Edlund left ILM in 1983, striking out on his own as producer and designer, as well as president and CEO, of his Boss Films Studios. In addition to providing post production services, Boss Films also produced TV commercials and films for special venues using motion capture digital technology, miniatures, matte paintings and computer graphics. Their work has been featured in such diverse projects as Ivan Reitman's "Ghostbusters" and "2010" (both 1984), "Legal Eagles" (1986), John McTiernan's "Die Hard" (1988) and Jerry Zucker's "Ghost" (1990). Boss Films has also done substantial work in Japan. After several years of keeping a relatively low personal profile, Edlund received a "visual effects supervisor" credit on "Species" (1995), a profitable if silly high tech monster movie. This was the first time he had done so since 1992's "Alien3". He followed by creating the three clones of Michael Keaton in "Multiplicity" (1996).
Edlund lauded Boss Films as the only FX shop to shoot in 65mm--"the grandest of all formats", he explained to VARIETY--which avoids much of the "generation loss" generally experienced in FX footage when layers of photographic elements are added to the image as the shots are reduced to 35mm. As at ILM, if Edlund and company were lacking a particular tool, it was up to them to invent it. After nearly 14 years in operation, though, Boss Films was closed in 1997, in part because of technological changes that consolidated effects work.
Edlund's work has been notable for its success in blending with the live-action elements of film and thereby becoming "invisible". He points with pride to "Die Hard" as a particular good example of this desired seamless quality; the audience fails to question the reality of what they are seeing. Edlund attributes such superior blue screen and matte work as being largely a matter of lighting. Extensive preplanning with the director and storyboard artist are essential to ensure matching light.
A shutterbug from childhood, Edlund had his high school sports photos printed in the LOS ANGELES EXAMINER at age 15. He received more intensive photographic training in the Navy attending the US Naval Photographic School. Edlund's interest in filmmaking developed during two years of service in Japan. He began producing Naval training films and attended USC's film school upon his return to the States. Before devoting himself to the motion picture industry, Edlund worked as a still photographer of rock bands and album covers. He also invented and sold a portable amplifier called "Pignose" that was used by many guitarists.