Dennis Muren is the Senior Visual Effects Supervisor and Creative Director of Industrial Light & Magic. Recipient of 8 Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, Muren is actively involved in the evolution of the company, as well as the design and development of new techniques and equipment. In June 1999, Muren became the first visual effects artist to be honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and remains the only visual effects practitioner to even be so honored. In February 2007, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society. Muren is currently working on a book focusing on ‘observation’ for digital artists.
As Creative Director of Industrial Light & Magic, Muren is a key member of the company’s leadership team and collaborates with all of ILM’s supervisors on each of the films that the company contributes to.
ILM CREDITS
Feature Films
2011 SUPER 8 – Visual Effects Supervisor
2005 WAR OF THE WORLDS – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award Nomination – Best Visual Effects
Visual Effects Society Award Nomination – Best Single Visual Effect of the Year
2003 HULK – Visual Effects Supervisor
Visual Effects Society Award Nomination – Best Single Visual Effect of the Year
2002 STAR WARS: EPISODE II “Attack of the Clones”- Visual Effects Supervisor
2001 A.I. – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award Nomination – Best Visual Effects
British Academy Nomination – Best Visual Effects
1999 STAR WARS: EPISODE I “The Phantom Menace” – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award Nomination – Best Visual Effects
British Academy Nomination – Best Visual Effects
1997 THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award Nomination – Best Visual Effects
1997 STAR WARS TRILOGY SPECIAL EDITION – Visual Effects Advisor
1996 TWISTER – Visual Effects Creative Advisor
Academy Award Nomination – Best Visual Effects
British Academy Nomination – Best Visual Effects
INNERSPACE THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Academy Award Nominations (Best Achievement in Visual Effects)
WAR OF THE WORLDS
A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
STAR WARS: EPISODE I “THE PHANTOM MENACE”
THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK
WILLOW
YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES
DRAGONSLAYER
Academy Technical Achievement Award
Creator of Go-Motion Figure Mover
British Academy of Film and Television Academy Awards (Visual Effects)
JURASSIC PARK
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
INDIANA JONES & THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
RETURN OF THE JEDI
Emmy Award (Visual Effects)
CARAVAN OF COURAGE
2000 MTV Movie Awards (Best Action Sequence)
STAR WARS: EPISODE I “THE PHANTOM MENACE”
Visual Effects Society
2015 Lifetime Achievement Award
International Teleproduction Society
1997 Lifetime Achievement Award
Memberships
American Society of Cinematographers
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Guest Speaker
American Film Institute ‘88, ‘93, ‘94, ‘96
ShowBiz Expo
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Smithsonian Institute
Berlin Film Festival
UCLA Film Department
UC Berkeley Film Series
Liverpool University Film
Mill Valley Film Festival
USA Film Festival
SIGGRAPH
Visual Effects Society Festival 1999
1993 JURASSIC PARK – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
British Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
1991 TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
British Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
1989 THE ABYSS – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
1989 GHOSTBUSTERS II – Visual Effects Supervisor
1988 WILLOW – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award Nomination – Best Visual Effects
1987 EMPIRE OF THE SUN – Visual Effects Supervisor
1987 INNERSPACE – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
1987 STAR TOURS (Simulator ride for Disneyland) – Visual Effects Supervisor
1986 CAPTAIN EO (3-D film for Disneyland) – Visual Effects Supervisor
1985 YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES – Visual Effects Supervisor
1984 INDIANA JONES & THE TEMPLE OF DOOM – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
British Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
1983 RETURN OF THE JEDI – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
British Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
1982 E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
1981 DRAGONSLAYER – Visual Effects Supervisor
Academy Award Nomination – Best Visual Effects
1980 THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK – Visual Effects Director of Photography
Academy Award – Best Visual Effects
1978 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA – Visual Effects Photography
1977 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND – Mothership Effects Photography
1977 STAR WARS – Visual Effects 2nd Cameraman
1975 CASCADE PICTURES OF CALIFORNIA: Various Commercials – Camera Operator/Dept.Head
1972 THE SOLAR SYSTEM: ISLANDS IN SPACE – Effects Photography
(Charles Cahill & Associates Educational Films)
1969 – 1975 CASCADE PICTURES OF CALIFORNIA: Filmfair – Freelance Effects
Cameraman
1965 – 1967 THE EQUINOX – Producer/Director/Director of Photography/Editor
Awards
Academy Awards (Best Achievement in Visual Effects)
JURASSIC PARK
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
THE ABYSS
INDIANA JONES & THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
RETURN OF THE JEDI
E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL