Happy Birthday to you, George Lucas

What? You didn't know today was his birthday? That's okay, you didn't need to get him anything.

George Walton Lucas, Jr. was born on May 14, 1944 as the son of a walnut farmer in Modesto, California. I guess beginnings don't get much more modest than that. Now estimated to personally be worth $3 billion, whatever you think of his films, it's hard to argue that hard work + your passion won't get you anywhere.

So, whatever your dream, whatever your passion, keep at it. Or if you need to, start right now. It's never too late. He would appreciate that more than any birthday present, I'm sure.

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Spielberg moved to tears by Episode III

During a Q & A panel, George Lucas was asked about Steven Spielberg's involvement with the upcoming film. Lucas responded, "He did the whole thing, I just put my name on it." Ha! He kids, he kids. Spielberg was spending last summer bored by the pool after a cancelled project, and Lucas sent him storyboards of some action sequences for his input. Lucas said that he would not be specific about Spielberg's contributions, so that he could take credit for everything.

The results must have been good enough for Spielberg, who said this about the completed film:

I saw it about a week ago, and it's absolutely amazing. It's the best of the last three episodes. It's the best way you could possibly imagine for George to finish it off, it has a tremendous ending and it's very dark. You'll cry at the end, it's wonderful.

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Where do Stormtroopers come from?

In seeing pictures from the convention, it's obvious there were a lot of people there in stormtrooper costumes. Where did they get them? Where do they come from? There were actually sessions at the convention held on costuming, to describe the process of making your own. Making one is beyond my knowledge, but I've learned what to do once you have your costume. Join the 501st.

The 501st is an organization made up of people who "own and proudly wear the costumes of the stormtroopers (and other imperial characters) from the Star Wars movies." There are no dues, no membership fees; the primary requirement is owning a professional quality Imperial (or enemy) themed Star Wars costume. There is a sister organization, Rebel Legion, for rebel costumers. But let's be honest, squads of stormtroopers walking around are much, much cooler than even the best-looking Jedi and Rebel pilot groups.

George Lucas even weighed in during one of his Q & A panels when asked by a child: "My daddy says the stormtroopers are the good guys. Are they?" to which Lucas responded: "Your dad is right - they are the good guys. They just work for a really bad man."

It's not all work and no play, though; there are variations on the theme, from midriff femtroopers, to rainbow-colored hippietroopers, to one that stands above the crowd: Elvis Trooper.

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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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