Warren Franklin, VES Fellow, is an acclaimed executive producer and visionary who has significantly impacted the visual effects and animation landscape for over 25 years. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role at Lucasfilm Ltd., where he served for 13 years as Group Vice President, overseeing divisions such as Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), LucasArts, and Skywalker Sound. During his tenure as VP and GM of ILM, Warren was instrumental in solidifying its reputation as the industry’s premier visual effects company, a period marked by nine Academy Award wins for groundbreaking work on films like The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, and Return of the Jedi.

Beyond his foundational contributions at ILM, Warren’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish Rainmaker Entertainment, further shaping the animation industry. His influence continues today as he executive produces animated features with Cinesite and Aniventure credits include Klaus, Riverdance: The Animated Adventure, The Addams Family 2 & Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.