Dennis Muren

Dennis Muren

Born: November 1, 1946
in Glendale, California, USA
Dennis Muren is the Senior Visual Effects Supervisor and Creative Director of Industrial Light & Magic. A recipient of nine Oscars for Best Achievement in Visual Effects and a Technical Achievement Academy Award®, 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 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.

Movies for Dennis Muren...

Title: Light & Magic
Character: Self - Camera Department
Released: July 27, 2022
Type: TV
Granted unparalleled access, Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan takes viewers on an adventure behind the curtains of Industrial Light & Magic, the special visual effects, animation and virtual production division of Lucasfilm. Learn what inspired some of the most legendary filmmakers in Hollywood history, and follow their stories from their earliest personal films to bringing George Lucas’ vision to life.
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In Search of Tomorrow
Title: In Search of Tomorrow
Character: Self - Interviewee
Released: February 19, 2022
Type: Movie
A nostalgic journey through ’80s Sci-Fi-films, exploring their impact and relevance today, told by the artist who made them and by those who were inspired to turn their visions into reality.
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Empire at 40
Title: Empire at 40
Character: Self
Released: May 29, 2020
Type: Movie
A special livestream conversation with effects legends Dennis Muren, Joe Johnston, Phil Tippett, and Lorne Peterson in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. ILM's VFX Supervisor Bill George will moderate the discussion.
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Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters
Title: Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters
Character: Self
Released: September 14, 2019
Type: Movie
An in-depth, sad, and beautiful documentary about the stop motion and VFX artist Phil Tippett, a man who changed the landscape of visual effects in film.
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T2: Reprogramming The Terminator
Title: T2: Reprogramming The Terminator
Character: Self
Released: November 23, 2017
Type: Movie
This retrospective documentary focuses on the cast and crew reminiscing about the making of the film and its legacy. It features new interviews James Cameron, William Wisher, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert Patrick, Joe Morton, Edward Furlong, Brad Fiedel, Mario Kassar, Stephanie Austin, Adam Greenberg and Dennis Muren.
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Spielberg
Title: Spielberg
Character: Self
Released: October 5, 2017
Type: Movie
A documentary on the life and career of one of the most influential film directors of all time, Steven Spielberg.
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Finding Harryhausen with Dennis Muren
Title: Finding Harryhausen with Dennis Muren
Character: Himself
Released: September 19, 2017
Type: Movie
Visual effects artist Dennis Muren discusses the legacy of Ray Harryhausen.
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Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex
Title: Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex
Character: Himself
Released: November 18, 2015
Type: Movie
The Frankenstein Complex takes a historical as well as a creative perspective, with a mix of fascinating scenes behind the camera, film clips, and dozens of interviews with all the big names in the industry. In addition to the many wonderful anecdotes, the film also offers a wealth of beautiful test material, while along the way showing how the art of filmmaking has changed over the years. An affectionate ode to monster makers throughout history.
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Ralph McQuarrie: Tribute to a Master
Title: Ralph McQuarrie: Tribute to a Master
Character: Self
Released: March 5, 2014
Type: Movie
Ralph McQuarrie, concept artist of the original Star Wars trilogy, was essential in bringing the characters, ships, and locales of a galaxy far, far away to life. In this special retrospective, Star Wars creator George Lucas, Industrial Light & Magic effects legend Dennis Muren, and many others discuss the impact of McQuarrie, his artistic gifts, and his legacy.
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From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking
Title: From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking
Character: Self - Senior Visual Effects Supervisor
Released: April 5, 2013
Type: Movie
Documentary about the invention of MORF, the program for morphing, which was created for the film Willow (1988).
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Side by Side
Title: Side by Side
Character: Self
Released: August 19, 2012
Type: Movie
Since the invention of cinema, the standard format for recording moving images has been film. Over the past two decades, a new form of digital filmmaking has emerged, creating a groundbreaking evolution in the medium. Keanu Reeves explores the development of cinema and the impact of digital filmmaking via in-depth interviews with Hollywood masters, such as James Cameron, David Fincher, David Lynch, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Steven Soderbergh, and many more.
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Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan
Title: Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan
Character: Self
Released: November 27, 2011
Type: Movie
There’s only one person who so accurately personifies movie magic in the history of film, and that man is special effects maestro Ray Harryhausen. Focusing on the man behind the landmark effects on films like Clash Of The Titans, One Million Years B.C., Jason And The Argonauts and many more, this in-depth film features interviews with the great man himself, and with an array of animators and directors influenced by his work including Guillermo del Toro, Peter Jackson, Nick Park, Terry Gilliam, James Cameron and Steven Spielberg. The film also features unseen footage of tests and experiments recently uncovered.
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Return to Jurassic Park
Title: Return to Jurassic Park
Character: Self
Released: February 5, 2011
Type: Movie
A multi-part documentary about the making of the Jurassic Park trilogy. Each part walks through the making of part of one of the films, including the hurricane during the shooting of the first film, and how advances in CGI for Jurassic Park helped change the world of special effects forever. All interviews for these retrospective documentaries come with comments from Spielberg, Johnston, Neill, Dern, Goldblum, the effects crews, the child actors, and Peter Stormare. This documentary is broken into six parts: Dawn of a New Era (25 min), Making Prehistory (20 min), The Next Step in Evolution (15 min), Finding the Lost World (28 min), Something Survived (16 min), and The Third Adventure (25 min).
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Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible
Title: Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible
Character: Self
Released: November 12, 2010
Type: Movie
Leslie Iwerks' documentary takes audiences behind the scenes at ILM with in depth interviews with some of the company's top talent and showcases never before seen footage highlighting many of their pioneering milestones. From creating the first ever computer generated character in a feature film to the latest advancements in visual effects for film franchises like Transformers and Iron Man, ILM has created some of the most memorable movie moments in recent history.
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Visual Effects: The Thief of Bagdad
Title: Visual Effects: The Thief of Bagdad
Character: Self
Released: May 27, 2008
Type: Movie
Documentary about the technical achievements of the 1940 film classic The Thief of Bagdad.
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Nexus Generation: Fans & Filmmakers
Title: Nexus Generation: Fans & Filmmakers
Character: Self
Released: December 3, 2007
Type: Movie
Fans of Blade Runner discuss the lasting impact of the film, the way it has influenced many directors in the last 25 years and show of some of their most prized memorabilia.
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Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001
Title: Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001
Character: Self
Released: October 23, 2007
Type: Movie
This documentary about "2001: A Space Odyssey" looks at some of the things that seemed fanciful in 1968, which don't seem quite as much anymore.
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The Pixar Story
Title: The Pixar Story
Character: Self
Released: August 28, 2007
Type: Movie
A look at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of "Toy Story" and Pixar's promotion of talented people, to the building of its East Bay campus, the company's relationship with Disney, and its remarkable initial string of eight hits. The contributions of John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs are profiled. The decline of two-dimensional animation is chronicled as three-dimensional animation rises. Hard work and creativity seem to share the screen in equal proportions.
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Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
Title: Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
Character: Self
Released: November 14, 2006
Type: Movie
A documentary about the making of, and legacy of, the Forbidden Planet movie.
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The Sci-Fi Boys
Title: The Sci-Fi Boys
Character: Self
Released: April 27, 2006
Type: Movie
Legendary all-stars of cinema bring to life the evolution of science-fiction and special effects films from the wild and funny days of B-movies to blockbusters that have captured the world's imagination. This is the story of the Sci-Fi Boys, who started out as kids making amateur movies inspired by Forrest J Ackerman's FAMOUS MONSTERS magazine and grew up to take Hollywood by storm, inventing the art and technology for filming anything the mind can dream.
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George Lucas: Creating an Empire
Title: George Lucas: Creating an Empire
Character: Self
Released: January 27, 2005
Type: Movie
A Biography of George Lucas.
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No Feat But What We Make: 'Terminator 2' and the Rise of Digital Effects
Title: No Feat But What We Make: 'Terminator 2' and the Rise of Digital Effects
Released: June 3, 2003
Type: Movie
A look at the digital effects in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
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R2-D2: Beneath the Dome
Title: R2-D2: Beneath the Dome
Character: Self
Released: November 25, 2001
Type: Movie
Mockumentary telling the never before told life story of the fictional robot R2-D2 from the Star Wars film series. The movie was made as a fun project by the cast and crew of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Using interviews, fake archive photos, film clips, and behind the scenes footage the "true" story was told of Artoo's life.
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The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
Title: The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
Character: Self
Released: May 8, 2001
Type: Movie
A documentary film on the making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
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From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic
Title: From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic
Character: Self
Released: June 15, 1999
Type: Movie
The incredible evolution of George Lucas' special effects dream factory, including an inside look at "Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace."
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The Making of 'The Lost World'
Title: The Making of 'The Lost World'
Character: Self
Released: May 8, 1997
Type: Movie
Behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of director Steven Spielberg's 1997 film "The Lost World."
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Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery
Title: Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery
Character: Self
Released: February 6, 1997
Type: Movie
Host Howie Long takes viewers on a tour of the "Star Wars" universe, as Fox TV celebrates the re-release of the original three legendary films in this one hour special.
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The Harryhausen Chronicles
Title: The Harryhausen Chronicles
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 1997
Type: Movie
As an actor, director and producer, Ray Harryhausen has been a vibrant figure in Hollywood, working on everything from family films to mind-bending sci-fi. But his true genius lay in the creation of special effects for movies such as Mighty Joe Young and It Came from Outer Space. Narrated by Leonard Nimoy and featuring appearances by George Lucas and Ray Bradbury, this film documents Harryhausen's remarkable life's work.
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The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'
Title: The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'
Character: Self
Released: October 1, 1996
Type: Movie
A behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of Steven Spielberg's 1982 film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial."
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The Making of 'Jurassic Park'
Title: The Making of 'Jurassic Park'
Character: Self
Released: April 23, 1995
Type: Movie
This documentary treats film fans to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Jurassic Park," one of the 90's biggest hits and a milestone in special effects development. Narrated by James Earl Jones, it includes footage of the filming process, as well as interviews with director Steven Spielberg, and other members of the cast and crew, who give their insights into what it was like working together on this project and the efforts it took to bring the film to completion.
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The Making of 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'
Title: The Making of 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 1991
Type: Movie
Documentary of the making of the sequel to the popular Schwarzenegger film, The Terminator.
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Willow: The Making of an Adventure
Title: Willow: The Making of an Adventure
Character: Self - Visual Effects
Released: April 26, 1988
Type: Movie
A behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the film Willow (1988). Included are interviews with cast and crew and scenes of the actual filming of the production itself.
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The Making of 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'
Title: The Making of 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'
Character: Self
Released: December 4, 1984
Type: Movie
A documentary following the various stages in the production of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).
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Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
Title: Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
Character: Self
Released: November 21, 1983
Type: Movie
Go behind the scenes — and into the costumes — as production footage from Return of the Jedi is interspersed with vintage monster movie clips in this in-depth exploration of the painstaking techniques utilized by George Lucas to create the classic creatures and characters seen in the film.
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Raiders of the Lost Ark
Title: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Character: Nazi Spy on the Airplane (uncredited)
Released: June 12, 1981
Type: Movie
When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.
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Ray Harryhausen: Working With Dinosaurs
Title: Ray Harryhausen: Working With Dinosaurs
Character: self
Released: December 31, 1969
Type: Movie
A tribute to stopmotion supremo and special effects genius extraordinaire Ray Harryhausen, the man behind some of cinema's greatest fantasy films - The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Jason & The Argonauts and One Million Years BC. Featuring exclusive footage of Harryhausen at work on his first stopmotion for over 20 years, and contributions from many of Hollywood's top special effects directors and creators.