On Location: Part Fourteen
From Now On
An interview with the man, the myth, the legend, George Lucas.
Summary by: Don Keefe
(Please note that the following comments are my opinions and speculations regarding the production of Episode II and do not necessarily reflect those of TheForce.net)
Again this On Location clip was introduced by an extra at the bar / restaurant on Coruscant. It seems that as these ?On Location? videos continue the girls here are wearing less and less! This actress seems to be wearing a very interesting outfit, and might be some hint as to the clientele of this bar/restaurant that we?ve seen so much of.
During this four minute and 38 second On Location clip (one of the longest to date), Ahmed interviews the Director of Star Wars Episode II who needs no introduction, but I?ll introduce him anyway its George Lucas.
Ahmed: With the man, the reason I?m here, your here, we?re all here, Mr. George Lucas How are you?
Mr. Lucas: Fine
Ahmed: What?s Going on in your world today Mr. Lucas?
Mr. Lucas: Not Much
(I observed that Mr. Lucas gave some wise answers during this interview. Which is pretty typical if you?ve ever seen him interviewed before.)
Mr. Lucas: We?re waiting, which happens sometimes in a movie. We?re doing a very complex sequence with lots of different departments. They have to coordinate themselves. It takes a little time to rehearse over and over for everyone to get his or her act together. So we?re mostly just waiting today.
(HMMM? A complex scene you say? Could it be the infamous Jango / Obi-Wan fight sequence we?ve heard so much about? Could be?.)
Ahmed: Everyone on the World Wide Web wants to know how much can you tell us about EPII?
Mr. Lucas: Well it comes after EP I, there will be EP III which hasn?t been made yet, then Episodes 4,5, and 6 which are all finished. It?s the first in the series err.. second in the series, I get confused with all this I can?t remember which one I?m on. It comes after one.
(See what I meant about wise answers. =) )
Ahmed: That?s about all you get. It comes after Episode I. Is this an enjoyable process working on Episode II?
Mr. Lucas: Yes. We?re having a good time here. Sydney is a wonderful place, the weather?s been great, and people are wonderful, great little studio here.
(Wonder if they?ll be shooting Episode III down under in a couple of years.)
Ahmed: What are some of the differences with Episode II, that were not on 1,4,5, and 6.
Mr. Lucas: When I did number four (Star Wars: A New Hope), I was under a lot of pressure by the studio; It was the first large picture I had done. So this is very different than that, a lot of pressure for that picture. (*At one point, he was hospitalized for hypertension. The stress of directing Star Wars led George to hire Irvin Kershner to direct the sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. - www.digitalcentury.com) On one (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace) I hadn?t directed in 20 years so getting back into the groove and there?s a certain amount of pressure, can I do it again? This one (Episode 2) I?m in the groove and having a great time.
Ahmed: So if anything would you continue to direct after 1, 2, and 3 ?
Mr. Lucas: Definitely! This is what I?m going to do from now on.
(Don?t get too excited, George has already said that he really has no interest in doing Episodes 7, 8, and 9 unfortunately. He feels the story is told and is complete with Episodes 1 ? 6.)
Ahmed: Just direct?
Mr. Lucas: Just direct.
Ahmed: A little production here and there?
Mr. Lucas: Maybe a little but focusing on directing.
Ahmed: Are you going to direct any other films that you haven?t written yourself?
Mr. Lucas: No, I only direct movies that I write and produce myself. I?m probably not going to do much else other than what I write myself.
Ahmed: Why is that?
Mr. Lucas: I?m more of a filmmaker than a mogul. I?m not that interested in having a huge movie company like all the other guys you know.
(Umm. What about Lucasfilm Ltd. , Industrial Light and Magic, Skywalker Sound, LucasArts, THX, and all the toys, games, t-shirts, soundtrack albums, posters, costumes, coffee cups, and buttons. www.digitalcentury.com)
Ahmed: You heard it here first! Episode II with the man, it?s his world, we just gotta live in it, we just a squirrel trying to get a nut in his world.