The Various Stages Of Bringing BB-8 To Fruition

EMPIRE magazine has posted another sneak peek at their Star Wars issue dues to hit retail tomorrow. This time the focus is on BB-8.

Various BB-8s were created for shooting to perform different functions: one for close-ups; a couple with stabiliser wheels; one that could be picked up and interacted with by actors; one that could be thrown into shot without tipping over; and even an old-school rod-puppet version. But while a single fully-functioning, all-purpose BB-8 remained impractical for filming, it was a challenge the design team couldn't leave alone.

"It had been sort of burning a hole in me,” says Senior Animatronic Designer Joshua Lee. "I started to design this crazy idea of one that would roam around and that we would show to the fans as well. We couldn’t do it for filming, but it had to be done! There are several ways of doing a ball robot, but there was nothing that included an articulated head or anything that could spin on the spot - and that’s one of BB-8’s signature moves. So, I started to design the prototype while Matt [Denton] adapted his existing software to make control of this new BB-8 possible.” The result made his public debut at Anaheim's Star Wars Celebration last April, and may well play a significant role in Episode VIII.

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