Ep. 26: Dennis Muren at the Original Home of Industrial Light & Magic from "Star Wars"

Ep. 26: Dennis Muren at the Original Home of Industrial Light & Magic from "Star Wars"

Author: Jared Cowan May 20, 2025 Duration: 37:04
One day prior to leading multiple tours of the original location of Industrial Light & Magic, in Van Nuys, CA, for over a hundred people, renowned visual effects innovator and nine-time Academy Award winner Dennis Muren met up with us at the location. It was the first time Dennis had stepped foot inside the building in nearly fifty years, making it once-in-a-lifetime 'On Location" episode. We talked about the maddening pressure of creating the groundbreaking visual effects for "Star Wars" (1977) at this nondescript industrial property outside the Van Nuys airport, why he wanted to work for George Lucas and the filmmaker's clear cinematic vision, meeting Steven Spielberg for the first time at ILM, Van Nuys, his genuine love of movies and filming locations, and his feelings on the reemergence of VistaVision. Today, the location is home to Neiman & Company, an established architectural signage firm that's been in business since 1965 and purchased the building in the early 2000's. www.neimanandco.com

Ever wonder what it was really like to stand on that iconic street corner or inside that legendary movie set? On Location with Jared Cowan takes you there, microphone in hand. Hosted by photographer and film journalist Jared Cowan, this isn't just a discussion about scenes; it's an audio tour guided by the people who created them. Jared’s deep expertise, rooted in years of writing about Los Angeles filming locations-starting with an early deep-dive into the San Fernando Valley spots used in "The Karate Kid"-informs every conversation. Each episode is recorded on-site at the actual places where cinematic magic happened, featuring candid talks with the directors, crew, and actors who have stories you’ve never heard. The podcast pulls back the curtain on the practical realities, unexpected challenges, and fleeting moments of genius that occur when a location becomes a character. You’ll get the sense of standing beside Jared as he asks the questions that reveal how a simple place is transformed into an unforgettable piece of film history. It’s for anyone who has ever watched a movie and wanted to linger in that world just a little longer, understanding the concrete details behind the illusion.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

On Location with Jared Cowan
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 25: Jeannine Oppewall at Union Station from "Catch Me If You Can" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:51
Just in time for the holidays, four-time Academy Award-nominated production designer Jeannine Oppewall joins us at Union Station Los Angeles to talk about working on Steven Spielberg's Christmas-adjacent film, "Catch Me…
Ep. 24: Andrew Ullman at Ontario St. Comics from "Unbreakable" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:16
In our first episode outside of Los Angeles, we head to Philly to meet up with location manager Andrew Ullman at Ontario St. Comics. Andrew reflects on discovering his love cinema while growing up in the City of Brotherl…
Ep. 21: Russ Fega at Sammy Jankis's House from "Memento" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:37
When Christopher Nolan's feature debut "Memento" hit screens, it shattered all structural conventions of narrative filmmaking. We meet up with the film's location manager, Russ Fega, in Altadena, CA, at the home of the f…
Ep. 19: Ken Haber at Ash Avenue from "Suburbicon" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:00
We meet up with veteran location manager, scout and current Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) board member Ken Haber in the neighborhood from George Clooney's 1950s-set crime drama, "Suburbicon" (2017). Ken ta…
Ep. 17: Larry Ring at Eckhart Auto Body from "Punch-Drunk Love" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:46
We're back for our first episode "On Location" since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. We meet up with "Punch-Drunk Love" location manager Larry Ring at Eckhart Auto Body, the site of Adam Sandler's workplace in the 20…
Episode 16 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:44
On this episode of On Location with Jared Cowan, location managers from L.A., New York City, Florida, Michigan, and Athens, Greece, give us the inside stories on filming locations from "True Lies," "Arachnophobia," "Insi…