Dennis Muren
8-Time Academy Award Winner
San Francisco, CA USA
"Everyone says you've gotta get that foundation, and I think that's probably true; but I think it's also good just to go out and screw up and do it without knowing what you're doing, to keep your energy up and just keep the fun of it."
Career Roadmap
Dennis's work combines: Film, Technology, and Being Creative
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Business/Commerce, General
California State University-Los Angeles
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
From the age of six or seven, he knew he liked visual effects, says it never felt like it would be a "career path," just a hobby.
2.
In college, he crammed all of his classes into two days so he could make films the rest of the week.
3.
He went to Pasadena City College and California State University, Los Angeles, where his parents continually told him to study business.
4.
Eventually got tired of living at home, had to get "some job," found an entry-level job that would be easy enough to leave him time for movies.
5.
He'd been doing effects for a company run by George Lucas, got offered the Star Wars job.
6.
Obviously didn't know that Star Wars was going to be a big deal, almost passed because they weren't offering enough money.
7.
Realized if he didn't get that job, he'd have to go back to his entry-level inhalation therapy job.
8.
Called them back, said I'll do Star Wars for pretty much any price; from there, has gone on on to win nine Academy Awards for special effects.
