Craig Barron
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Craig Barron (born April 6, 1961)According to the State of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905–1995''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. Searchable a
MyHeritage
/ref> is an American visual effects artist and creative director at Magnopus, a media company that produces visual development and virtual production services for motion pictures, television, museums and multimedia platforms.Craig Barron - Creative Director.
Magnopus. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
Working at
Industrial Light & Magic Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American Film, motion picture visual effects, computer animation and stereo conversion digital studio founded by George Lucas on May 26, 1975. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lu ...
, Barron contributed to the visual effects on such films as ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'', ''
Raiders of the Lost Ark ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. Set in 1936, the film stars Harrison Ford as Indiana ...
'', and ''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film, science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott Taylor, Elliott, a boy w ...
''. At his own VFX studio
Matte World Digital Matte World Digital was a visual effects company based in Novato, California that specialized in realistic matte painting, matte painting effects and digital environments for feature films, television, electronic games and IMAX large-format product ...
, he produced visual effects on ''
Zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north and south celestial latitude of the ecliptic – the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. Within this zodiac ...
'', ''
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...
'' and '' Hugo''. Over the course of his VFX career, Barron contributed to the visual effects on more than 100 films. He is an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
recipient for '' By Dawn's Early Light'' and he received an
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
nomination for Best Visual Effects on ''
Batman Returns ''Batman Returns'' is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and written by Daniel Waters (screenwriter), Daniel Waters. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman (1989 film), Batman'' (1989) and th ...
''. In 2009, he won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects on '' The Curious Case of Benjamin Button''. Barron is a film historian, museum exhibit curator, and educator with a focus on the history of visual effects in classic films, before and after the digital age. He hosts presentations and lectures on the visual effects from Hollywood’s studio age. He produces short documentaries that reveal the formerly secret history of how visual effects pioneers created seamless visuals using matte paintings, miniatures and optical effects.


Career


Visual effects supervisor


Industrial Light & Magic

Hired at age 18 by VFX cinematographer
Richard Edlund Richard Edlund, (born December 6, 1940) is an American visual effects artist and inventor. He was a founding member of Industrial Light & Magic, having already founded Pignose amplifiers, and later co-founded Boss Film Studios and DuMonde V ...
in 1979, Barron was then the youngest person working at ILM. He started out in the matte painting department with VFX photographer Neil Krepela, and was apprentice to concept illustrator/matte painter
Ralph McQuarrie Ralph Angus McQuarrie (; June 13, 1929 – March 3, 2012) was an American conceptual designer who worked in film and television. His career included work on the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' television se ...
. Barron eventually was responsible for compositing matte-painted effects for scenes in landmark visual-effects films, including ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'', ''
Raiders of the Lost Ark ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. Set in 1936, the film stars Harrison Ford as Indiana ...
'', and ''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film, science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott Taylor, Elliott, a boy w ...
''.Rickitt, Richard. 2007. "Special Effects: The History and Technique," pp. 202-203, 209. Billboard Books, New York, New York. .May 17, 2017
"Star Wars 40th with Craig Barron,"
Athena Studios. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
He later told ''
Star Wars Insider ''Star Wars Insider'' is the official ''Star Wars'' magazine. It began in 1987 as the official magazine of ''The Lucasfilm Fan Club'', and was renamed in 1994 to coincide with the release of '' Star Wars: TIE Fighter''. Its contents include s ...
'' that he had originally wanted a job in animation and stop motion, but he jumped at the chance to join the matte painting department when there was an opening. Accompanied by matte painters Michael Pangrazio and Chris Evans, at times on international location shoots, Barron and crew designed and photographed matte shots for feature films. From 1984 to 1988 he was matte photography supervisor, working to combine matte paintings and miniatures with live-action photography. He is credited as director of matte photography on ''
Willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions. Most species are known ...
'' (1988), his last film at ILM, before leaving to start his own company Matte World.Cotta Vaz, Mark & Barron, Craig. 2002. "The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting," pp. 197, 207, 209-213, 244-248. Chronicle Books, San Francisco.


Matte World Digital

Co-founded by Barron, Pangrazio and executive producer Krystyna Demkowicz in 1988, Matte World produced seamless matte-painting effects for film and television productions from its Novato, California studio. Soon after formation, Barron's work for HBO's ''By Dawn's Early Light'' won an Emmy for Outstanding Visual Effects. Throughout the 1980s, Barron and his crew produced traditional effects shots with glass matte paintings and miniature models. Their work received an
Academy Award nomination The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
for Best Visual Effects for ''
Batman Returns ''Batman Returns'' is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and written by Daniel Waters (screenwriter), Daniel Waters. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman (1989 film), Batman'' (1989) and th ...
'' in 1992. That same year, the company was renamed Matte World Digital (MWD) to reflect the new technological tools available to matte painters. MWD produced digital environments for feature films, commercials, cable television, computer games and IMAX projects, serving the artistic visions of directors
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
,
Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola ( ; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the leading figures of the New Hollywood and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. List of awards and nominations received by Francis Ford Coppo ...
,
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker, who resides in New Zealand. He is a major figure in the post-New Hollywood era and often uses novel technologies with a Classical Hollywood cinema, classical filmmaking styl ...
,
Alfonso Cuaron Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic Kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula. I ...
,
Gore Verbinski Gregor Justin "Gore" Verbinski (born March 16, 1964) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for directing ''Mouse Hunt'', '' The Ring'', the first 3 ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' films, and '' Rango''. For '' ...
,
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. Howard started his career as a child actor before transitioning to directing films. Over his six-decade career, Howard has received List of awards and nominations r ...
,
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...
,
David Fincher David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. Often described as one of the preeminent directors of his generation, David Fincher filmography, his films, of which most are psychological thrillers, have collectiv ...
,
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy ( ; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor and director, famous for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes Development of Spock, originating Spock in Star Trek: T ...
, and
Frank Darabont Frank Árpád Darabont (born Ferenc Árpád Darabont, January 28, 1959) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In his early career, he was primarily a scre ...
, among others. Barron contributed to the visual effects of more than 100 films at MWD, innovating digital-effects techniques for ''
Zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north and south celestial latitude of the ecliptic – the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. Within this zodiac ...
'', ''
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...
'', and '' The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'', which won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 2009. MWD closed in 2012 after 24 years of service. The company's last project was creating stereo CGI matte paintings of 1930s-era Paris and Georges Méliès' glass studio for Martin Scorsese's ''Hugo''.


Innovations

Matte World Digital was the first company to apply radiosity rendering to film, for Martin Scorsese's ''
Casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...
''. Collaborating with software company LightScape, the MWD crew was able to simulate the reflective effect of millions of neon lights from the 1970s-era Las Vegas strip. Radiosity rendering provided a true simulation of bounce-light reflectivity in a computer-generated environment. For David Fincher's ''Zodiac'', another film mainly set in the 1970s, shots were needed to establish the grittier San Francisco of that era. Barron shot digital images of existing city-building textures, then added painted period details in the computer. One such shot features the Embarcadero Freeway alongside the Ferry Building and San Francisco Bay. The freeway had been demolished after the
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake On October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. Pacific Time Zone, PST, the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred at the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California. The shock was centered in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park in Santa Cruz Cou ...
so MWD digitally rebuilt the structure, viewed from an overhead computer-generated "helicopter-shot" to introduce San Francisco in 1969. CG lighting techniques were applied for a sped-up animated sequence showing the Transamerica Pyramid being built, establishing the passage of time. Barron researched archival photographs and architectural drawings for the shot. Barron worked with Fincher again in 2008 to build several digital matte and CGI environments for ''The Curious Case of Benjamin Button''. The interior of the film's New Orleans train station had to change and deteriorate, representing different eras. MWD built the CGI station interiors using Next Limit's Maxwell rendering software—software that was generally used as an architectural visualization and product-design tool. MWD revamped it to mimic real-world lighting as seen from multiple angles and light sources.


Other visual effects work

While heading Matte World Digital, Barron co-produced and directed the science-fiction short, ''The Utilizer'', broadcast on Syfy (then called the Sci-Fi Channel) in 1996. The film won the best special effects award at the
Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...
. Barron was a visual effects supervisor at
Tippett Studio Tippett Studio is an American visual effects and computer animation company specializing in computer graphics (CG) for films and television commercials. The studio has created visual effects and animations on over fifty feature films and commerci ...
in 2013, where he developed digital environments for film and commercial productions alongside his former ILM co-worker
Phil Tippett Phil Tippett (born September 27, 1951) is an American film director and visual effects supervisor and producer, who specializes in creature design, stop-motion and computerized character animation. Over his career, he has assisted ILM and Drea ...
.


Film historian


Author

Growing up watching classic films, Barron was inspired by and curious about how special effects were created. He sought out and interviewed retired Hollywood studio-era cameramen and matte painters who revealed the formerly secretive world of visual effects techniques that were used in films such as ''
King Kong King Kong, also referred to simply as Kong, is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. The character has since become an international pop culture icon,Erb, Cynthia, 1998, ''Tracking Kin ...
'', ''
The Wizard of Oz ''The Wizard of Oz'' is a 1939 American Musical film, musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Based on the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum, it was primarily directed by Victor Fleming, who left pro ...
'', and ''
Citizen Kane ''Citizen Kane'' is a 1941 American Drama (film and television), drama film directed by, produced by and starring Orson Welles and co-written by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz. It was Welles's List of directorial debuts, first feature film. ...
''. This oral history of movie-making, along with a growing collection of behind-the-scenes photographs, were the basis of Barron's book, ''The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting''. ''The Invisible Art...'', co-wrriten with Mark Cotta Vaz, is the first comprehensive book on the history of matte painting and its transition into the digital age. ''The New York Times'' called it "Eye-opening…increas ngour wonder at this heretofore 'invisible art.'"


Educator

As a public-programs lecturer for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (
AMPAS The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., with the stated goal of adva ...
), Barron presents public screenings showcasing the art and technique of visual effects in classic studio films, often partnering with friend and fellow effects artist, sound designer
Ben Burtt Benjamin Burtt Jr. (born July 12, 1948) is an American sound designer, film director, film editor, screenwriter, and voice actor. As a sound designer, his credits include the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' film series, '' Invasion of the ...
. The duo have been continuing guest hosts on the TCM Network and Barron has been an ongoing contributor to the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood since 2014.Green, Eric. August 24, 2022
“Craig Barron and Ben Burtt on How ''Secrets of the Hollywood Archives'' Reveals the Movie Magic of the Industry’s Golden Era,”
''Below the Line''. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
For their presentations, Barron and Burtt rely on extensive research and digital recreations to discover and uncover the hidden history of a century of film production. When preparing for a screening of '' Gunga Din'', they visited the
Lone Pine, California Lone Pine is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States, located south-southeast of Independence. The population was 2,035 at the 2010 census, up from 1,655 at the 2000 census. The town is located in the Owens ...
Alabama Hills location where the film was shot in 1938, and found pieces of the set buried there. Using camera drones, they then recreated the film's locations as CGI environments. Barron has been an adjunct associate professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts since 2015. His "World of Visual Effects" course focuses on the history of visual effects in film and how visual effects have influenced narratives in filmmaking from its inception to today. Selected presentations All screenings co-hosted by Barron and Burtt unless otherwise noted. *Techno Chaplin – '' Modern Times'' with John Bengstson – Behind-the-scenes photos and multimedia tour explaining how Chaplin used mattes, process shots, miniatures and rear projection within industrial settings of 1930s Los Angeles. 2008, Hollywood/San Rafael, CA. *''
The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Epic film, epic swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and written by Norman Reilly Ra ...
'' – Featured matte paintings and sound design with recreation of archery tests from the film. 2012, New York, NY. *Mysteries of the Krell: Making ''
Forbidden Planet ''Forbidden Planet'' is a 1956 American science fiction action film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, produced by Nicholas Nayfack and directed by Fred M. Wilcox (director), Fred M. Wilcox from a script by Cyril Hume that was based on a film story by ...
'' – Breakdown of the film's visual effects and innovative sound design alongside collection of rare miniatures, production designs, props, the original Robby the Robot, and analog source tapes from the electronic soundtrack by composers Bebe and Louis Barron. 2011-2012, Hollywood/San Rafael, CA. *''
The War of the Worlds ''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells. It was written between 1895 and 1897, and serialised in '' Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US in 1897. The full novel was ...
'' – Demonstration of producer George Pal's Oscar-winning visual effects for TCM Classic Film Festival 2016, Hollywood, CA. *'' The Flame and the Arrow'' - Discussion and demonstration of director
Jacques Tourneur Jacques Tourneur (; ; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French-American filmmaker, active during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known as an auteur of stylish and atmospheric genre films, many of them for RKO Pictures, including ...
and crew's matte painting and sound effects work for TCM Classic Film Festival 2022, Hollywood, CA.


Documentarian

Barron produces and is featured in a number of documentary supplements for DVD and Blu-ray editions from
The Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home video, home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films". A "sister company" of art film, arth ...
and
Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcas ...
. The documentary shorts, often in conjunction with Burtt, explain with interviews, animated sequences and reenactments, how 3D effects were produced in classic Hollywood films, such as ''
Citizen Kane ''Citizen Kane'' is a 1941 American Drama (film and television), drama film directed by, produced by and starring Orson Welles and co-written by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz. It was Welles's List of directorial debuts, first feature film. ...
'', '' It's a Wonderful Life'', and ''
The Incredible Shrinking Man ''The Incredible Shrinking Man'' is a 1957 American science fiction film directed by Jack Arnold (director), Jack Arnold, based on Richard Matheson's 1956 novel, ''The Shrinking Man''. The film stars Grant Williams (actor), Grant Williams as Sc ...
''. Selected documentary filmography * '' Modern Times'' (1936) / ''A Bucket of Water and a Glass Matte'' (2010) – Barron and Burtt demonstrate Chaplin's use of miniatures and sound effects in the film's factory and roller-skating scenes. * ''
Rebecca Rebecca () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical tradition, Rebecca's father was Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram, also called Aram-Naharaim. Rebecca's brother was Laban (Bi ...
'' (1940) / ''Constructing the Eerie World of Rebecca'' (2017) – Barron demonstrates the large-scale Manderlay miniature that Hitchcock’s crew built and filmed onset, which included a miniature car and destruction by fire. * '' A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946) / Documentary supplement (2018) – A detailed account and 3D rendering of how Michael Powell conceived of and carried out the seemingly endless “stairway to heaven” scene with the use of set design, miniatures and camera angles. * ''
Bringing Up Baby ''Bringing Up Baby'' is a 1938 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It was released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures. The film tells the story of a paleontologist in a numb ...
'' (1938), ''But What About My Leopard? The Magic of Optical Effects Pioneer Linwood Dunn'' – Interview with
Linwood Dunn Linwood G. Dunn, A.S.C. (December 27, 1904 in Brooklyn, New York – May 20, 1998 in Los Angeles, California) was an American pioneer of visual special effects in motion pictures and an inventor of related technology. Dunn worked on many fi ...
and demonstration on how a live leopard was safely shot on set with actors. * '' Chain Lightning'' (1950), ''Jet Jockeys in Love: The Making of Chain Lightning'' – Aired for TCM Film Festival on HBOMax. Barron and Burtt explain the film’s visual effects and sound design while “piloting” a vintage fighter jet in this Vitaphone-parody short. Barron and Burtt wrote and produced the documentary series ''Secrets of the Hollywood Archives'', premiering on The Criterion Channel in the summer of 2022. Each five-minute episode focuses on one scene of a classic Hollywood film to demonstrate how studio VFX departments created its visual effects. In such films as ''
Action in the North Atlantic ''Action in the North Atlantic'' is a 1943 American war film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Jerry Wald, directed by Lloyd Bacon, and adapted by John Howard Lawson from a story by Guy Gilpatric. The film stars Humphrey Bogart and R ...
'', '' 12 O’Clock High'', and ''
Forbidden Planet ''Forbidden Planet'' is a 1956 American science fiction action film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, produced by Nicholas Nayfack and directed by Fred M. Wilcox (director), Fred M. Wilcox from a script by Cyril Hume that was based on a film story by ...
'', the producers dig through outtakes that were never released to the public, as well as production clips, stock shots and sound-effect recordings to find buried historical documentation of visual-effects history and technique.


Museum development and visual effects advisor

From 2007 to the present, Barron served on several planning committees tasked with developing the
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is a film museum opened in 2021 located in Los Angeles, California. The first large-scale museum of its kind in the United States, it houses more than 13 million objects, and is dedicated to the history, sc ...
. For the Museum’s inaugural exhibit on ''Citizen Kane'', he co-produced videos honoring effects master Linwood Dunn and his use of mattes, miniatures and the optical printer to create Kane’s iconic visuals. Painted mattes and the Wayne Manor model for ''Batman Returns'' from the Matte World Digital archive were on display at the Academy Museum's inaugural opening in 2021.


Creative director

In 2014 Barron became creative director at Magnopus, a media company based in Los Angeles. Magnopus provides visual development and virtual production for motion pictures, television, and museum exhibits. Barron specializes in interactive and immersive virtual-reality experiences that put filmmakers "inside the movie" during production. Other projects include remote educational experiences with augmented virtual-reality for museums and other multimedia platforms. At Magnopus, Barron directed the VR tie-in to 2017's ''
Blade Runner 2049 ''Blade Runner 2049'' is a 2017 American Epic film, epic neo-noir science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green (writer), Michael Green, based on a story by Fancher. A sequel to ''Blade ...
''. Entitled ''Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab'', the 30-minute VR production is set in the world of the film where users act as replicant android hunters. A review in UploadVR said the experience, "...manages to contribute somewhat to 2049's story without stepping on it, shedding more light on one of the film's central characters that gives the entire piece an even deeper sense of purpose." ''Memory Lab'' was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Original Interactive Program in 2018. In partnership with
Television City Television City, alternatively CBS Television City, is a television studio complex located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California, United States. The facilities are located at 7800 Beverly Boulevard, at the corner of Fairfax Avenue. ...
and Holocaust Museum LA, Magnopus, with Barron as creative director, developed a virtual museum experience that allows viewers to partake in the Holocaust Museum’s educational exhibits. The AR immersive technology tool on iOS devices expands the range of the museum to a new worldwide audience. In 2022, Magnopus and Walt Disney Studios’ StudioLab developed the first augmented reality experience for
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
for ''Remembering'', a short film produced by and starring
Brie Larson Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers (born October 1, 1989), known professionally as Brie Larson, is an American actress. She played supporting roles in comedies as a teenager, and has since expanded to leading roles in independent films and Blockbuste ...
and directed by Elijah Allan-Blitz. The film was shot on LED stages at NantStudios, allowing its actors to react to its fanciful "world of imagination" during production. As visual effects supervisor, Barron oversaw production of the cross-platform experience. Viewers can watch the film through an iOS device using the "Remembering: The AR Experience" app, bringing 3D digital elements of waterfalls, forests and dolphins into their family living rooms.


Awards, honors and affiliations


Awards and nominations

* '' By Dawn's Early Light'' – Emmy for Outstanding Visual Effects, 1990 * ''
Batman Returns ''Batman Returns'' is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and written by Daniel Waters (screenwriter), Daniel Waters. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman (1989 film), Batman'' (1989) and th ...
'' – Academy and BAFTA Award nominations for Achievement in Visual Effects, 1992 * ''The Utilizer'' – Gold Plaque for Best Special Effects, Chicago International Film Festival, 1996 * ''
The Truman Show ''The Truman Show'' is a 1998 American Psychological film, psychological comedy-drama film written and co-produced by Andrew Niccol, and directed by Peter Weir. The film depicts the story of Truman Burbank (played by Jim Carrey), a man who is un ...
'' – BAFTA Award nomination for Achievement in Special Visual Effects, 1999 * ''The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting'', with Mark Cotta Vaz – Theatre Library Association of New York Outstanding Book on Film Award, 2003; Theatre Technology Golden Pen Book Award, 2004 * ''Greece: Secrets of the Past'' –
Visual Effects Society The Visual Effects Society (VES) is an entertainment industry organization representing visual effects practitioners including artists, animators, technologists, model makers, educators, studio leaders, supervisors, PR/marketing specialists and p ...
(VES) Award nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects in a special venue project, 2006 * ''
Zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north and south celestial latitude of the ecliptic – the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. Within this zodiac ...
'' – VES Award nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Motion Picture, 2007 * '' The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'' – Academy and BAFTA Awards for Achievement in Visual Effects, 2009 * VES Founders Award, 2013 * ''Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab'' – Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Interactive Program, 2018, Clio Entertainment Bronze Winner for Virtual/Augmented Reality, 2018 * VES Fellows Award, 2018


Honors and affiliations

* Honorary Doctorate of Letters, PhD,
Academy of Art University The Academy of Art University (AAU, or ART U), formerly Academy of Art College and Richard Stephens Academy of Art, is a private for-profit art school in San Francisco, California. It was founded as the Academy of Advertising Art by Richard S. ...
, San Francisco, 1979 * Associate member of the
American Society of Cinematographers The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), founded in Hollywood in 1919, is a cultural, educational, and professional organization that is neither a labor union nor a guild. The society was organized to advance the science and art of cinem ...
* Founding member of the Visual Effects Society, 1997 * Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Board of Governors representing the Visual Effects Branch, 2005-2022 * Co-chair of the
AMPAS The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., with the stated goal of adva ...
Science & Technology Council, 2014-2022


Selected filmography

*'' Hugo'', 2011 *'' Captain America: The First Avenger'', 2011 *''
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...
'', 2010 *''
Terminator Salvation ''Terminator Salvation'' is a 2009 American military science fiction action film that is the fourth installment of the ''Terminator'' franchise, serving as a sequel to '' Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'' (2003). It is directed by McG an ...
'', 2009 *'' The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'', 2008 *'' The Golden Compass'', 2007 *''
Zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north and south celestial latitude of the ecliptic – the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. Within this zodiac ...
'', 2007 *'' Invincible'', 2006 *'' The Alamo'', 2004 *''
Down With Love ''Down with Love'' is a 2003 romantic comedy film directed by Peyton Reed. It stars Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor and is a pastiche of the early-1960s American "no-sex sex comedies", such as '' Pillow Talk'' and ''Lover Come Back'' (both ...
'', 2003 *'' The Ring'', 2002 *'' The Green Mile'', 1999 *''
The Truman Show ''The Truman Show'' is a 1998 American Psychological film, psychological comedy-drama film written and co-produced by Andrew Niccol, and directed by Peter Weir. The film depicts the story of Truman Burbank (played by Jim Carrey), a man who is un ...
'', 1998 *''
Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers a ...
'', 1997 *'' Star Trek: First Contact'', 1996 *''
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
'', 1996 *''
Casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...
'', 1995 *''
Clear and Present Danger ''Clear and Present Danger'' is a political thriller novel, written by Tom Clancy and published on August 17, 1989. A sequel to '' The Cardinal of the Kremlin'' (1988), main character Jack Ryan becomes acting Deputy Director of Intelligence i ...
'', 1994 *'' Hocus Pocus'', 1993 *'' Bram Stoker’s Dracula'', 1992 *''
Batman Returns ''Batman Returns'' is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and written by Daniel Waters (screenwriter), Daniel Waters. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman (1989 film), Batman'' (1989) and th ...
'', 1992 *'' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', 1991 *'' Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'', 1991 *'' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'', 1990 *'' By Dawn's Early Light'' (television), 1990 *''
Willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions. Most species are known ...
'', 1988 *'' Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'', 1986 *''
Labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth () is an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the h ...
'', 1986 *''
The Goonies ''The Goonies'' is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed and co-produced by Richard Donner from a screenplay by Chris Columbus based on a story by Steven Spielberg and starring Sean Astin, Josh Brolin (in his film debut), Jeff Cohen ...
'', 1985 *''
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' is a 1984 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg from a script by Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, based on a story by George Lucas. It is the second installment in the Indiana Jone ...
'', 1984 *''
The NeverEnding Story ''The Neverending Story'' () is a fantasy novel by German writer Michael Ende, published in 1979. The first English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was published in 1983. It was later adapted into a film series and a television series. Plot T ...
'', 1984 *'' Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'', 1984 *'' Starman'', 1984 *''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The sequel to '' The Empire ...
'', 1983 *''
Poltergeist In German folklore and ghostlore, a poltergeist ( or ; ; or ) is a type of ghost or spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. Most claims or fictional descriptions of polter ...
'', 1982 *'' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'', 1982 *''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film, science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott Taylor, Elliott, a boy w ...
'', 1982 *''
Raiders of the Lost Ark ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. Set in 1936, the film stars Harrison Ford as Indiana ...
'', 1981 *''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'', 1980


Publications

* Barron, Craig and Cotta Vaz, Mark (2002). ''The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting''. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. . * Barron, Craig (July 23, 1998). ''Matte Painting in the Digital Age''. "Invisible Effects" series transcript. Orlando, FL: SIGGRAPH 98.SIGGRAPH 98 Animation Sketches - Invisible Effects.
Retrieved November 29, 2018.


References


External links

*
Magnopus
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barron, Craig American special effects people Visual effects supervisors Living people Artists from Marin County, California American film historians American male non-fiction writers 1961 births Artists from Berkeley, California Best Visual Effects Academy Award winners Best Visual Effects BAFTA Award winners Historians from California Primetime Emmy Award winners