The Last Set Diary

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Anakin2Vader
Text coming up

Anakin2Vader
At the end of the journey, George Lucas has come full circle, returning to where it began over a generation ago. Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, just outside of London, serves as the shooting location for a single day of additional photography. The world-famous stages hosted the majority of the studio-based principal photography for the original Star Wars trilogy.

We're on Stage 8 on the morning of Monday, January 31. It's a featureless redbrick building just down the road from the George Lucas Stage, the newer structure commemorating the director that brought so many blockbusters to Elstree. A stage the size of the eponymous building isn't required, but JAK Productions does maintain an office in the George Lucas Stage.

"We started the studio work in here the first day for Episode IV," Lucas says, looking around at the dark interior of Stage 8. "I think it was the kitchen. You know, where Aunt Beru is in there cooking and Owen comes in looking for Luke. This was also the cockpit stage -- the X-wings and the Millennium Falcon cockpit were filmed here."

Anakin2Vader

Anakin2Vader

Anakin2Vader
"The Council's first move will be against the Senate," says Anakin. He listens to a few more words from Sidious. "I understand, Master."

Suddenly, a voice squawks over an open walkie talkie, "Are we still rolling?"

"Yes, Master" replies Hayden, not breaking character.

The walkie talkie is quiet in subsequent takes, and we've moved onto the final setup. Word has spread that Episode III is wrapping, and it draws the attention of a guest. Dean Devlin, admitted Star Wars fan and producer of such big screen event movies as Godzilla and Independence Day dropped by to talk shop with McCallum. He's a recent convert to the world of HD photography, and compares notes with Rick, offering nothing but praise for the digital medium. Rick can't resist, and shows the trailer once again.

The last pickup is the most complicated of the lot. Demetri pulls up the playback to show Hayden the context. In the fiery chaos of Mustafar, Anakin runs along a length of crumbing architecture, balancing and running uphill as the floor drops from beneath him, culminating in a foolhardy leap when he reaches the peak of the incline.

The framing sequences were shot in Sydney and Shepperton, with octagonal segments of set meant to represent the falling structure. All that matters now is the length of the run. Three wooden frames represent a small fragment of the environment's shape, while the rest is delineated with tape on the blue floor.

Again, in the absence of a Continuity Supervisor, there's no clear chain-of-command to figure out who determines which hand Hayden should hold his lightsaber. Standby Props Marie Finch needs to know, since she will hand Hayden the handle. She asks Demetri to pull up the clip, and Nick Gillard looks at the footage closely to reconstruct the choreography.

"How about I throw it from hand to hand, just to keep off-balance," jokes Hayden, tossing the lightsaber handle from his gloved hand to his bare one like a Harlem Globetrotter trying to outwit a hapless Washington General.

Since Anakin was clinging to the falling structre with his good arm, he carries his lightsaber in his left hand. When he lands from his leap, it still is in his left hand. "But here, he's got it in his right," says Nick, pointing to the next time we see Anakin.

"Yeah, but that's 15 minutes later," exaggerates Lucas. "Do you want me to shoot an insert of him switching hands? It happens."

Hayden takes his position near the blue blocks. He just needs to run the length of the "set." "It's a bit minimal, isn't it?" says a familiar voice. Production Designer Gavin Bocquet, who had since gone onto other projects, returns to witness the last shot. "I couldn't miss the last day of Star Wars," says the prequel veteran, who was one of the key members of the Young Indy team to graduate to the new Star Wars trilogy.

As the final shot lines up, I look and see Trisha Biggar, Nicole Young and Michael Mooney of the Costume Department watching closely. It's a bit of a shame that the very last day is gathered with such a small crew. There are many names not represented here that really should be.

"This really feels like it's the last day," says Jennie Paddon to me. The Shepperton wrap was a bit bittersweet, but it was known that there would be one last round of pickups in '05. Now, this is the end of the road.

A few takes with varying camera moves... Hayden runs at top speed.

And that's it.

"Last shot, Rick," George points out with little fanfare. "It's all over now. Twenty-eight years."

Applause spreads among the small crew. Rick glances at his watch. It's only shortly after noon. The last day of shooting was only a half day. "I can't think of anything else to say but: that's lunch, everyone."

"Can we watch the trailer again?" asks Hayden.



Cameras have stopped rolling, leaving only the postproduction questions to be answered. ILM continues to work on it's shots, whittling away at the enormous numbers to meet the April 1st deadline. Skywalker Sound has been assembling the audio mix a layer at a time. This week, John Williams picks up a baton to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra for the last Star Wars theatrical motion picture soundtrack.
If this isn't the home stretch, I don't know what is.

Sith Master X
Great stuff. Thanks.

Jedi-Knight 8k2
Thanks! smile

ExecuteR
very nice!!!

Jedi-Knight 8k2
So Hard? the one to the Right!

ExecuteR
dude this is a joke....

ExecuteR
damn those guys have already seen the new trailer !!!!!

Torik_Shai
Good stuff. Hopefully this means a nice description of the trailer will be up soon.

DarthAJ
Thx Anakin2Vader

Deadline by April 1!!!!They only have 2 months!!!They better get working!

ExecuteR:
I beleive its the left

There already is a description of the next trailer but TFN deleted it cause of LFL

You might find it 2 or 3 pages back on this forum

theshakl
tear..

theshakl
hey can someone get the pictures please

Anakin2Vader
I looked for it but i couldnt find it... but i remember it being posted here... if anyone finds it please post a link... thanks

theshakl
yes please ..

thanks by the way

theshakl
Scramba?...

LandoSpeeder2
Thx!

scramba could find it just as well as any of us. No need to call him in for this.

LandoSpeeder2
here's the thread for the trailer description http://www.killermovies.com/forums/f38/t321806.html

Anakin2Vader
thanks Lando...hope its right... if it is its gonna be the trailer we have all been waiting for

MochaChica
: D That was really interesting to read. Sad that this really is it. Any images besides this one yet?
http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/img/silos/setdiary/20050202_silo.jpg
Go to the OS to see a bigger image but...
Hayden looks awesome. I wonder if he kept up with his training. I remember him saying, naturally, it is very difficult for him to keep weight on but in this picture he looks pretty much the same as he did in his peek shape during the shoot. Sigh...but what's up with the guy next to him? sick I don't get it.


Happy Dance

bilb
HELLO?????????? USH??????????????

I DO NOT SEE A SOURCE LISTED HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SHOULDNT SOMEONE GET A WARNING??

Anakin2Vader
^^ what are you kidding?

spoilerman
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/2a2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/3a3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/5a5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/8.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/9.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/10.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/11.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/12.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/13.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/14.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/nhs/15.jpg

EDIT:
Sorry, used to html...

theshakl
Thanks Spoilerman!

i feel a song coming!

Spoiler man...spoiler man..does whatever a spoiler can!

Eleonora
Amen to that smile

Altar[1stONE]
anakins clouths sure do look dark in the last pic, his pants are gray and not brown.

spoilerman
LOL^^

guiro72
good article.....good pics....nice to see the trailer description again too, i'd forgotten about that.....a thread that's worth checking is getting rarer these days.....thanks all.....

OB1-adobe
They're still filming?

guiro72
not now they're not....

bilb
Nope I am not kidding...

It has nothing to do with you A2V... I have absolutely nothing against you. My comment was in reference to the rules around here are BLATANTLY NOT applied to all in a just manner.......

Anakin2Vader
well its just ive never seen anything taken directly from the OS be credited...it is what it is in the title The Last Set Diary, thats where i got it from

bilb
I know, like I said my comment was not aimed at you at all. It was nothing more than a statement re: mod politics.....

Mortanius
What a shame, what a shame. Can't we all just get along? no

Anakin2Vader
i think we're getting along... no hate in here beer Cheers

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