Dennis Muren
From Open Encyclopedia
Dennis Muren (born November 1, 1946) is an American film special effects artist, most notable for his work on the films of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
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Early career
Muren was born in Glendale, California, where he developed an interest in film-making and special effects from an early age. While studying business at Pasadena City College, Muren spent $8000 to make Equinox, a short science fiction film. Tonylyn Productions, a small film company, liked the film enough to distribute it. Tonylyn hired film editor Jack Woods to direct additional footage in order to make Equinox into a feature-length movie. When the feature-length Equinox was released in October 1970, Muren was credited as a producer in spite of having directed much of the film and creating the special effects himself. The movie made enough money for Muren to recoup his $8000 investment.
After earning his associate's degree, Muren began working as a visual effects artist full-time. In 1976, Muren was hired at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), then an upstart visual effects studio founded by little-known director George Lucas. Lucas and ILM's first film, Star Wars, was released in 1977 to wide critical and public acclaim and was the highest grossing film of all time up until that point.
Later career
Muren has been an important voice for pioneering new technologies in special effects. Muren spearheaded ILM's move from models and miniatures to CGI for the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In a 2000 interview, he stated that Terminator 2: Judgment Day was the film he was most proud of.
Muren later convinced Steven Spielberg that ILM's visual effects technology was advanced enough to make CGI dinosaurs possible for the film Jurassic Park.
In June of 1999, Muren was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the first visual effects artist to ever be so recognized.
Muren continues to work for ILM to this day; his title is Senior Visual Effects Supervisor.
He has a small, non-speaking role in Raiders of the Lost Ark as a spy. He's the man who looks over the newspaper as Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford,) boards the passenger plane.
Dennis is married to British documentary filmmaker "Dream of The Sea Ranch" and Landscape Architect Zara Muren, and they have two children together. They currently live in California.
References
- Starwars.com (2005). Dennis Muren. Retrieved 3 July 2005.
- Hollywood.com (2005). Dennis Muren. Retrieved 3 July 2005.
- Tome, Chris for 3dvfx.net (2000). The Dennis Muren Interview. Retrieved 3 July 2005.
- Erickson, Hal for All Movie Guide (2004). Equinox entry at All Movie Guide. Retrieved 3 July 2005.
