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. In February 2007, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society. Muren is also the recipient of a Technical Achievement Academy Award for the development of ILM Go-Motion, an advanced animation capture system.

 

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 film that the company contributes to.

ILM CREDITS

Feature Films

2015    STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS – Creative Consultant

2012    PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 – Senior Creative Executive

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

• STAR WARS: EPISODE I “The Phantom Menace” - Visual Effects Supervisor

Academy Award Nomination - Best Visual Effects

British Academy Nomination - Best Visual Effects

• THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK - Visual Effects Supervisor

            Academy Award Nomination - Best Visual Effects

1997    STAR WARS TRILOGY SPECIAL EDITION - Visual Effects Advisor

(continued)

 

 

• TWISTER - Visual Effects Creative Advisor

Academy Award Nomination - Best Visual Effects

British Academy Nomination - Best Visual Effects

1996    MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - Visual Effects Creative Advisor

1995    CASPER - Visual Effects Supervisor/Digital Character Supervisor

• JURASSIC PARK - Visual Effects Supervisor

Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

British Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

• TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY - Visual Effects Supervisor

Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

            British Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

• THE ABYSS - Visual Effects Supervisor

            Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

1989    GHOSTBUSTERS II - Visual Effects Supervisor

• WILLOW - Visual Effects Supervisor

            Academy Award Nomination - Best Visual Effects

• EMPIRE OF THE SUN - Visual Effects Supervisor
• 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

• INDIANA JONES & THE TEMPLE OF DOOM - Visual Effects Supervisor

Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

            British Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

• RETURN OF THE JEDI - Visual Effects Supervisor

Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

            British Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

• T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL - Visual Effects Supervisor

            Academy Award - Best Visual Effects

1981    DRAGONSLAYER - Visual Effects Supervisor

            Academy Award Nomination – Best Visual Effects

• 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          

• 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

 

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

 

Education

California State University at Los Angeles - Business Major

Pasadena City College