Creature effects maestro and co-founder of the Academy Award winning company Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. Gillis was the alien effects, creature effects creator and creature effects designer for AVP. Gillis was born in Phoenix, AZ, but grew up in Orange County, CA, an avid fan of fantasy and science fiction movies. Gillis began making his own amateur movies, and by age 13 had decided that creating creatures for Hollywood was to be his career. Gillis first attending UCLA's film school, then working for some of the industry's top names in make-up effects, most notably Stan Winston (ALIENS, LEVIATHAN, ALIEN NATION). It was during his years with Winston that Gillis met his future business partner, Tom Woodruff, Jr. In 1988 they left Stan Winston Studio and formed Amalgamated Dynamics, Incorporated (ADI). Dedicated to the highest standards of quality in Animatronics and Special Makeup.