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John Charles Dykstra, A.S.C. is an American special effects artist, pioneer in the development of the use of computers in filmmaking and recipient of three Academy Awards, among many other awards and prizes. He was one of the original founders 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 and Robin, Stuart Little, X-Men: First Class, Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2.
Birth Name
John Charles Dykstra
Born
Tuesday, 03 June 1947
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| 1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever! | Self | 2023 |
| Light & Magic | Self / Self - Visual Effects Supervisor | 2022 |
| Icons Unearthed | Self - Special Photographic Effects Supervisor / Self | 2022 |
| In Search of Tomorrow | Self - Interviewee | 2022 |
| The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek | Self - Photographic Effects Supervisor, The Motion Picture | 2021 |
| James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction | Self | 2018 |
| Behind Closed Doors | Self - Visual Effects Supervisor: Star Wars | 2016 |
| Heroes of Cosplay | Self | 2013 |
| Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible | Self | 2010 |
| The 80th Annual Academy Awards | Self | 2008 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
Producer Filmography
| Title | Year |
|---|
| Battlestar Galactica | 1978 |
| Battlestar Galactica | 1978 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 2005 | Oscar | Best Achievement in Visual Effects | Won |
| 2003 | Oscar | Best Visual Effects | Nominated |
| 2000 | Oscar | Best Effects, Visual Effects | Nominated |
| 1980 | Oscar | Best Effects, Visual Effects | Nominated |
| 1979 | Emmy | Outstanding Individual Achievement - Creative Technical Crafts | Won |
| 1978 | Oscar | Best Effects, Visual Effects | Won |
