Joe Alves

Joe Alves born 21 May 1936 San Leandro California is an American film production designer perhaps best known for his work on three of the Jaws films He directed Jaws 3D Alves has designed three features for Steven Spielberg firstly for The Sugarland Express He designed the three mechanical sharks for the movie Jaws 1975 with mechanical effects man Bob Mattey supervising their physical construction in Sun Valley CA After the sharks were completed they were trucked to the shooting location but unfortunately they had not been tested in water causing a series of delays that have become quite legendary over time He was nominated for the Academy Award and won the BAFTA for Best Art Direction for his work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind Alves worked on Jaws 2 1978 in the capacity of both production designer and as second unit director After John D Hancock the initial director of Jaws 2 was sacked it was suggested that Alves codirect it with Verna Fields who edited the original Jaws Jeannot Szwarc was hired however to complete the film The model of New York he created for John Carpenters Escape from New York 1981 has been described as memorably derelict and he was visual consultant on Carpenters Starman 1984