Special effects supervisor
Brian Johnson was asked to helm the special effects for
Star Wars (1977), but his involvement with this series took priority. While helming the special effects for
Alien (1979), Johnson was asked to take charge of the effects for
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), so he left the effects duties for
Alien (1979) with his assistant on the project,
Nick Allder, who had also been his main special effects assistant on this show, then moved on to work with the effects crew on "Empire". Johnson and Allder ended up sharing an Oscar for Special Effects for
Alien (1979), then Johnson shared a Special Achievement Award for Special Visual Effects on
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Johnson would later go on to helm the post-production visual effects on
Aliens (1986), in which he would end up sharing a BAFTA Film Award.