Industrial Light and Magic has defied gravity and other forces to remain a leading light of the visual effects sector for half a century.

As the company marks its golden anniversary this year, Jazz Tangcay, Variety ‘s senior artisans editor, details her story on the San Francisco-based firm founded in 1975 by George Lucas . ILM became part of Disney with the Mouse’s 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm. But ILM has maintained a high degree of autonomy.

Tangcay notes that another distinctive aspect of ILM’s company culture is that it has a history of long-serving staffers and leaders.

“From Janet Lewin, who is the senior vice president and general manager of ILM, on down, there is so much passion for what they do that people stay there,” Tangcay says. “They’ve been there 20 years, 30 yea

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