Hyman graduated with honors from San Francisco State University's film production program in 1994, after which he joined ILM as an assistant effects editor. His first film was the Academy Award-winning Forrest Gump, which was produced by Paramount Pictures. He then worked as an assistant editor on such films as Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! (which featured Paul Winfield) and Steven Spielberg's The Lost World: Jurassic Park.