Ken Ralston
Visual Effects

Ken Ralston

Department: Visual Effects

Biography

Kenneth Ralston (born 1954) is an American visual effects artist, visual effects supervisor and Creative Head at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Ralston began his career at the commercial animation and visual effects company Cascade Pictures in Hollywood, where he worked on over 150 advertising campaigns in the early 1970s. In 1976, Dennis Muren hired him at Industrial Light & Magic to help George Lucas create the effects for Star Wars. He remained at ILM for 20 years before joining Sony Pictures Imageworks as president. Ralston is best known for his work in the films of Robert Zemeckis. Ralston has won five Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, including a Special Achievement Academy Award for the visual effects in Return of the Jedi (1983), and regular awards for his work on Cocoon (1985), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Death Becomes Her (1992) and Forrest Gump (1994). He was nominated three more times for Dragonslayer (1981), Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Alice in Wonderland (2010). Description above from the Wikipedia article Ken Ralston, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Prominent works featuring Ken Ralston

Forrest Gump
Movie
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Forrest Gump

1994
TMDB4.3
Alice in Wonderland
Movie
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Alice in Wonderland

2010
TMDB3.3
Back to the Future Part II
Movie
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Back to the Future Part II

1989
TMDB3.9
Cast Away
Movie
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Cast Away

2000
TMDB3.9
Back to the Future Part III
Movie
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Back to the Future Part III

1990
TMDB3.8
Jumanji
Movie
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Jumanji

1995
TMDB3.6
Men in Black 3
Movie
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Men in Black 3

2012
TMDB3.3
Men in Black II
Movie
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Men in Black II

2002
TMDB3.2
The Polar Express
Movie
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The Polar Express

2004
TMDB3.4
Alice Through the Looking Glass
Movie
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Alice Through the Looking Glass

2016
TMDB3.3

Filmography & Credits

Complete career catalog (38 titles)

PosterTitleCharacter / RoleTypeYear
LIGHT & MAGICLIGHT & MAGICSelfTV Series2022
LIGHT & MAGICLIGHT & MAGICSelf - Visual Effects SupervisorTV Series2022
The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star TrekThe Center Seat: 55 Years of Star TrekSelfTV Series2021
Alice Through the Looking GlassAlice Through the Looking GlassVisual Effects SupervisorMovie2016
Star Wars: Greatest MomentsStar Wars: Greatest MomentsSelfMovie2015
Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects TitanRay Harryhausen: Special Effects TitanSelfMovie2012
Men in Black 3Men in Black 3Visual Effects SupervisorMovie2012
Alice in Wonderland: Effecting WonderlandAlice in Wonderland: Effecting WonderlandHimselfMovie2010
Alice in WonderlandAlice in WonderlandSenior Visual Effects SupervisorMovie2010
BeowulfBeowulfVisual Effects Design ConsultantMovie2007
The Polar ExpressThe Polar ExpressVFX SupervisorMovie2004
When Star Wars Ruled the WorldWhen Star Wars Ruled the WorldSelfMovie2004
Men in Black IIMen in Black IISenior Visual Effects SupervisorMovie2002
America's SweetheartsAmerica's SweetheartsVisual Effects CoordinatorMovie2001
Cast AwayCast AwayVisual Effects SupervisorMovie2000
From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & MagicFrom Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & MagicSelfMovie1999
ContactContactSenior Visual Effects SupervisorMovie1997
PhenomenonPhenomenonVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1996
JumanjiJumanjiVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1995
The American PresidentThe American PresidentVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1995
Through the Eyes of Forrest GumpThrough the Eyes of Forrest GumpSelfMovie1994
Through the Eyes of Forrest GumpThrough the Eyes of Forrest GumpThanksMovie1994
Forrest GumpForrest GumpVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1994
Death Becomes HerDeath Becomes HerSecond Unit DirectorMovie1992
Death Becomes HerDeath Becomes HerVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1992
The RocketeerThe RocketeerVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1991
Rocketeer: Excitement in the AirRocketeer: Excitement in the AirSelfMovie1991
The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' TrilogyThe Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' TrilogySelfMovie1990
Back to the Future Part IIIBack to the Future Part IIIVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1990
DreamsDreamsVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1990
Back to the Future Part IIBack to the Future Part IIVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1989
Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon TownRoger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon TownSelf – Visual Effects SupervisorMovie1988
Who Framed Roger RabbitWho Framed Roger RabbitVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1988
The Golden ChildThe Golden ChildVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1986
Star Trek IV: The Voyage HomeStar Trek IV: The Voyage HomeVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1986
CocoonCocoonVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1985
Star Trek III: The Search for SpockStar Trek III: The Search for SpockVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1984
Star Trek II: The Wrath of KhanStar Trek II: The Wrath of KhanVisual Effects SupervisorMovie1982