Kerner Optical
Encyclopedia
Kerner Optical, also known as KernerFX, is a practical visual effects
company based in San Rafael
, California
. The company was formerly a division of George Lucas
's Industrial Light & Magic and was spun off in 2006. "Kerner Co" was the "ghost name" for ILM prior to the company's relocation to the Letterman Digital Arts Center
in the Presidio of San Francisco
. Rather than hide behind security fences, walls and heavy security, ILM simply operated as the "Kerner Company", hiding in plain sight.
discovered that 20th Century Fox
had closed down their special effects department after Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
was green lit for production. Lucas then started his own special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic.
Later, in 2006, the practical effects department was, like Pixar, spun off from Industrial Light & Magic. When George Lucas
moved the computer graphics team to The Presidio in 2006 he sold five physical effects divisions of ILM in a management-led buyout that resulted in the creation of a new company that took on the name Kerner Optical as a tribute to the long history shared with ILM. Kerner continued to operate in the same property, in San Rafael, from which they had operated for over 30 years and the original "Kerner Co." sign is still displayed in front of the building.
In the three years since leaving the LucasFilm family, Kerner has continued to provide practical special effects to major movie productions.
In addition to movies, Kerner was selected in 2007 to build a 3-dimensional scale model of the Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California
for the Walt Disney Family Museum
. Named the "Disneyland of Walt's Imagination," the model is displayed at Gallery 9 of the museum, which is located in the Presidio, not far from the extant ILM headquarters.
Kerner has also continued several years of significant research and development in the areas of 3D camera rigs and consumer products. Kerner's creature shop also manufactures life-like, servo-controlled dummies with simulated injuries used for training military medics.
In August 2009, Entrepreneur Eric Edmeades
acquired a controlling interest in the business and became CEO of the group. In February 2011, Kerner filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in San Francisco. Despite record profitability during reorganization, a dispute between Edmeades and investor Kevin Duncan and the loss of at least two ILM contracts lead to the closure of the company only seven months later. After refiling their bankruptcy under Chapter 7, the court ordered liquidation of their assets.
As Kerner Optical
! Year
! Notable films
|-
|1971
||THX 1138
|-
|1977
|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
|-
|1980
|Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
|-
|1981
|Raiders of the Lost Ark
Dragonslayer
(first non-Lucasfilm production)
|-
|1982
|Poltergeist
Practical effect
A practical effect is a special effect in which a prop appears to work in a situation where it obviously could not in real life . They do not use trick photography or post-production artifice. This type of effect is normally found in live theatre.In film, practical effect denotes an effect produced...
company based in San Rafael
San Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The company was formerly a division of George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
's Industrial Light & Magic and was spun off in 2006. "Kerner Co" was the "ghost name" for ILM prior to the company's relocation to the Letterman Digital Arts Center
Letterman Digital Arts Center
The Letterman Digital Arts Center , located in the Presidio, San Francisco, is the combined home of Industrial Light & Magic, LucasArts, and Lucasfilm's marketing, online, and licensing units....
in the Presidio of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
. Rather than hide behind security fences, walls and heavy security, ILM simply operated as the "Kerner Company", hiding in plain sight.
History
Kerner Optical started when George LucasGeorge Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
discovered that 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
had closed down their special effects department after Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
was green lit for production. Lucas then started his own special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic.
Later, in 2006, the practical effects department was, like Pixar, spun off from Industrial Light & Magic. When George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
moved the computer graphics team to The Presidio in 2006 he sold five physical effects divisions of ILM in a management-led buyout that resulted in the creation of a new company that took on the name Kerner Optical as a tribute to the long history shared with ILM. Kerner continued to operate in the same property, in San Rafael, from which they had operated for over 30 years and the original "Kerner Co." sign is still displayed in front of the building.
In the three years since leaving the LucasFilm family, Kerner has continued to provide practical special effects to major movie productions.
In addition to movies, Kerner was selected in 2007 to build a 3-dimensional scale model of the Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
for the Walt Disney Family Museum
The Walt Disney Family Museum
The Walt Disney Family Museum is an American museum that features the life and legacy of Walt Disney. The museum is located in The Presidio of San Francisco, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco. The Museum retrofitted and expanded three existing historic buildings on...
. Named the "Disneyland of Walt's Imagination," the model is displayed at Gallery 9 of the museum, which is located in the Presidio, not far from the extant ILM headquarters.
Kerner has also continued several years of significant research and development in the areas of 3D camera rigs and consumer products. Kerner's creature shop also manufactures life-like, servo-controlled dummies with simulated injuries used for training military medics.
In August 2009, Entrepreneur Eric Edmeades
Eric Edmeades
Eric Edmeades is a Canadian businessman and professional speaker. Edmeades is best known for his international motivational speaking and philanthropy. In August 2009, Edmeades acquired and became Chairman of Lucasfilm spin-off, The Kerner Group...
acquired a controlling interest in the business and became CEO of the group. In February 2011, Kerner filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in San Francisco. Despite record profitability during reorganization, a dispute between Edmeades and investor Kevin Duncan and the loss of at least two ILM contracts lead to the closure of the company only seven months later. After refiling their bankruptcy under Chapter 7, the court ordered liquidation of their assets.
Milestones
As ILM- 1976: Resurrected the use of VistaVisionVistaVisionVistaVision is a higher resolution, widescreen variant of the 35mm motion picture film format which was created by engineers at Paramount Pictures in 1954....
; first use of a motion control cameraMotion control photographyMotion control photography is a technique used in still and motion photography that enables precise control of, and optionally also allows repetition of, camera movements. It can be used to facilitate special effects photography. The process can involve filming several elements using the same...
(Star Wars Episode IV: A New HopeStar Wars Episode IV: A New HopeStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
) - 1981: Richard Edlund developed the Empire Camera, so named by Gary KurtzGary KurtzGary Kurtz is an American film producer whose list of credits include American Graffiti, Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. He later produced The Dark Crystal and Return to Oz after departing from the Star Wars series...
because of its first use in (Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
)
As Kerner Optical
- 2006: Kerner's solutions shop, Kernerworks, developed specialized hidden cameras designed to look like rocks to help capture the footage for The Cove.
- 2009: Kerner completes a 2 year project to build a detailed model, the centerpiece of the Disney Museum, that shows Disney the way Walt DisneyWalt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
saw it. - 2009: Kerner and Emily Carr University of Art and Design established a stereoscopic Center of Excellence for the development of education and training for stereopgraphers.
- 2011: Filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
- 2011: Closed business. http://www.kerner.com/KO/Kerner_Optical/Home.html
- 2011, October 21-27: Court-Ordered Liquidation Auctioning of equipment
The Kerner name
Before the Kerner spin-off, ILM, rather than hide behind barbed wire and high fences, operated from an inconspicuous property in San Rafael, California. The company hid in plain sight and was known to locals, industry insiders, clients and suppliers as Kerner. The practical effects division of Kerner is now known as KernerFX. George Lucas explained that the name Kerner was a deception designed to keep kids from rummaging through garbage bins.Selected filmography (as ILM)
{| class="wikitable"! Year
! Notable films
|-
|1971
1971 in film
The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music...
||THX 1138
THX 1138
THX 1138 is a 1971 science fiction film directed by George Lucas in his directorial debut. The film is based on a screenplay by Lucas and Walter Murch...
|-
|1977
1977 in film
The year 1977 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight win Best Actor and Actress and Supporting Actress awards for Network....
|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
|-
|1980
1980 in film
- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....
|Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
|-
|1981
1981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
|Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
Dragonslayer
Dragonslayer
Dragonslayer is a 1981 fantasy movie set in a fictional medieval kingdom, following a young wizard who experiences danger and opposition as he attempts to defeat a dragon....
(first non-Lucasfilm production)
|-
|1982
1982 in film
-Events:* March 26 = I Ought to Be in Pictures, starring Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret and Dinah Manoff is released. Manoff would not appear in another movie until 1987's Backfire.* June = PG-rated film E.T...
|Poltergeist