Gservo
15th May 2002, 02:02 PM
The Official StarWars.com Newsletter
Issue #60
Welcome back to the Homing Beacon, the official newsletter of
starwars.com.
-------------------------------------
EPISODE II OPENS THIS THURSDAY, May 16, 2002.
For showtimes and theater listings, follow this link:
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/tickets.html
For the ultimate experience, see it projected digitally:
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/digitalproj_list.html
-------------------------------------
MASTERING THE MASTER
This week audiences around the world will see why exactly Yoda is
referred to as the Master, but getting the tiny green alien to deliver
the saber-swinging goods was a long, risky road to travel. It's easy to
write on paper that Yoda is an incredible swordsman, but realizing it
on screen called for a yeoman's effort from Industrial Light & Magic
and Animation Director Rob Coleman.
In a movie filled with breakthroughs, Director George Lucas points to
the computer-generated Yoda as one of the key ones. When he began work
on Episode I, Lucas knew full well that the prequel trilogy would show
a different side of Yoda than that seen in previous films.
"That was one of the constraints early on: I can't do it with a
puppet," he says. "He's got a big action sequence, and I can't even get
him to walk more than three feet. So, on The Phantom Menace, we started
trying to develop digital characters. We had dinosaurs that could run
through a real environment, but we'd never really done anything that
could actually act as real actors and be believable."
While Episode I featured a number of brand new digital characters --
such as Sebulba, Watto and Jar Jar Binks -- mastering the CG Yoda was
still elusive. "Making a replica of an existing character we all knew
was very hard, and quite frankly, we couldn't pull it off in that
movie. I had to go back to the puppet. I got one shot of him walking
along, but basically we couldn't do it," says Lucas.
With the advancements in technology and artistry since Episode I, ILM
tried again for Episode II. "Obviously, if I couldn't pull it off, I
was dead. I could have done it without Yoda, but the whole point was
Yoda. He is in the whole climax of the movie. And fortunately, we got
to the point where it looked really good," says Lucas.
Once cameras began rolling during Episode II's principal photography,
CG Yoda was still in the R&D stage, but Lucas had faith in Coleman's
team. "We were close enough when we shot the movie that I made that
commitment. When we shot the movie, we didn't actually have Yoda
accomplished at that point. It wasn't until after that we saw a Yoda
that worked," he says.
"It was five years of artistry and development. The breakthrough was
after we finished shooting. It was about a little over a year ago.
Frank Oz was very excited about not having to hold his hand up a heavy
puppet and be in a hole in the floor."
-------------------------------------
RECENT NEWS
-------------------------------------
Stars talk Clones and Ep III
"I didn't do anything like this on the original Star Wars," recalled
Director George Lucas.
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/news/2002/05/news20020508.html
Ep II Premieres for Charity
On Sunday, eleven official premieres of Star Wars: Episode II Attack
of the Clones took place across North America - each to benefit
regional children's charities.
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/news/2002/05/news20020513.html
First Look: Destiny's Way
On the New Republic's provisional capital world, a retired and
ailing war hero returns, hoping to stem the tide of sabotage and
betrayal.
http://www.starwars.com/eu/news/2002/05/news20020510.html
Find Your Force at Club Nokia
Nokia is letting you bring a bit of the galaxy far, far away into
your mobile phone.
http://www.starwars.com/collecting/news/2002/05/news20020510.html
Post-Clones Fan Magazines
The wait is over. The clones are here. And fan magazines have got
them covered.
http://www.starwars.com/community/news/2002/05/news20020510.html
Galaxies Beta Testing
Details on the start of beta testing for the upcoming "Massively
Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game" Star Wars Galaxies.
http://www.starwars.com/eu/news/2002/05/news20020504.html
Recent Star Wars news...
http://www.starwars.com/swtoday/news.html
-------------------------------------
FEATURES
-------------------------------------
starwars.com @ Celebration II
Celebration II is the biggest party of its kind, and starwars.com was
roaming the convention floor, attending panels, and snapping pictures
of the celebrants in attendance.
http://www.starwars.com/community/feature/20020503/index.html
Episode II Television Commercials
These television commericals are currently airing in North America to
promote the release of Attack of the Clones on May 16.
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/video/ep2ads/ep2ads1.html
Recent Star Wars features...
http://www.starwars.com/swtoday/features.html
-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
Issue #60
Welcome back to the Homing Beacon, the official newsletter of
starwars.com.
-------------------------------------
EPISODE II OPENS THIS THURSDAY, May 16, 2002.
For showtimes and theater listings, follow this link:
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/tickets.html
For the ultimate experience, see it projected digitally:
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/digitalproj_list.html
-------------------------------------
MASTERING THE MASTER
This week audiences around the world will see why exactly Yoda is
referred to as the Master, but getting the tiny green alien to deliver
the saber-swinging goods was a long, risky road to travel. It's easy to
write on paper that Yoda is an incredible swordsman, but realizing it
on screen called for a yeoman's effort from Industrial Light & Magic
and Animation Director Rob Coleman.
In a movie filled with breakthroughs, Director George Lucas points to
the computer-generated Yoda as one of the key ones. When he began work
on Episode I, Lucas knew full well that the prequel trilogy would show
a different side of Yoda than that seen in previous films.
"That was one of the constraints early on: I can't do it with a
puppet," he says. "He's got a big action sequence, and I can't even get
him to walk more than three feet. So, on The Phantom Menace, we started
trying to develop digital characters. We had dinosaurs that could run
through a real environment, but we'd never really done anything that
could actually act as real actors and be believable."
While Episode I featured a number of brand new digital characters --
such as Sebulba, Watto and Jar Jar Binks -- mastering the CG Yoda was
still elusive. "Making a replica of an existing character we all knew
was very hard, and quite frankly, we couldn't pull it off in that
movie. I had to go back to the puppet. I got one shot of him walking
along, but basically we couldn't do it," says Lucas.
With the advancements in technology and artistry since Episode I, ILM
tried again for Episode II. "Obviously, if I couldn't pull it off, I
was dead. I could have done it without Yoda, but the whole point was
Yoda. He is in the whole climax of the movie. And fortunately, we got
to the point where it looked really good," says Lucas.
Once cameras began rolling during Episode II's principal photography,
CG Yoda was still in the R&D stage, but Lucas had faith in Coleman's
team. "We were close enough when we shot the movie that I made that
commitment. When we shot the movie, we didn't actually have Yoda
accomplished at that point. It wasn't until after that we saw a Yoda
that worked," he says.
"It was five years of artistry and development. The breakthrough was
after we finished shooting. It was about a little over a year ago.
Frank Oz was very excited about not having to hold his hand up a heavy
puppet and be in a hole in the floor."
-------------------------------------
RECENT NEWS
-------------------------------------
Stars talk Clones and Ep III
"I didn't do anything like this on the original Star Wars," recalled
Director George Lucas.
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/news/2002/05/news20020508.html
Ep II Premieres for Charity
On Sunday, eleven official premieres of Star Wars: Episode II Attack
of the Clones took place across North America - each to benefit
regional children's charities.
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/news/2002/05/news20020513.html
First Look: Destiny's Way
On the New Republic's provisional capital world, a retired and
ailing war hero returns, hoping to stem the tide of sabotage and
betrayal.
http://www.starwars.com/eu/news/2002/05/news20020510.html
Find Your Force at Club Nokia
Nokia is letting you bring a bit of the galaxy far, far away into
your mobile phone.
http://www.starwars.com/collecting/news/2002/05/news20020510.html
Post-Clones Fan Magazines
The wait is over. The clones are here. And fan magazines have got
them covered.
http://www.starwars.com/community/news/2002/05/news20020510.html
Galaxies Beta Testing
Details on the start of beta testing for the upcoming "Massively
Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game" Star Wars Galaxies.
http://www.starwars.com/eu/news/2002/05/news20020504.html
Recent Star Wars news...
http://www.starwars.com/swtoday/news.html
-------------------------------------
FEATURES
-------------------------------------
starwars.com @ Celebration II
Celebration II is the biggest party of its kind, and starwars.com was
roaming the convention floor, attending panels, and snapping pictures
of the celebrants in attendance.
http://www.starwars.com/community/feature/20020503/index.html
Episode II Television Commercials
These television commericals are currently airing in North America to
promote the release of Attack of the Clones on May 16.
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/video/ep2ads/ep2ads1.html
Recent Star Wars features...
http://www.starwars.com/swtoday/features.html
-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------