1980:
The second film in the Star Wars Saga — this time directed by Irvin Kershner — is released. The Empire Strikes Back is awarded the Best Sound Award by both the Academy and BAFTA, and also wins a Special Achievement Award for its visual effects.1981:
With director Steven Spielberg, Lucas develops a new breed of adventure hero, the iconic Indiana Jones, whose first adventure — Raiders of the Lost Ark — earns Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and a Special Achievement Award for Best Sound Effects Editing, as well as nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Music.ILM receives two Scientific and Engineering Awards — for the Empire motion picture camera system and the beam-splitter optical composite printer — and a Technical Achievement Award for the development of a figure mover for animation photography.
ILM also receives a nomination for the Best Visual Effects Oscar for its work on Dragonslayer, its first non-Lucasfilm picture.
1982:
Lucas creates Lucasfilm Games (later to become LucasArts), providing an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.ILM creates the first completely computer-generated sequence in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
ILM brings Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial to Earth, resulting in an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. The film additionally garners Oscars for Skywalker Sound for Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Sound.
Lucas develops the THX Sound System and Theater Alignment Program (TAP), assuring that the picture and sound intended by the filmmaker is delivered to the audience.
1983:
With director Richard Marquand at the helm, Lucasfilm releases the third film in the Star Wars saga, Return of the Jedi. The film wins a Special Achievement Award in Visual Effects from the Academy and the Best Visual Effects Award from BAFTA. Skywalker Sound receives nominations for Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing.1984:
Lucasfilm pioneers the first digital non-linear disc-based editing systems for picture (EditDroid) and sound (SoundDroid). Both will later be sold to Avid Technologies.Teaming once again with Spielberg, Lucas gives the world another Indiana Jones adventure — Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom — which wins both the Oscar and the BAFTA for Best Visual Effects.
Lucasfilm Games releases its first two games, BallBlazer and Rescue on Fractalus.
1985:
Lucasfilm's computer division designs the Pixar Computer. Lucas sells the computer division a year later and it becomes the basis for Pixar Animation Studios.Lucasfilm makes the move to Skywalker Ranch.
ILM creates the first completely computer-generated character with the "stained glass man" in Young Sherlock Holmes, earning an Academy Award nomination in the category of Best Visual Effects.
1987:
LucasArts leads the move from parser-driven interfaces to the "point-and-click" interface popular today with its new story engine, SCUMM™ (Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion).Exploring the hero within, ILM delves into the human body with Innerspace, earning another Best Visual Effects Oscar.
The Witches of Eastwick garners an additional Best Visual Effects BAFTA, and ILM receives a Technical Award for the development of a wire rig model support mechanism used to control the movements of miniatures.
1988:
The groundbreaking combination of animation and live-action in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? earns ILM Best Visual Effects Awards from the Academy and BAFTA.ILM creates the first morphing sequence for motion pictures in the Lucasfilm-produced Willow, which receives a nomination for the Best Visual Effects Oscar. Skywalker Sound receives an additional nomination for Best Sound Effects Editing.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Tucker: The Man and his Dream is released, receiving three Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe for Martin Landau's performance.
1989:
ILM creates the first computer-generated 3D character in The Abyss and wins an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects.Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the third installment to feature the swashbuckling hero, earns an Oscar for Best Sound Effects Editing. Skywalker Sound receives an additional nomination for Best Sound. LucasArts releases a game based on the film, marking the first time a Lucasfilm movie has been interpreted by the game division.
LucasArts works with Apple Computer to develop and launch Mac Magic, a cooperative learning program that's integrated into classrooms across the country, and "Daily Point of Light" Award from President George Bush.
