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