Craig Barron

Craig Barron serves as Creative Director at Magnopus, a Los Angeles media company specializing in augmented and virtual reality experiences. His career began at Industrial Light & Magic, where he worked on iconic films INCLUDING THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Later, at his own VFX studio, Matte World Digital, he contributed to films such as Zodiac (2007), Alice in Wonderland (2010), and Hugo (2011), amassing credits on more than 100 films throughout his career. His achievements include an Emmy Award for By Dawn’s Early Light, an Oscar nomination for Batman Returns (1992), and an Academy Award for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). Currently, Barron and co-presenter Ben Burtt are developing “Secrets of the Hollywood Archives” for TCM Original Productions, a series exploring the making of classic movies. Beyond his creative work, Barron has established himself as a film historian, author, lecturer, and university educator, focusing on visual effects in classic films across both traditional and digital eras.