David DiFrancesco

David DiFrancesco (born 1949) is an American photoscientist, inventor, cinematographer, and photographer. He is best known for his contributions to computer graphics and digital special effects in the film industry. DiFrancesco played a key role in the development of computer graphics technology at three pioneering organizations: the New York Institute of Technology Computer Graphics Lab, Lucasfilm Computer Division, and Pixar. At Pixar, he directed the Photoscience Team and developed the world's first laser scanning and recording devices for 35mm motion picture film, known as PixarVision. This groundbreaking work earned him two Scientific and Engineering Technical Academy Awards and 16 patents. DiFrancesco's contributions have had a lasting impact on the film industry.