The Missing Millennium Falcon?

This entry is part 1 of 8 in the series VFX_archaeology

Evolution of a Design This article contains an image recreated from memory of an actual  photo in an ex-ILMer’s archive — it is a re-creation for research purposes only, and not an official StarWars art piece. (However, the design has been verified to exist in the LFL archives by an insider.) …

VFX Archaeology — The Lost Empire Strikes Back

This entry is part 2 of 8 in the series VFX_archaeology

Exploring the Evolution of a Lost Shot From Script to Screen [Image from the Empire Strikes Back Blu-ray. Color correction emphasizes blue spill that was normally lost to viewer.] The near final shot of The Empire Strikes Back (TESB) of the Millenium Falcon flying off into the sunset — or rather …

VFX Archaeology: Part 3 — Starship Troopers

This entry is part 3 of 8 in the series VFX_archaeology

Recollections of BOSS FILM STUDIOS     A recent post of one of my photos from Starship Troopers on social media erupted into a lengthy discussion about the BOSS Film work, some of which has heretofore received little mention.  Following is a summary of that discussion, beefed up with a little …

VFX Archaeology: Part 4 — Nurnies and Greeblies

This entry is part 4 of 8 in the series VFX_archaeology

You can’t talk about #greebles without mentioning, likely the most iconic miniature ever shot, the #starwars #stardestroyer at only 3 feet long -@FonHDavis   Context is Everything Modern cinema maintains a series of technical terms via oral tradition, that really no longer make sense. How many people really itnow the origin of terms like …

The Missing Millennium Falcon — FOUND!

This entry is part 5 of 8 in the series VFX_archaeology

Found: One Actual Millennium Falcon Transitional Variant.   Inquire Within. This image is from the SOLO, a Star Wars Story art book. It shows an almost completely unknown variant of the early design of the Millennium Falcon, and attributes it to Joe Johnston. This attribution may be in error, as new …

VFXarcheology: Part 6 — The Un-solved Star Wars Caper

This entry is part 6 of 8 in the series VFX_archaeology

  A Legend Lost Not Found Updated 04/17/19 In 1977 Star Wars stunned the world, and changed cinema forever. It was a long, hard slog for creator George Lucas, who suffered physical ailments, and the possibility of financial ruin due to to all the challenges of the film. All the …

The Missing Millennium Falcon — THE ARTIST REVEALED!

This entry is part 7 of 8 in the series VFX_archaeology

The Original Falcon Heavy It is about time we closed this saga. This will require a recap: [part1][part2] In 2014 I saw an image that I’d never seen before, of the Millennium Falcon design, as it evolved from the Blockade Runner concept.  For those of you unfamiliar with Star Wars …

Space Academy and Beyond — Filmation’s Saturday Morning VFX

This entry is part 8 of 8 in the series VFX_archaeology

In 1977 Everything Changed. Saying that Star Wars altered entertainment and society forever may not be an exaggeration. It’s hard for those not around in 1977 to understand the significant impact that the biggest blockbuster since JAWS had on society (similar to that of the Beatles in 1964). Due to …