Adapting and improving on existing technology and techniques to revolutionise the realms of special effects in 1977 for Star Wars, Special Effects chief John Dykstra, former assistant to another effects legend, Doug Trumbull, was a lucky hiring for Lucas and Kurtz, at a time in 1975 when none of the Hollywood effects elite were available to work on the project, or thought that the film's effects couldn't be realized for the screen from the printed page and concept paintings. From scratch, building a whole new computer controlled camera system along the way- the Dykstraflex, Dykstra and a variety of fresh talent would prove them wrong, though the setting up time for the equipment and filming proved an early and continuing irritant for Lucas, and a strained relationship with Dykstra, founding the director' Industrial Light and Magic company with much of the income that came in with Lucas's long-awaited profits for American Graffiti.
Dykstra and editor Richard Chew talk about Star Wars:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=64&v=sgQL-ckabuQ
