Born Joseph Eggleston Johnston III in Ft. Worth, TX; educated at Cal State - Long Beach and USC Film School. American film director who became a protégé of George Lucas and who has subsequently worked in virtually all areas of production in the industry. Other notable credits include: (as director) HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989), THE ROCKETEER (1991), THE PAGEMASTER (1994 - live action), JUMANJI (1995), OCTOBER SKY (1999), JURASSIC PARK III (2001) and HIDALGO (2004); (in visual effects) STAR WARS (1977 - effects illustrator and designer in miniature & optical effects unit; also appeared as an uncredited Death Star Trooper), THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980 - art director visual effects), RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983 - art director visual effects); (as sequence designer) HOWARD THE DUCK (1986 - ultralight sequence), ALWAYS (1989 - aerial sequence) and THE IRON GIANT (1999 - Iron Giant); (as production designer) "The Ewok Adventure" (1984, TV) and "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor" (1985, TV); (as sound supervisor) "The X Files" (1993, TV - 3 episodes); (as associate producer) WILLOW (1988); (as production manager) *batteries not included (1987, also 2nd unit director); (as art director) INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984 - 2nd unit). He attended the USC Film School in 1984.  Visual Effects 1981: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (as art director visual effects) (w. Richard Edlund, Bruce Nicholson & Kit West) 1 nomination, 1 Award