Jeff Olson, a former visual effects producer for Industrial Light & Magic, passed away at age 77 on June 21, 2026.
Jeff Olson
The ILM VFX Instagram page shared Olson’s passing, stating:
The ILM community is heartbroken to lose our dear friend and former colleague Jeff Olson. Over nearly 25 years with the company, Jeff worked as a modelmaker, model supervisor, and visual effects producer on many classic projects, from Willow and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and A Series of Unfortunate Events. His career spanned momentous change in the art form and industry, and no matter the techniques employed on a given show, Jeff was always committed to the team, leading his crews with humor and kindness.
Olson’s ILM career began in 1985 as a model maker. In that role, he worked on Howard the Duck (1986), Willow (1988), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Caddyshack II (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Back to the Future Part III (1990), and Die Hard 2 (1990). He was a model supervisor on Backdraft (1991) and Star Trek: Generations (1994), and a model manager on Congo (1995).
He was then a VFX producer on Star Trek: First Contact (1996) , Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace (1999), Signs (2002), Dreamcatcher (2003), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004), Are We There Yet? (2005), Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005), Rush Hour 3 (2007), The Happening (2008), Star Trek (2009), and more before leaving ILM in 2009. He was a stage producer for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007).
He joined Polygon Entertainment, continuing his work as VFX producer on Tidal Wave (2009) and Priest (2011), as well as on commercials. His final big-screen credit is as stereo visual effects manager with Legend3D for Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011).
In addition to his special effects work, he had an uncredited role as a pod race spectator in Jabba’s private box in The Phantom Menace.
He executive produced the 2005 short film Activated.
He is survived by his wife Kathleen and two children.
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