He has worked on major feature films since 1984, including The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy (for which he won three consecutive Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects) and Godzilla.
Starting his career in 1980, Rygiel joined Pacific Electric Pictures, one of the earliest companies to employ computer animation for the advertising and film markets.
From 1987 to 1989, Rygiel supervised numerous projects while at visual effects companies Pacific Data Images (PDI) and Metrolight.
His credits there include Starship Troopers, Species, Outbreak, Air Force One, The Scout, The Last Action Hero, Cliffhanger, Batman Returns, Alien III, and Ghost.
After Boss Films' closure, he went on to supervise The Parent Trap, Star Trek: Insurrection, Anna and the King, and 102 Dalmatians.