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John Dykstra

Visual effects

John Dykstra

Born June 3, 1947 · Long Beach, California, USA

Biography

John Charles Dykstra, A.S.C. (/ˈdaɪkstrə/; born June 3, 1947) is an American special effects artist, a pioneer in developing computers in filmmaking and a recipient of three Academy Awards, among many other awards and prizes. He was one of the original employees of Industrial Light & Magic, the special effects and computer graphics division of Lucasfilm. He is well known as the special effects lead on the original Star Wars, helping bring the original visuals for lightsabers, space battles between X-wings and TIE fighters, and Force powers to the screen. He also led special effects on many other movies, including Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, Stuart Little, X-Men: First Class, Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2. Description above from the Wikipedia article John Dykstra, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Filmography

  1. 2025How to Train Your DragonProduction ConsultantMovie
  2. 2022LIGHT & MAGICSelfSeries
  3. 2022In Search of TomorrowSelfMovie
  4. 2021The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star TrekSelfSeries
  5. 2020DolittleVisual Effects SupervisorMovie
  6. 2019Once Upon a Time... in HollywoodVisual Effects DesignerMovie
  7. 2017Ghost in the ShellVisual Effects SupervisorMovie
  8. 2017Kong: Skull IslandVisual Effects SupervisorMovie
  9. 2016X-Men: ApocalypseVisual Effects DesignerMovie
  10. 2014Seventh SonVisual Effects Designer, Visual Effects SupervisorMovie
  11. 2011Children of the Atom - Filming X-Men: First ClassSelfMovie
  12. 2011X-Men: First ClassVisual Effects DesignerMovie
  13. 2010Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the ImpossibleSelfMovie
  14. 2009Inglourious BasterdsVisual Effects DesignerMovie
  15. 2008HancockVisual Effects Designer, Visual Effects SupervisorMovie
  16. 2007Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001SelfMovie
  17. 2007Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001SelfMovie
  18. 2006Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden PlanetSelfMovie
  19. 2006Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi IconSelfMovie
  20. 2005The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to OzSelfMovie
  21. 20048 Arms to Hold YouSelfMovie
  22. 2004Spider-Man 2Visual Effects DesignerMovie
  23. 2003VH1 Goes InsideSelfSeries
  24. 2002Spider-ManVisual Effects DesignerMovie
  25. 2002Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of Spider-ManSelfMovie
  26. 2000SciographySeries
  27. 1999Stuart LittleSecond Unit Director, Senior Visual Effects SupervisorMovie
  28. 1999Stuart Little: Making It BigSelfMovie
  29. 1997Batman & RobinVisual EffectsMovie
  30. 1995Batman ForeverVisual Effects SupervisorMovie
  31. 1995Riddle Me This: Why Is Batman Forever?Self - Visual Effects SupervisorMovie
  32. 1988My Stepmother Is an AlienVisual Effects SupervisorMovie
  33. 1986Invaders from MarsVisual Effects Producer, Second Unit DirectorMovie
  34. 1985LifeforceVisual EffectsMovie
  35. 1985The Making Of LifeforceSelfMovie
  36. 1982Clint Eastwood: DirectorSelfMovie
  37. 1980CaddyshackSpecial Effects SupervisorMovie
  38. 1979Star Trek: The Motion PictureVisual EffectsMovie
  39. 1979Avalanche ExpressSpecial EffectsMovie
  40. 1978Battlestar GalacticaProducerMovie
  41. 1977Star WarsVisual EffectsMovie
  42. 1953The OscarsSelfSeries