Visual Effects
John Dykstra
Born 1947-06-03 · Long Beach, California, USA
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.
Acting credits
8.0An eight-part behind-the-scenes featurette, charting the film from pre-production through post-production, including visual effects techniques and cataloguing “X-Men” transformations through prosthetic make up and costume design
Children of the Atom - Filming X-Men: First Class
2011
6.7A nostalgic journey through ’80s Sci-Fi-films, exploring their impact and relevance today, told by the artists who made them and by those who were inspired to turn their visions into reality.
In Search of Tomorrow
2022
6.7Leslie 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.
Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible
2010
5.8Documentary on the making of 'Spider-Man.'
Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man'
2002
6.2Stanley Kubrick's groundbreaking 2001: A Space Odyssey opened the door to all the films and filmmakers who followed it. Through interviews with directors such as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Sydney Pollack - as well as special effects professionals and cultural historians - this documentary examines the legacy of Kubrick's masterpiece and its influence on science fiction films, special effects and world cinema.
Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001
2007
7.0How a new director and cast created a new version of Gotham's classic good and bad guys.
Riddle Me This: Why Is Batman Forever?
1995
7.0A short documentary about Robby the Robot.
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
2006
A behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the sci-fi classic Lifeforce, directed by Tobe Hooper, and special effects created by Oscar award winning John Dykstra.
The Making Of Lifeforce
1985
7.0Documentary shot during the production of Firefox.
Clint Eastwood: Director
1982
4.5A documentary about the making of, and legacy of, the Forbidden Planet movie.
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
2006
6.0This 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.
Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001
2007
5.3"The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz" - a featurette narrated by Sydney Pollack.
The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz
2005
NRAn "Ock-umentary" exploring the character of Doc Ock and the way he as well as his tentacles were brought to life on the silver screen.
8 Arms to Hold You
2004
10.0A documentary about the making of director Rob Minkoff's feature film, "Stuart Little" that first aired on HBO.
Stuart Little: Making It Big
1999
