Greetings! I'm happy to report that my hiatus from the Recon Office duties has come to an end. I finally have internet access at my house and I am able to resume my duties. I'd like to thank the powers that be for the time and patience for me to get over this unexpected problem. Thanks :)
Now, down to buisness. I just emailed Richard LeParmentier a few moments ago requesting an e-mail interview from him in the near future. I'll inform you on his answer by next week.
I have a few more things up my sleeve but I need a week to get organized.
Now, on to SW News..
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***Lucasfilm Confirms SW TV Series***
Yesterday TFN was up in Los Angeles for the DVD press day sponsored by Lucasfilm and Fox Home Entertainment. We are pleased to announce that Lucasfilm confirmed officially a Star Wars television show coming in the future. They didn't comment on setting (post-Episode III or post-Episode VI we would guess)or release schedule (we expect Fall 2006). Either way - this is coming for sure!
***Lucas Interview Summary from PBS***
We love Deron. He just hooked us up with the most comprehensive summary of a television show in TFN history. Here's a close look at George Lucas' interview that ended just a short time ago on PBS:
George Lucas appeared on Charlie Rose’s PBS show last night. Mr. Lucas spent the entire hour with Mr. Rose and covered a wide range of topics as Mr. Rose usually does. There wasn’t a lot of information that hasn’t already been covered, but there were some highlights that I found interesting.
The show began with clips from the Star Wars Movies, as well as some shots form THX1138. The conversation moved to the fact that George has only done five films in thirty-five years. George explained that after his divorce he spent his time raising the children. He was semi-retired from directing.
A return to the childhood was the next topic. He explained, as we have often heard him, that he was an underachieving kid. However, his parents had faith in him, his father even said that he would be a “late bloomer”. Of course he touched on his love of cars in his youth. When Mr. Rose got to the college years there was an interesting revelation for me. It was not until his junior year in college that he became interested in film. Once in film school at USC it was a class in Film Appreciation that made him look at life. It also got him interested in the storytelling aspect. Thought of himself as a photographer and illustrator.
The conversation then jumped to the American Graffiti era. American Graffiti was in his words going to be a documentary on the mating habits of American teenagers. The story of how everyone would get together and sort of parade around for the opposite sex. Only at this time they were doing this in their cars. When it came time to screen AG studio executives said it was unreleasable. In fact they were ready to move it to being a TV movie. But after several months of further screenings the execs decided to release it.
Mr. Rose then talked about the direction Star Wars has taken George. In fact even asked if Star Wars had diverted him from his original path. George said it was actually THX that had done that. THX got him the opportunity to do a feature. He didn’t expect to stay on the feature path, but American Graffiti afforded him the opportunity to do Star Wars. He wanted to do a “Hollywood Movie” with sound stages, costumes, make up, everything. Wanted to tell a modern myth in the style of old mythology. George said that Westerns were the last mythology in the late 50’s and early 60’s but they weren’t being told anymore because current culture had changed the mythology.
He went back to storytellers around a fire. How values and expectations were passed form generation to generation. By passing along wisdom in the form of a story, it is more easily learned, rather than being in confrontational form. Stories weren’t being told anymore. That is where George wanted to come in with Star Wars, like the Saturday morning serials. You could see some and miss one but still have the story. That’s why we came into star Wars at Episode 4.
George went on to say the Star Wars was the first of three and he was determined to get the other two films done. Charlie then talked about Peter Jackson and doing all three LOTR films at the same time. He asked if the Star Wars influence help in getting them done. George replied probably not. It still was probably a tough sell.
The conversation then went back to Star Wars and getting it made. George saying that Star Wars was “experimental” at the time and Alan Ladd Jr. took a risk in letting him do it. But Mr. Ladd said that he was investing in the talent not the film, in part because he didn’t understand the film. This segued into George’s influence on the technology of filmmaking. He said that the artist will manipulate the situation to get what they want, to get the vision made. Art is technology, but art is a human endeavor. Art is expressing emotion. He used the example of seeing a rose and then trying reproduce the rose to give someone else the same feelings you had when you saw it. He likened filmmaking to painting frescos. You have the artist in the front, but then you have this enormous support group behind the scenes, mixing the paint and making sure it dries properly.
Star Wars returned to the topic at hand again. George said that he didn’t like 75% of what HE saw when star wars was done. When the opportunity came to revisit them and make what he called very minor changes, he jumped at the chance. He was very happy with the film after the changes. Then he went on to talk about the creation of Yoda and making him believable. He couldn’t tell the warrior part of the Yoda story because the technology just wasn’t there. He needed more storytelling power. The technology portion of things was ending up when Charlie asked about George’s place in moving technology forward. In talking about the change from photochemical to digital imaging, George said, “I will get a footnote mention in the discussion of the change from photochemical to digital photography”.
Charlie again went back to weather Star wars had kept George from doing other things. George said that he wants to do other movies, but that star wars is ALL consuming. He is now being released from that obligation. There will be NO MORE, there no reason to do more! He said he has some things lined up. A film on the Tuskeegee Airmen that he has been trying to get dome for some time. TV shows, he loves TV as a medium. Also to go with the Young Indy DVDs, he’s working on 100 documentaries dealing with historical people and places in the Young Indy series.
H
e also talked about where he was in his life with regard to doing things. He can do things now without any input from a studio. He can do it and sell it, if someone likes it and wants to buy it, fine. If not, that’s fine as well. Talked again about how the Star Wars $$$ went into Empire, which went into Jedi……….
Charlie then moved the conversation to how he shoots. George said he likes to shoot for about sixty days and then come back later after having looked at the film and shoot for an additional ten days or so. He likened it to doing a sketch and then layering on the color to produce the final painting. During this portion of the conversation he also talked about Francis Ford Coppola and their relationship. George said in the beginning it was more mentor and mentee, but now it was more family, older brother, younger brother.
Charlie then went in an odd direction and asked if George thought the two presidential candidates should get together and watch Star Wars because of the lessons to be learned. George said that everyone should go back and read these same messages that Shakespear touched on. Power and understanding what to do with that power. He goes on to say that is all about education. Math and Science are the how, but humanity is the why. We need to teach more humanity. To go off and do something with the how and not understand the why is foolish. You can go through history and find example after example of that. Here’s the how but we don’t understand the why. People who are going to lead should read some of the great literatures.
Finishing up, George was talking about his Educational Foundation. It helps to facilitate high technology in schools. They then make documentaries on how this technology is being used and how it works for the school.
It was a good hour to watch, and it went by very quickly. If you have a chance to catch it, you should. Check your listings. Some areas may be off by a day. I believe those in the Dayton OH area may be able to catch it on Think TV14 on Friday.
***A&E Airs SW Documentary SUNDAY***
A&E is airing a shortened version of the new documentary on the upcoming Star Wars DVDs. We've seen it, and while it is definitely just the tip of the iceberg of the archival footage, you wan't want to miss it!
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas launched the most successful movie franchise ever created. We look at how the "Star Wars" trilogy changed movie-making, catapulted Harrison Ford to stardom, and made director George Lucas a legend. For Lucas, what began as a quest for creative freedom became a philosophy, a cultural phenomenon, and an empire of dreams. Features film clips, screen tests, and interviews with Lucas, Ford, Steven Spielberg, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher.
A&E
"Star Wars: Empire of Dreams"
September 12th 2004
8pm (Eastern Time)
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That's it for me. I should have more news next week. Till then..
Non-EH SOTW: Chris's Star Wars Page
wso.williams.edu/~rfoxwell/starwars/Starwars.htm
For those of you who are old enough.. I'd look at the Star Wars Drinking Game section.. ::coughOmegaSquadroncough:: Hehe
-=SALUTE=-
-- Reconnaissance Office Staff --
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