John Dykstra

Won 2 Oscars. Another 12 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 (34 credits)

2019 Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (Visual Effects Designer)

2019 Shazam! (Additional Visual Effects)

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-Men: 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 (6 credits)

2008 The Harryhausen Legacy (Video documentary short) (special thanks)

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

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 (38 credits)

2018 James Cameron's 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 Harryhausen Legacy (Video documentary short)
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 Oz Tribute: The Art of Imagination (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 Behind the Scenes: Spider-Man the Movie (TV Short documentary)
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

1981 The Toni Tennille Show (TV Series)
Himself

- Episode #1.66 (1981) ... Himself

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

- Episode #18.67 (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 »