Schwizgebel was born on 28 September 1944 in Reconvilier, Canton of Bern (Bernese Jura), in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.In 1970 he founded Studio GDS with Claude Luyet et Daniel Suter, where he produced and directed animated films as well as working in graphic design.He received the Swiss Film Prize twice: in 2002, for La jeune fille et les nuages, and in 2016, for Erlkönig / Le roi des aulnes.In 2017, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival awarded him a Cristal d'honneur for his entire career.In the video for his 2020 single, "Long Road Home", Oneohtrix Point Never once again pays homage to Le ravissement de Frank N. Stein.