Grant McCune Grant Lee McCune was a special and visual effects artist who worked as studio model shop supervisor for Apogee , Inc . on . Model builds he was heavily involved with , were the Epsilon IX station models and the various parts of the massive " V ' Ger " model . Apart from these he worked on the " D7 " - class studio model , adding the additional detailing as well as completely modifying the internal lighting rig , for it to become the " K ' t ' inga " - class studio model , after Magicam ' s work was deemed insufficient to meet big screen requirements . ( " Cinefex " , issue 2 , pp . 59 , 63 ; " American Cinematographer " , February 1980 , p . 174 ) For this work on " The Motion Picture " , he and his team received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects in , as well as , though not personally nominated , helping others of the visual effects team win the movie ' s only award , the 1980 Saturn Award for " Best Special Effects " . Career outside " Star Trek " . Grant McCune graduated from California State University in Northridge with a bachelor ' s in biology . His career in special effects began when he and Bill Shourt were hired to create a giant , realistic shark model for Steven Spielberg ' s acclaimed 1975 horror - suspense film " Jaws " . McCune and Shourt were subsequently hired onto the miniature and optical effects unit of ' first " Star Wars " film , " Star Wars : Episode IV – A New Hope " , where they worked under the supervision of ILM ' s John Dykstra . In addition to his work as chief model maker for this film , he also appeared as a Death Star Gunner . McCune and his team subsequently won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 1978 for his work on this movie , sharing it with , among others , John Dykstra . Work for Apogee . In 1978 , Dykstra left ILM to form Apogee , Inc . , and many others who worked on " Star Wars " joined him , including McCune and Shourt , who became partners at the fledgling studio . Specializing in models and miniatures , Grant McCune worked on many film productions at Apogee , including several of the sci - fi / fantasy genre . One of his earliest jobs with the company was as chief model maker on the pilot for the cult sci - fi television series " Battlestar Galactica " . The pilot was produced by John Dykstra , directed by Richard Colla , and featured Ed Begley , Jr . and John Colicos . Later , McCune was chief model maker on Clint Eastwood ' s sci - fi thriller " Firefox " , which featured Ward Costello and Richard Derr . He was also miniature supervisor on the 1985 sci - fi film " Lifeforce " , in which star Patrick Stewart had a major supporting role . McCune ' s other credits at Apogee included the action thriller " Avalanche Express " ( working with David Beasley , John Dykstra , Jon Erland , Bruce Logan , David Scott , Robert Shepherd , and David Sosalla ) , the popular golf comedy " Chaddyshack " , and genre comedies " Spaceballs " ( featuring Tim Russ , Brenda Strong , and Dey Young ) , " My Stepmother Is an Alien " ( featuring Earl Boen , Tony Jay , and Suzie Plakson ) , and " Ghostbusters II " ( featuring Aaron Lustig and Harris Yulin ) . He also did uncredited work on such films as " Die Hard " and " Big " . Grant McCune Design and later career . In late 1992 , when Apogee closed its business , Grant McCune took over some of the equipment and the lease of the location , Van Nuys , California , and restarted the visual effects studio as his own company , Grant McCune Design . ( " " , p . 79 ) Under his company ' s banner , McCune supervised miniature effects on such films as " Speed " ( 1994 ) , " Ri¢hie Ri¢h " ( 1994 , starring John Larroquette ) , " Batman Forever " ( 1995 , featuring Rene Auberjonois ) , and the Stuart Baird - directed thrillers " Executive Decision " ( 1996 ) and " U . S . Marshals " ( 1998 ) . McCune was also special effects supervisor on the historical drama " Thirteen Days " , which featured a cast that included Jack Blessing , Len Cariou , Kevin Conway , Steven Culp , Charles Esten , Bruce Greenwood , Tim Kelleher , Boris Lee Krutonog , Ed Lauter , Dakin Matthews , and Bill Smitrovich . More recently , McCune worked on such films as 2002 ' s " Spider - Man " and 2005 ' s " Serenity " , the feature follow - up to the cult sci - fi series " Firefly " . His last known film was 2008 ' s " Rambo " , for which he was miniature supervisor . Death . On 27 December 2010 , Grant McCune died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Hidden Hills , California . He was 67 years old , and was survived by his wife , Katherine , as well as by a daughter and a son . His wife took over the reins of the company , which is currently still in operation . Academy Award . Robert Swarthe received the following Academy Award nomination in the category " Best Effects , Visual Effects " :