Star Wars behind-the-scenes

theCHIVE posted "A few rare photos on the set of the only Star Wars movies that matter" (Thanks, Gil Kaufman!)

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

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Brainspore

Yeah—but have you seen any of the candid on-set photos from the NEW trilogy?
- Donald Petersen
  
  Seriously. More than my nostalgia for the fun moments with the cast (so young! So lighthearted! Kenny Baker chowing down on a weenie inside R2-D2! Stormtroopers with 70s hair!), I felt a painful tug back to the handmade quality of the first trilogy with its mechanical effects, miniatures, and groundbreaking opticals. Bunch of clever geeks right out of college slapped that shit together, getting their fingernails dirty in the process, and blew our collective mind.
  
  I don’t imagine anyone at Zoic or Weta Digital or Imageworks or Rhythm & Hues (or today’s ILM, for that matter) has much occasion to get all sweaty and greasy with their shirts off while at work anymore. Which is fine; they do great work.
  
  But I miss the old, mechanical and pyrotechnic in-camera effects.
  - jackbird
    
    Pick up a copy of Cinefex – you’d likely be surprised how much motion control/miniatures work still takes place. The wide shots of Gondor in LoTR, for example, to go with your Weta example.
    - Donald Petersen
      
      One of the many, many things that Jackson did right in LOTR, in my opinion. If Weta Workshop didn’t exist, and every FX shot in the whole thing was handled by Weta Digital, I don’t think the movie would have turned out so well, and that’s not meant as any kind of criticism of Weta Digital’s work at all.
      
      Jackson used CGI when he had to, and relied on century-old mechanical, forced-perspective, and in-camera effects whenever he could get away with them, and that was exactly the best way to handle the situation. Usage of CG effects in and of itself is no sin, but overreliance on the technology seems to result in a noticeably heavier disbelief for the audience to hoist. It’s tough on the actors, too, when all their interactions are with ping pong balls and tape marks in front of a green screen.
      - penguinchris
        
        Agreed and just want to say that I watched all three LOTR films recently (extended edition all-day marathon) and the effects hold up very, very well, where most of the CG-fest films from the same period don’t (including the SW prequels). As I recall there is just one overtly wonky bit, involving some of Legolas’ movements on the elephants and such in the final battle.
        
        And… the original SW trilogy’s effects still hold up as well. I am sure we’ll never see an end to 99% CG films, but I do think the trend of going back to more physical effects will expand – especially after The Hobbit comes out and reminds everyone of how well it works.
      - Brainspore
        
        @penguinchris:disqus
        
        As I recall there is just one overtly wonky bit, involving some of Legolas’ movements on the elephants and such in the final battle.
        
        Yeah, that part seemed way cartoony for me too. I half expected the sound of a steam whistle and a “Yabba-Dabba-Doo!” as Legolas slid down the trunk.
Mister44

They left out my fave of Fisher sun bathing in her slave outfit.
- Donald Petersen
  
  Had to Google. Was v. satisfied. Stunt double Leia was an unexpected bonus.
PrettyBoyTim

I like the ones with Kenny Baker in them best:

http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/rare-behind-the-scenes-photos-star-wars-38.jpg
- Donald Petersen
  
  The hat makes him look a bit like Colonel Blake.
gothicgeek

Mmmmmm Happy place ;)

Thanks for that …..
glatt1

These pictures are outstanding. Thank you.
planettom

C3PO: Fluent in over six million forms of communication, including the language of love.
- Brainspore
  
  …and at least two dialects of that. The guy’s a machine!
grimc

I’ll just leave this here.
- Brainspore
  
  She did say she’d rather kiss a Wookiee.
niktemadur

Damn, you beat me to it, I had that picture all fired up and ready to go.
- niktemadur
  
  Whoops, this was directed at grimc and Chewbacca copping a feel.