Dennis Muren

“People assume that I would be a good director, but I'm not. I'm not a good director. I'm a good visual effects supervisor.”

“I've tried to get the C.G. to be a tool, as opposed to being a blockbuster in and of itself.”

“The technology is always changing, but the principles of telling a good story visually remain the same.”

“My idea is to bring the camera to the computer, not the computer to the camera.”

“I think the audience is getting smarter and smarter. They can tell when something is fake, so our job is to make it feel absolutely real.”

“The beauty of visual effects is that we are storytellers. We are not just mechanics.”

“The important thing is that the effect is an organic part of the story and helps tell that story. It's not just a 'wow' moment.”

“There's still a place for models and miniatures. CG can't do everything perfectly, and sometimes the tangible quality of a miniature is what you need.”

“All the technique in the world doesn't compensate for the inability to notice.”

“We can do anything now, but we can't do everything. There's a big difference. It's important to keep that in mind.”

“What 'Jurassic Park' did was bring the dinosaurs to life. Not just as monsters, but as animals.”

“A lot of my job is just sitting and looking, trying to understand what makes something look real. Light, shadow, texture, movement.”

“Collaboration is everything. The director, the DP, the production designer, the effects team—we all have to be on the same page to create a believable world.”

“A computer is a dumb tool. It's only as good as the artist who's using it.”