Boss Film Studios
| Industry | Visual effects, CGI animation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1983 |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Marina del Rey, California, United States |
Key people | Richard Edlund |
Boss Film Studios was a prominent American visual effects firm established by seasoned professional Richard Edlund following his departure from ILM. Active between 1983 and 1997, the studio contributed visual effects to more than thirty motion pictures, building on Edlund’s prior work on titles such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and the original Star Wars series.
History
After deciding to leave ILM, Edlund aimed to create his own company. Director Ivan Reitman secured a $5 million advance from both Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), facilitating the launch of Boss Film Studios with the goal of establishing a strong foothold in the visual effects market.
Originally operating under the name Boss Film Corporation, the studio simultaneously undertook projects including Ghostbusters and 2010. To speed up production capabilities, Edlund acquired Douglas Trumbull's Entertainment Effects Group along with their Marina Del Rey facility, which became the foundation for Boss Film’s main headquarters.
Competition with ILM
Boss Film quickly positioned itself as a formidable rival to ILM, contributing to films such as Die Hard, Poltergeist II, and Big Trouble in Little China. The company set itself apart by utilizing 65mm film for optical effects, delivering superior image quality compared to ILM’s VistaVision format—a technical strategy that strengthened its competitive standing.
Boss Game Studios
In 1994, Boss Film diversified into the video game industry by founding its subsidiary, Boss Game Studios. The company also maintained a commercial production division that created advertisements for leading brands including Budweiser, Dodge, United Airlines, and DHL, broadening its business portfolio.
Closure
On August 26, 1997, Boss Film Studios closed its doors due to difficulties in maintaining an independent visual effects operation amid growing competition within the industry. This closure marked the conclusion of an influential era in visual effects development throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Awards
- Received an Academy Award nomination in 1993 for Best Visual Effects for Alien 3 (Richard Edlund, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., George Gibbs).
- Earned a nomination for the 1989 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for Die Hard (Richard Edlund, Al Di Sarro, Brent Boates, Thaine Morris).
- Nominated in 1987 for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for Poltergeist II (Richard Edlund, John Bruno, Garry Waller, Bill Neil).
- Awarded a Scientific and Engineering Award by AMPAS in 1987 for the development of the Zoom Aerial (ZAP) 65mm Optical Printer (Richard Edlund, Gene Whiteman, David Grafton, Mark West, Jerry Jeffress, Robert Wilcox).
- Received nominations at the 1985 Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects on both 2010 and Ghostbusters.
Distinguished Alumni of Boss Film
- Brent Boates
- John Bruno
- Christian Colquhoun
- Randall William Cook
- Randy Cooper
- Richard Edlund
- Evan Jacobs
- Greg Jein
- Steve Johnson
- Patrick McClung
- Bill Neil
- Jim Rygiel
- Screaming Mad George
- Stephen Stanton
- Mark Stetson
- David K. Stewart
- Garry Waller
- Terry Windell
- Bruce MacRae
Location of Facility
13335 Maxella Avenue, Marina Del Rey, California
Selected Film Credits
1984
- Ghostbusters (listed as Effects Entertainment Group)
- 2010 (listed as Effects Entertainment Group)
1985
1986
- Big Trouble in Little China
- Poltergeist II: The Other Side
- Solarbabies
- Legal Eagles
- The Boy Who Could Fly
1987
1988
1989
- Opening sequence for the series Tales from the Crypt
1990
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998