Ken Ralston

This article is about Ken Ralston. You may be looking for Ken Rolston.

"Those of us at ILM were aiming for reality, or something beyond reality in this movie. Something that has life, a spark, and a quality that's bigger than life."

―Ken Ralston^[1]

Kenneth Ralston was a concept artist and visual effects artist for Star Wars original trilogy.

Biography

"His maneuvering of the TIE fighter and the Falcon show his great understanding of the need for timing , motion, and life within the shot."

―Dennis Muren, on Ranston's talent^[2]

Ralston moving a battle-damaged TIE fighter model

Ken Ralston was one of the original employees of Industrial Light & Magic, originally hired by Dennis Muren to help George Lucas.^[3] He served as one of three assistant cameramen for the Miniature and Optical Effects Unit on A New Hope and one of two effects cameramen for the same unit on The Empire Strikes Back. He went on to serve as Visual Effects Supervisor for Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.

Ralston was responsible for placing the tennis shoe and potato easter eggs in the original trilogy.^[4]

Ralston is one of the signers of the limited edition release of the upcoming limited edition hardcover The Art of Ralph McQuarrie.^[5] He has also appeared with interviews in Lucasfilm Magazine 41 and Star Wars Insider 67, along with providing interior artwork for Monsters and Aliens from George Lucas.

Additionally, Ralston visual effects work has won him a total of five Academy Awards and five British Academy Awards.^[6]