John Dykstra

Won 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 21 nominations. See more awards »

Known For

Spider-Man 2 Visual Effects

(2004)

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope Visual Effects

(1977)

Spider-Man Visual Effects

(2002)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture Visual Effects

(1979)

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Filmography

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Visual effects (32 credits)

2017 Ghost in the Shell (visual effects supervisor)

2017 Kong: Skull Island (additional visual effects supervisor)

2016 X-Men: Apocalypse (visual effects designer)

2015 The Hateful Eight (visual effects designer)

2014/I Seventh Son (visual effects designer)

2014 Godzilla (additional visual effects designer)

2012 Django Unchained (visual effects designer)

2011 X: First Class (visual effects designer)

2009 Inglourious Basterds (visual effects designer)

2008 Hancock (visual effects designer) / (visual effects supervisor)

2004 Spider-Man 2 (visual effects designer)

2002 Spider-Man (visual effects designer)

1999 Stuart Little (senior visual effects supervisor)

1997 Batman & Robin (visual effects)

1995 Batman Forever (visual effects supervisor)

1990 Spontaneous Combustion (special effects consultant)

1988 My Stepmother Is an Alien (supervisor: special visual effects)

1988 Something Is Out There (TV Mini-Series) (special visual effects designer - 6 episodes)

- Good Psychics Are Hard to Come By (1988) ... (special visual effects designer)

- A Message from Mr. Cool (1988) ... (special visual effects designer)

- Night of the Visitors (1988) ... (special visual effects designer)

- In His Own Image (1988) ... (special visual effects designer)

- Don't Look Back (1988) ... (special visual effects designer)

Show all 6 episodes

1988 The Unholy (special effects director: Apogee - uncredited)

1987 Out on a Limb (TV Mini-Series) (effects supervisor - 1 episode)

- Episode #1.2 (1987) ... (effects supervisor)

1986 Invaders from Mars (special visual effects)

1985 Alice in Wonderland (TV Movie) (special visual effects)

1985 Lifeforce (special visual effects)

1983 Digital Dream (director of photography: special visual effects)

1983 Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (TV Movie) (special effects)

1982 Firefox (producer: special visual effects)

1980 Caddyshack (supervisor of special effects)

1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture (photographic effects supervisor: Apogee, Inc.) / (special photographic effects supervisor)

1979 Avalanche Express (supervisor of special effects: Apogee)

1978 Battlestar Galactica (TV Series) (miniature and effects unit supervisor - 1 episode)

- Saga of a Star World (1978) ... (miniature and effects unit supervisor)

1977 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (special photographic effects supervisor)

1972 Silent Running (special photographic effects)

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Producer (2 credits)

1978 Battlestar Galactica (TV Series) (producer - 3 episodes)

- Gun on Ice Planet Zero: Part 2 (1978) ... (producer)

- Gun on Ice Planet Zero: Part 1 (1978) ... (producer)

- Saga of a Star World (1978) ... (producer)

1978 Battlestar Galactica (producer)

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Second Unit Director or Assistant Director (2 credits)

1999 Stuart Little (second unit director)

1986 Invaders from Mars (second unit director)

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Director (1 credit)

1992 Sewer Shark (Video Game)

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Special effects (1 credit)

1989 CBS Summer Playhouse (TV Series) (special effects creative consultant - 1 episode)

- Shivers (1989) ... (special effects creative consultant)

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Thanks (4 credits)

2005/I In the Blink of an Eye (special thanks)

2004 Making the Amazing (Video documentary) (special thanks)

2004 Empire of Dreams: The Story of the 'Star Wars' Trilogy (Video documentary) (special thanks)

1989 The Cellar (special thanks)

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Self (35 credits)

2018 Story of Science Fiction (TV Mini-Series documentary)
Himself

- Space Exploration (2018) ... Himself

2016 X-Men: Apocalypse Unearthed (Video documentary)
Himself - VFX Designer

2015 Gravity: Looking to the Stars - The Evolution of Space Films (Video documentary)

2014 Heroes of Cosplay (TV Series)
Himself

- Wizard World Portland 2014 (2014) ... Himself

2011 Children of the Atom: Filming X-Men: First Class (Video documentary)
Himself

2011 X Marks the Spot on 'X-Men: First Class' (Video documentary short)
Himself

2010 Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible (TV Movie documentary)
Himself

2008 The 80th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special)
Himself

2007 Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001 (Video documentary short)
Himself

2007 Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001 (Video documentary short)
Himself

2007 Spider-Man 2: Visual Effects Breakdown (Video documentary short)
Himself

2007 Spider-Man 2: With Great Effort, Comes Great Recognition (Video documentary short)
Himself

2006 Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet (Video documentary short)
Himself

2006 Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon (Video documentary short)
Himself

2005 Beyond Batman: Imaging Forever: The Visual Effects of 'Batman Forever' (Video documentary short)
Himself

2005 Beyond Batman: Maximum Overdrive - The Vehicles of 'Batman & Robin' (Video documentary short)
Himself

2005 The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz (Video documentary)
Himself

2005 Attack of the Show! (TV Series)
Himself

- Episode #1.1 (2005) ... Himself

2005 The 77th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special)
Himself - Winner

2005 Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection (Video documentary)

2004 8 Arms to Hold You (Video documentary short)
Himself

2004 Making the Amazing (Video documentary)
Himself

2004 Spider-Man 2: Webisodes (Video short)
Himself

2004 Empire of Dreams: The Story of the 'Star Wars' Trilogy (Video documentary)
Himself - Visual Effects Supervisor

2002 Spider-Man: Director Profile, Sam Raimi (Video short)
Himself

2002 HBO First Look (TV Series documentary short)
Himself

- Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' (2002) ... Himself

2000 Sciography (TV Series)
Himself

- Battlestar Galactica (2000) ... Himself

1994 Movie Magic (TV Series documentary)
Himself

- Motion Control: Unforgettable Shots (1994) ... Himself

1985 The Making of... 'Lifeforce' (Video short)
Himself

1985 Vista: The New Magicians (TV Series documentary)
Himself (1985)

1982 Clint Eastwood: Director (TV Short documentary)
Himself

1982 Late Night with David Letterman (TV Series)
Himself

- Episode dated 1 June 1982 (1982) ... Himself

1979 The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series)
Himself - Special Effects Coordinator

- Episode #18.75 (1979) ... Himself - Special Effects Coordinator

1978 The 50th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special)
Himself - Winner

1978 Science Fiction Film Awards (TV Special documentary)
Himself - Winner

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Archive footage (1 credit)

2017 Kingsman: Inside the Golden Circle (Video documentary)
Himself - Special Effects Supervisor

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Personal Details

Publicity Listings:

1 Interview | See more »

Alternate Names:

John C. Dykstra

Height:

6' 4" (1.93 m)

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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

[about re-using shots on Battlestar Galactica (1978)] The problem is that when there's a hole in the dramatics, the tendency is to fill it in with some special effects. Unfortunately for them, I didn't shoot enough special effects to have spares lying around to fill in holes with. I shot all the shots I said I was going to shoot, and we got all of them in the show, but we ended up having to use ... See more »