Editing Industrial Light & Magic (section)

== Milestones ==
[[File:Star Wars Changed Visual Effects — AI Is Doing It Again Rob Bredow TED 2025 AI generated section.webm|thumb|In 2025, [[Rob Bredow]] released ILM's first [[Text-to-video model|AI-generated video]], titled ''Star Wars Field Guide''.]]
* 1975: ILM used [[VistaVision]] for ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vfxvoice.com/star-wars-a-force-for-innovation/ |title=Star Wars: A Force for Innovation |website=VFX Voice |date=January 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/1519390/star-wars-george-lucas-revived-1950-technology/ |title=How George Lucas Revived 1950s Technology To Make Star Wars |website=/Film |date=February 18, 2024}}</ref>
* 1980: ILM's first use of [[Go motion]] was used to animate the Tauntaun creatures and AT-ATs of [[The Empire Strikes Back|''Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back'']]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/1137994/star-wars-used-some-never-before-seen-vfx-tech-for-the-empire-strikes-backs-battle-of-hoth/ |title=Star Wars Used Some Never-Before Seen VFX Tech For The Empire Strikes Back's Battle Of Hoth |website=/Film |date=December 15, 2022}}</ref>
* 1982: ILM's first in-house completely computer-generated sequence was the "Genesis sequence" in ''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]''. (Former computer graphics in ''Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope'' were done outside of ILM.)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/5-things-you-might-not-know-about-star-trek-ii-the-wrath-of-khan-109972/ |title=5 Things You Might Not Know About 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' |website=IndieWire |date=June 4, 2012}}</ref>
* 1985: ILM's first completely computer-generated character, the "stained glass man", featured in ''[[Young Sherlock Holmes]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/young-sherlock-holmes-movie-first-full-cgi-character/ |title=The First Fully CGI Character Is Nearly 40 Years Old - And Looks Surprisingly Great |website=Screen Rant |date=March 10, 2024}}</ref>
* 1988: ILM did their first [[morphing]] sequence in ''[[Willow (1988 film)|Willow]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vfxvoice.com/over-30-years-willow-has-morphed-into-an-effects-classic/ |title=Over 30 Years, Willow Has Morphed Into an Effects Classic |website=VFX Voice |date=April 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/673289/how-willow-changed-the-game-for-special-effects-in-film/ |title=How Willow Changed The Game For Special Effects In Film |website=/Film |date=November 30, 2021}}</ref>
* 1989: The first [[digital compositing]] of a full-screen live-action image was done by ILM during the final sequence in ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/indiana-jones-last-crusade-facts-trivia/ |title=Indiana Jones: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Last Crusade |website=Screen Rant |date=October 27, 2019}}</ref>
* 1989: ILM created their first [[3-D computer graphics|computer-generated 3-D]] character to show emotion, the [[:wikt:pseudopod|pseudopod]] creature in ''[[The Abyss]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://beforesandafters.com/2019/08/09/that-time-james-cameron-gave-ilm-a-day-to-come-up-with-a-test-for-the-abyss/ |title=That time James Cameron gave ILM a day to come up with a test for 'The Abyss' |website=befores & afters |date=August 9, 2019}}</ref>
* 1991: ILM created their first dimensional matte painting – where a traditional matte painting was mapped onto 3-D geometry, allowing for camera parallax, in ''[[Hook (film)|Hook]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vfxblog.com/2016/12/08/the-story-behind-hooks-innovative-projected-matte-painting/ |title=The story behind Hook's innovative projected matte painting – 25 years ago |website=vfxblog |date=December 8, 2016}}</ref>
* 1991: ILM created their first computer-generated main character, the [[T-1000]] in ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vfxblog.com/2017/08/23/the-tech-of-terminator-2-an-oral-history/ |title=The tech of 'Terminator 2' – an oral history |website=vfxblog |date=August 23, 2017}}</ref>
* 1992: ILM generated the texture of human skin for the first time in ''[[Death Becomes Her]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://beforesandafters.com/2022/07/29/head-stretching-and-stomach-holes-re-visiting-the-visual-effects-of-death-becomes-her/ |title=Head stretching and stomach holes: re-visiting the visual effects of 'Death Becomes Her' |website=befores & afters |date=July 29, 2022}}</ref>
* 1993: The first time digital technology was used to create complete and detailed living creatures, the [[dinosaur]]s in ''[[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]]'', earned ILM its thirteenth Oscar<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/how-jurassic-park-revolutionized-visual-802332/ |title=How 'Jurassic Park' Revolutionized Visual Effects, Inspiring 'Jurassic World' |website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=June 13, 2015}}</ref>
* 1994: The first extensive use of digital manipulation of historical and stock footage was done to integrate characters in ''[[Forrest Gump]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1994/08/08/the-visual-tricks-in-gump-use-new-element-subtlety/ |title=The Visual Tricks in 'Gump' Use New Element - Subtlety |website=Orlando Sentinel |date=August 2, 2021}}</ref>
* 1995: ILM created their first fully synthetic speaking [[computer-generated imagery|computer-generated]] character, with a distinct personality and emotion, to take a leading role in ''[[Casper (film)|Casper]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://beforesandafters.com/2020/05/28/the-real-time-hand-drawn-animatics-process-that-made-casper-possible/ |title=The 'real-time' hand-drawn animatics process that made 'Casper' possible |website=befores & afters |date=May 28, 2020}}</ref>
* 1995: ILM created their first computer-generated photo-realistic hair and fur (used for the digital lion and monkeys) in ''[[Jumanji]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vfxvoice.com/revisiting-the-rampaging-cg-animals-of-jumanji/ |title=Revisiting the Rampaging CG Animals of Jumanji |website=VFX Voice |date=January 2, 2018}}</ref>
* 1996: ILM's first completely computer-generated main character, Draco, was featured in ''[[Dragonheart]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/dragonheart-behind-scenes-details-making-trivia/ |title=20 Crazy Details Behind The Making Of Dragonheart |website=Screen Rant |date=October 1, 2018}}</ref>
* 1999: ILM's first computer-generated character to have a full human anatomy, Imhotep, was featured in ''[[The Mummy (1999 film)|The Mummy]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/the-mummy-1999-effects-better-sequels-why/ |title=Why The Mummy's 1999 VFX Look So Much Better Than The Sequels' |website=Screen Rant |date=June 4, 2023}}</ref>
* 1999: ILM's first fully computer-generated character in a live-action film using motion-capture, [[Jar Jar Binks]], was featured in [[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace|''Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace'']]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://beforesandafters.com/2019/05/24/jar-jar-binks-was-nearly-a-practical-suit-and-a-cg-head/ |title=Jar Jar Binks was nearly a practical suit and a CG head |website=befores & afters |date=May 24, 2019}}</ref>
* 2000: ILM created the [[OpenEXR]] imaging format.<ref name="About OpenEXR"/> 
* 2006: ILM developed the iMocap system, which uses computer vision techniques to track live-action performers on set. It was used in the creation of Davy Jones and ship's crew in the film ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]]''<ref name="beforesandafters.com"/>
* 2011: The first animated feature produced by ILM, ''[[Rango (2011 film)|Rango]]'', was released''.''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/with-rango-ilm-wrangles-first-animated-feature/ |title=With 'Rango,' ILM wrangles first animated feature |website=CNET |date=March 1, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/hal-hickel-interview-how-ilm-went-from-visual-effects-to-making-rango/ |title=Hal Hickel interview: how ILM went from visual effects to making Rango |website=Den of Geek |date=March 3, 2011}}</ref>
* 2019: ILM used real-time rendering (with [[Unreal Engine]]) and digital [[LED display]]s as a virtual set (known as [[StageCraft]] or The Volume) for the first time in ''[[The Mandalorian]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/20/how-the-mandalorian-and-ilm-invisibly-reinvented-film-and-tv-production/ |title=How 'The Mandalorian' and ILM invisibly reinvented film and TV production |website=TechCrunch |date=February 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2020-02-21-mandalorian-ilm-stagecraft-real-time-digital-sets.html |title=See how 'The Mandalorian' used Unreal Engine for its real-time digital sets |website=Engadget |date=February 21, 2020}}</ref>
* 2025: [[Rob Bredow]] unveiled ''Star Wars'' test footage using a [[text-to-video model]] to generate fictional creatures. This was ILM's first implementation of generative artificial intelligence.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carpenter |first=Lincoln |date=2025-05-14 |title=Lucasfilm declares creative bankruptcy with an AI-generated Star Wars film that's just 2 minutes of mostly normal animals jumbled together |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/lucasfilm-declares-creative-bankruptcy-with-an-ai-generated-star-wars-film-thats-just-2-minutes-of-mostly-normal-animals-jumbled-together/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Foley |first=Joe |date=2025-05-15 |title=Star Wars is so over if Lucasfilm is going to use this AI imagery |url=https://www.creativebloq.com/entertainment/vfx/lucasfilms-vision-for-ai-in-stars-wars-is-making-me-cringe |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=Creative Bloq |language=en}}</ref>