journey as a matte painter and visual effects artist. He worked on television shows such as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager, earning Emmy Awards for his contributions.

He transitioned into production design for major motion pictures, most notably for Avatar (2009), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Production Design alongside Rick Carter and Kim Sinclair. He won another Oscar the following year for his work on Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010).

In 2014, Stromberg made his directorial debut with Disney’s Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie. The film was a commercial success and showcased his strong visual storytelling and design sensibilities.

Beyond films, he co-founded The Virtual Reality Company, focusing on immersive storytelling through VR and augmented reality.

Awards and Recognition

Academy Awards: Two Oscars for production design (Avatar and Alice in Wonderland)

Emmy Awards: Multiple wins for visual effects work on Star Trek and other series

Honors from the Art Directors Guild and other industry bodies