Edlund, Richard 1940–

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Edlund, Richard 1940–

PERSONAL

Born December 6, 1940, in Fargo, ND. Education: Attended University of Southern California, c. 1961–63; also attended U.S. Naval Photographic School. Avocational Interests: Studying Japanese culture.

Addresses: Office—Richard Edlund Films, 2710 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90403. Agent— Marsh, Best, and Associates, 9150 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 220, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Career: Visual effects technician, designer, and producer. Industrial Light and Magic, founding member of design team and photographer of miniatures and optical effects, 1975–83; Entertainment Effects, designer, 1983; Boss Film Studios (also known as Big Boss Films), Marina Del Rey, CA, founder, president, chief executive officer, designer, producer, and visual effects supervisor for numerous films, 1983–97; Richard Ed-lund Films, Beverly Hills, CA, principal. Home Box Office, segment producer and production designer of opening sequences for dozens of television specials between 1989 and 1996; also worked as second unit director. Inventor, including development of a beam-splitter optical composite motion picture printer, the Empire Motion Picture Camera System, the Zoom Aerial 65mm Optical Printer, a snorkel lens, and a portable amplifier for guitarists. Eastman Kodak lecturer in China and Japan, 1988; College of the San Francisco Academy of Art, lecturer, 2001. Candy Apple Neon, worked as letter designer; still photographer for rock bands and album covers; also worked as cable car driver. Military service: U.S. Navy, producer of training films; served in Japan.

Member: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (member of board of governors, 2006–07; past chair of Visual Effects Branch), American Society of Cinematographers.

Awards, Honors: Academy Award (with others), best visual effects, 1978, for Star Wars; Emmy Award (with others), outstanding individual achievement in creative technical crafts, 1979, for Battlestar Galactica; Special Achievement Award (with others), Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Saturn Award (with Brian Johnson), best special effects, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, both 1981, for The Empire Strikes Back; Academy Award (with others), best visual effects, and Saturn Award, best special effects, both 1982, for Raiders of the Lost Ark; Scientific and Engineering Award, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 1982, for concept and engineering of a beam-splitter optical composite motion picture printer and the engineering of the Empire Motion Picture Camera System; Academy Award nomination (with others), best visual effects, and Film Award, best special visual effects, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, both 1983, for Poltergeist; Special Achievement Award (with others), Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Film Award (with others), best special visual effects, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and Saturn Award (with others), best special effects, all 1984, for Return of the Jedi; Academy Award nomination (with others), best visual effects, and Film Award nomination, best special visual effects, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1985, for Ghost-busters; Academy Award nomination (with others), best visual effects, and Saturn Award nomination, best special effects, 1985, for 2010; Saturn Award nomination, best special effects, 1986, for Fright Night; Academy Award nomination (with others), best visual effects, and Saturn Award nomination, best special effects, both 1987, for Poltergeist II; Scientific and Engineering Award (with others), Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 1987, for design and development of the Zoom Aerial 65mm Optical Printer; Saturn Award nomination, best special effects, 1988, for Masters of the Universe; Academy Award nomination (with others), best visual effects, 1989, for Die Hard; Fuji Gold Medal Award, 1989; Saturn Award nomination (with others), best special effects, 1991, for Ghost; Academy Award nomination (with others), best visual effects, Film Award nomination (with others), best special effects, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and Saturn Award nomination (with others), best special effects, all 1993, for Alien 3; Saturn Award nomination, best special effects, 1994, for Solar Crisis; Catalonian International Film Festival Award, 1995, and Saturn Award nomination, 1996, both best special effects (with Steve Johnson), for Species; honorary doctorate, College of the San Francisco Academy of Art, 2001; Emmy Award nomination (with others), outstanding special visual effects for a miniseries, movie, or special, 2004, for Angels in America; John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 2007; President's Award, American Society of Cinematographers, 2008.

CREDITS

Film Producer:

(And uncredited special effects technician) Solar Crisis (also known as Crisis 2050 and Kuraishisu nijugoju nen), Trimark Pictures, 1990.

Film Work; Visual Effects Supervisor:

Raiders of the Lost Ark (also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark), Paramount, 1981.

Poltergeist, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1982.

2010 (also known as 2010: The Year We Make Contact), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1984.

Poltergeist II (also known as Poltergeist II: The Other Side), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1986.

The Boy Who Could Fly, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1986. Legal Eagles, Universal, 1986.

(And effects producer) Leonard, Part Six, Columbia, 1987.

Ghost, Paramount, 1990.

Species, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1995.

Air Force One (also known as AFO), Columbia, 1997.

Bedazzled, Twentieth Century–Fox, 2000.

Charlie Wilson's War, Universal, 2007.

(And director) Anamorph, IFC Films, 2008.

Film Work; Visual Effects Producer:

Fright Night, Columbia, 1985.

(And effects coordinator) Solar Babies (also known as Solar Warriors), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1986.

Big Trouble in Little China (also known as John Carpenter's "Big Trouble in Little China"), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1986.

Date with an Angel, DeLaurentiis Entertainment, Group, 1987.

The Monster Squad, TriStar, 1987.

Die Hard, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1988. Vibes (also known as Vibes: The Secret of the Golden Pyramids), Columbia, 1988.

The Judas Project, RS Entertainment, 1990.

Alien 3,Twentieth Century–Fox, 1992.

Film Work; Visual Effects Technician:

Star Wars (also known as Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1977.

The Manitou, 1978.

The Empire Strikes Back(also known as Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back), Twentieth Century– Fox, 1980.

Return of the Jedi (also known as Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1983.

Ghostbusters, Columbia, 1984.

Masters of the Universe, Cannon, 1987.

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, New World,1988

Big Top Pee–Wee, Paramount, 1988.

The Silver Stallion: King of the Brumbies (also known as The Silver Brumby), Skouras, 1993.

Film Work; Other:

Photography director for special water unit, Farewell to the King (also known as Goodbye to the King and L'adieu au roi), Orion, 1989.

Film Appearances:

(Uncredited) 2010: The Odyssey Continues (documentary), 1984.

The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story (documentary), Buena Vista, 1999.

Cinematographer Style, 2006.

Television Special Visual Effects Designer:

(Also production designer and producer of opening sequence) Tales from the Crypt (series), HBO, multiple episodes, 1988, 1989.

Earth Star Voyager (miniseries), ABC, 1988.

Television Visual Effects Work; Other:

Director of miniature photography, Battlestar Galactica (series), 1978.

Effects supervisor, Angels in America (miniseries), HBO, 2003.

Television Appearances; Specials:

SPFX: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980.

Reflections on "Citizen Kane, " BBC, 1991.

The Making of "Alien 3, " 1992.

Empire of Dreams: The Story of the "Star Wars" Trilogy, Arts and Entertainment, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"Motion Control: Unforgettable Shots," Movie Magic, 1994.

"Alien Life Forms: No Place like Home," Movie Magic, 1995.

"Twinning: Four Hears Are Better than One," Movie Magic, 1996.

"Ghost Effects: Ghost Stories," Movie Magic, 1996.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

The 50th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1978.

The 54th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1982.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

King Kong 60th Anniversary Special: "It Was Beauty Killed the Beast," Turner Home Entertainment, 1992.

Ben–Hur: The Making of an Epic, Warner Home Video, 1993.

Ghostbusters' SFX Team Featurette, 1999.

The Light and Magic of "Indiana Jones, " Paramount Home Video, 2003.

The Making of "Alien 3, " Twentieth Century–Fox, 2003.

Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection, Sparkhill Production, 2005.

Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001, Warner Home Video, 2007.

WRITINGS

Contributor of articles and photographs to periodicals, including American Cinematographer, Cinefantastique, Film Comment, Filmmakers Monthly, On Location, Photoplay, and Screen International.