Inspiration via Star Wars

Somehow the lines aren't a bother anymore, even though the crowd keeps growing. But what hurts is all that you can't see, because there isn't time, and events overlap.

By far, the most rewarding experiences have been sessions with creative people involved in the Star Wars world. There is an art exhibit room where 25 or so artists have booths set up; getting to see and talk to these artists about what they do is rewarding and inspiring every time I've visited.

In room 109, apparently every session is incredible, and I don't like thinking about how many I've missed. My two favoties are a presentation by John Knoll, lead special effects designer at ILM, and Matthew Stover, who wrote the novelization for Episode III. These are down to earth people who have extraordinary talents. Like any master of his craft, they share concepts that seem impossibly vast in their scope, and at the same time somhow obvious.

When complemented and thanked on how his work affected others, the author Stover kept deflecting taking credit. He stressed that your response is based on what you bring to it. If you are deeply moved by something, it is because of your passion already there for it. If you are changed, it is because you were in a place to do so. This "ownership" of response was put in a way I had never thought about, and it was extremely encouraging. It makes me look forward to those encounters, and want to make the most of them.

Star Wars just happens to be the current topic.

And there is no shortage of tangible things to inspire, either. Here's two small galleries: costumes and sights and activities.

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The Phantom Menace

I don't have words. Checking other coverage of the event doesn't give the view of the convention that I saw. There's some good ones out there; see the links on the right. For best picture variety, see the official Star Wars coverage, for best in-depth reports some of the sessions, see TheForce.net, and for best "personal" (and frequent) impressions, see the USA Today blog.

One facility employee said he had never seen so many people in the complex. Today was supposedly the lightest day in attendance.

We picked the most poorly managed area of the convention to visit first: the official merchandise store. Thousands spent 2-10 hours in line in this store today. A couple I spoke to arrived at 6 AM and took their place in line outside the convention center a block from the entrance. When doors opened at 12, they went straight to the store, and left with their merchandise at 4:30 PM. We arrived at 10:30 AM, outside, and left the store at 6:30.

Having left the lines, the atmosphere was great, and put us in a great frame of mind to tackle real actual stuff in day two.

Our story is best told in pictures, but there are a lot that we don't have. View a glimpse into our day here.

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What's the big deal?

Well, our bags are packed and strapped to the sleigh, and the sled dogs are getting excited. So, time for a little background.

So, you know that conventions happen all the time for every science fiction series you can think of. What makes this one any different?

First and foremost, this one doesn't happen all the time. Star Wars Celebration III is only the third official Star Wars convention ever, and it's not annual. The last one took place in 2002, before the release of the Episode II. There aren't plans for any more films after this year, and there won't be another Star Wars Celebration any time soon.

Secondly, it's huge, and it's just Star Wars. Tens of thousands attend other conventions, but not under so specific a theme. There will be over 100 Star Wars "celebrities" signing autographs, from David Prowse, the original man in the Darth Vader suit, to those representing characters that never appeared in the films, but have developed a following based only on their likenesses being used in comics and games.

There will be long lines for autographs, but that will only be about a quarter of the total space used for the convention. There will be sessions on every topic that can be somehow related back to Star Wars, from showings of films made by fans, to technical panels with the designers of the special effects at ILM, to guided sessions on building working droids, to Q & A sessions with the producer of the films.

Lastly, there's George Lucas himself, in attendance. George hasn't been to a convention since 1987, and probably won't be again for at least as long.

Well, hopefully you get the idea. The line to get in started on Tuesday, so we'd better head on down the road.

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96 Hours and Counting...

The events of Star Wars may have taken place a long time ago, but this week they'll be celebrated like never before in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. If you aren't going to be there, you have limited options for experiencing it as it happens. And if you feel like the official line is a little too sterile, you've come to the right place. No copy editors here. Or editors. Or editing. But, whether you're a die-hard fan, have never seen the movies, or you're a Trekkie who's in-the-closet curious, we'll respect your privacy while giving you our view of the biggest celebration of the best-known films ever made.

While the celebration doesn't begin until Thursday, watch here until then for information to help get you up to speed on the significance of this event, without having to slog through "it is your destiny"-laden rhetoric.

If you're bold, you can get your feet wet at starwarscelebration.com.

Let the madness begin.

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