Behind the Scenes of Star Wars: The Original Trilogy ILM Special Effects Makers.

[@zeikjt]

0:00 Luke's Landspeeder 1:24 Millennium Falcon 3:27 Death Star 4:59 Holographic Chess 7:08 X-Wing 9:22 Y-Wing 11:37 TIE Fighter 13:03 Vader's Tie Fighter 14:18 Death Star Laser Tower 15:58 AT-AT 18:16 Snowspeeder 20:01 Tauntaun 22:20 Rebel Transport 23:48 Yoda 26:14 Star Destroyer 28:35 Darth Vader's Star Destroyer (Executor) 31:35 Talisman Cartoon (feat. Boba Fett) 40:40 Medical Frigate 42:49 Cloud Car 44:43 Cloud City 45:51 Rancor 48:29 Salacious 49:56 Leia's Slave Costume 52:07 Jabba the Hutt 54:10 AT-ST (Chicken walker) 56:48 Tydirium

[@tino1619]

ZeikJT thank you

[@ALivingFlame]

This needs to be the top comment seriously! Or even the video description...

[@sherireid4446]

Thanks

[@nicholasdickens2801]

Thank you ♥️

[@ThisHandleFeatureIsStupid]

REDUCED LIST 49:56

[@moisturefarmer7592]

Talk about a dying artform, you really see the care and love these guys had in making great practical effects

[@DaveGilmour]

Ian Riddle it's not dying at all though.

[@georgemorley1029]

DaveGilmour Can you cite examples?

[@moisturefarmer7592]

Im talking about the old school practical effects back in the when there was no CGI to clean things up

[@bobrew461]

practical effects (fortunately) are not dead yet; you can still see them in the Bond films these days. and you can even get a BA in miniature effects: www.herts.ac.uk/courses/model-design-model-effects

[@Schuschinus]

"Battle of the Küchenrolle" is a new practical effects gem.

[@lumbagoboi1649]

George Lucas's decision to make everything aged looking is absolutely what brought the ship designs to life. They actually look like they've been through a serious war with worn metal plates and windows that help the viewer see the scale of the ships. Same with the guns, cobbled together WW2 weapons instead of ridiculous space guns made the guns look actually threatening.

[@semirecumbentoneYT]

Yeah, the problem with modern CGI is also, that they overexaggurate everything (millions of ships, millions of lasers etc etc) so the power in the image of the original Star Wars laid in its SIMPLICITY and how notoriously elaborate well everything was made, in greatest detail. Of course the computer controlled robotics they used for precise accurate model ship movement were what made it what it was. So many seem to completely forget the effects team ILM work. This was what made Star Wars. Not story or actors or anything else. Its breakthrough power was in the milestone breakthrough visual effects.

[@minicle426]

He also took a lot of inspiration from Gerry Anderson shows. Which did a lot to pioneer that lived in futuristic look.

[@mmmomiji]

Adding a time stamp for myself: 7:43

[@skipads5141]

The WW2 guns were just cheap props.

[@HawkGTboy]

When my son was little I got him a little 50cc dirt bike for Christmas. It was used and had a big scuff on the side. It bothered him and I said “It’s like an X-Wing, that just means it’s seen some action!” And then he was okay with it! 😄

[@thezestypatriot8513]

You know you made a masterpiece when you’re still talking about it almost 50 years later.

[@diganmelaraxd6981]

Is not 50 years later, is actually 43 later, but yeah i got your point.

[@thezestypatriot8513]

@@diganmelaraxd6981 ...."almost"

[@rustynjarvis]

That's definitely not true

[@rustynjarvis]

Oops sorry I ment that is totally true

[@jonnyj.]

@@diganmelaraxd6981 Why are people like you so fucking pedantic? It was filmed in early 76, thats literally almost 50 years later. Its how words, and years work. Holy shit...

[@andrewlybbert9527]

I still remember how, as a kid, my stomach dropped and my hope evaporated when the rebel foot soldiers on Hoth looked through the macro binoculars and saw the AT-ATs coming towards them! Such an incredible form of film making that drew you into the story/world, didn’t push you out the way CGI often does.

[@semirecumbentoneYT]

Yeah the problem with CGI is 1.Physical realism 2.Movement total failure 3.Texture failure 4.Unrealistic "video game" feeling in believability (and yes I saw the original Star Wars in movie theatres)

[@Lordestroyer]

As a young model builder, this movie was an inspiration to go “out of the box.” Today I manage a company that builds custom cars. Over 50 magazine features, an NPR feature and a 3 year waiting list to get in, we owe a lot to these guys!

[@godzoookie]

What company?

[@npvuvuzela]

Nice ad

[@tamaratirre6487]

I used to work in San Rafael as a cop in the early days of ILM and remember taking a late night tour of one of the buildings. After clearing the alarm call, the employee showed us around the model shop. They were in the middle of making ghostbusters 2 and I got to see the miniature Queen Mary. These model makers displayed such a love for their art. I wished I could have traded jobs for a week just to experience it.

[@Quick-Silver206]

Lucky!!!

[@fearglitchdragonvodsandoth2973]

too bad Disney had to buy it, and CGI came into existence

[@PrimoPete]

That's a really nice anecdote. Thanks for sharing.

[@MichaelWaisJr]

That’s rad! My aunt used to work at the research library at Skywalker Ranch near the San Francisco Bay Area! She was really smart and put in her retirement IMMEDIATELY upon Disney buying Lucas out. It’s my idea of a fun job since I’m a huge bibliophile and book collector/reader and my heroes have been the Beat Generation writers since I was 15. (I was born in ‘81, ages after Kerouac and the Beat Generation took off! Lol!) My aunt’s job would’ve been my dream job! But then for some it would’ve probably been a lot more fun to have been a cop because you’re not in an office all day lol. I guess it all depends on one’s temperament. Anyway, that’s a really awesome story! :)

[@MichaelWaisJr]

Also, my aunt moved with my uncle into my grandma’s house that was in trust and all paid off right after her retirement. She TOTALLY hit the jackpot because of that timing with Disney! :D

[@kszirovecz]

I swear, a lot of Empire's effects still look better than most sci-fi effects today.

[@CHATHK]

ksir lol

[@sonofhibbs4425]

Yes. I’m just rewatching this now thinking all these scenes still look real to me even after knowing what is what. Of course I was a child when a I first saw these movies, but still, the effects are done with such precision there isn’t anything that really distracts from following the story. You don’t have a separate moment while watching where your brain says, “oh that’s cgi”. Somehow with the stop motion you can tell, but it doesn’t distract.

[@jussari7960]

ksir You don't realize that it's CG when it's good. So a lot of the Empire's effects are better than the bad CGI

[@dernvader6876]

Amen Brother! Also Return of the Jedi's effects are amazing... I think that was a peak, they never got better than ROTJ, and other movies around that time, like Aliens... the effects are perfect, CGI only look fake and shitty in comparison... CGI can enhance effects I think, but should never BE the effect.

[@BigSimpin420]

ksir have u seen empire strikes back? Lmao. Don’t be silly bro. We all love empire deeply, but we have also all seen avatar.

[@stevenstefano8520]

i wish star wars was still made like this

[@fearglitchdragonvodsandoth2973]

@R. M I would definitely make movie with no CGI, only practical stuff and stop motion, if i were given the chance

[@SSaNNEE100]

@@fearglitchdragonvodsandoth2973 same I would be in your project. It could be utilized so well to these day but movie makers dont have balls anymore and they go through the easy route. That's why we also have lots of shitty cgis these days as there are pretty mediocore editors working on movies who did shitty edits in their schools after another. Still gotta give it for LOTR movies making cgi look almost photorealistic. it holds so well to this day I think still the big troll in the dungeons is a real :D but that scene itself took over 3 months to render if I remember correctly. These days movies are made in seconds and as fast as possible. Fucking money and capitalism destroyed this great industry too.

[@patrii9100]

The Mandalorian uses practical props

[@smallsthetimelord4066]

@@patrii9100 Lol I was just going to point that out. I absolutely love the Mandolorian due to that.

[@BungieStudios]

It comes down to lighting and the renderer.

[@DrawNCraft-Official]

So impressed with these pioneers. The guys behind the scenes were the unsung stars.

[@lessalazar9068]

It's truly amazing how all the matte paintings and stop motion effects still hold up extremely well today.

[@brandonkelbe]

Imagine if they still relied on all that instead of CGI. They are so lazy now AI does all the work

[@EndorJedi985]

@@brandonkelbe that's not how cgi works lmao

[@Rounderyathecruel]

@@brandonkelbe you realize there are CGi artists right?

[@orlandofurioso7329]

That's because they were recomposited in the special editions. Project 4k aged worse in that department while Harmy kinda cheats by using Blu-ray clips

[@lettuceman306]

That talk about them using lights to give ships a sense of scale, using Los Angeles versus a small town as an example, is seriously some of the most clever design work I've ever heard. Absolutely brilliant.

[@ChristianGoergen]

You know it’s a great work of art, when the making-of is as inspiring as the original content.

[@Greentreeanduril]

I enjoyed this documentary more than I did the last film. Thanks for the upload 👍🏻

[@JohnFourtyTwo]

@Green Tree - I enjoyed more than the last eight films. 😉

[@Ford.Prefect]

I enjoy a visit to the dentist more than the last film

[@ShogunateDaimyo]

LMAO @ you guys! I started to feel like some kind of a*hole when i couldn't say i liked the new films. I think i resolved that they wouldn't get any better and picked maybe 2 in the last 20+ years that i could go a little easier on..

[@gabormiklay9209]

Episode VII was so bad I didn't even watch VIII and IX.

[@sucky-kun4369]

@@gabormiklay9209 Truly a wise decision

[@behindthespotlight7983]

Watching these old school model makers one wonders if any of them had even a scintilla of the idea that they were not only creating a 6 decades long phenomenon but a toy revolution as well? Just now I was thinking about the incredible collection of Star Wars toys that my kid brother and I owned in the early 80’s. All I can think to say is “Thank you mom & dad. You really stepped it up on Christmases and birthdays”

[@fonkyfesh-old]

I'll always have more respect and admiration for the amount of love, care, attention and effort put into one single practical effects shot than an entire prequel film or marvel movie filled to the brim with CGI.

[@ciadella1971]

I can appreciate and enjoy these brilliant model makers work over cgi anyday.

[@two2truths]

Logan Stroganoff I am!

[@MaLoDe1975]

@Logan Stroganoff cgi always looks like a playstation game. Sometimes I think it gets worse. Jurassic Park back then was fucking great and nowadays it just doesnt look right.

[@icecreamisnice117]

MaLoDe1975 Bad CG does. Good CG will always look more realistic than models. There’s a misconception that computers do all the work, when that isn’t true. There are hundreds of talented artists behind CGI.

[@angelusthor251]

@Logan Stroganoff he has more than 80 likes so f u and your stupid fake cgi 😂

[@charlesmaclellan8124]

I was going to say, these guys deserve as much respect as those who do VERY IMPRESSIVE CGI. This artform is just pretty well dead is all. Sad. But way she goes. Props to Episode 8 for not using a CGI Yoda, & Mandalorian for multiple puppets & costumes.

[@lyuser]

besides John Williams' scores, i really have to admire the amount of effort put into the practical and special effects that make Star Wars..Star Wars!

[@nlawson2004]

What’s BTS?

[@brianpeeples7524]

@@nlawson2004 Behind The Scenes

[@nlawson2004]

Brian Peeples Thanks.

[@skeletonentertainment4201]

@@nlawson2004 a Kpop group

[@SSaNNEE100]

@@skeletonentertainment4201 I am their biggest fan ( I mean in the weight) :D

[@idontcare2851]

My grandparents’ dear friends Mike and Mary worked on the special effects crew. They had all sorts of awesome set pieces. About 1/4 of a foam Death Star, an AT-AT, a x wing complete with R2 figurine seated in backseat. Allegedly this piece was actually in the film, I can’t speak on the others. They had other pieces but those were the ones that stood out most to me. They had plenty of cool stories about how things were done and how accidents led to innovation in many cases. Rest In Peace Mike and Mary!

[@deepakrchandra]

I thank the creators with my whole heart. They opened a whole new world for 80s kids.

[@RedwihteGame]

25:53 hahaha, Yoda, a self portrait!!! Best thing ever, never will I look at Yoda the same!

[@BungieStudios]

I died. 😂💀

[@jatodd3746]

That Boba Fett cartoon is like watching "Heavy Metal" Star Wars.

[@DrWhom]

have you seen droids

[@darthmong7196]

This is the way.

[@optimisticoutreach1236]

My thoughts exactly as I was watching it...

[@mapper4life]

Same animators I think

[@Puppy_Puppington]

I love that style so much

[@itsfunnyisee9005]

Those special effects were hands down the worlds best ever

[@semirecumbentoneYT]

Yeah they received Oscars

[@pedrocampinopt]

Empire Strikes Back is the most magical movie ever, fruit of these modern wizards, thank you very much for an enriching childhood you gave to millions of people... 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@leokimvideo]

A trashed Death Star becomes a treasured museum piece.

[@ObiiWanKenobii]

It belongs in a museum!

[@StarWarsMoments]

It is in a museum.

[@GHOST91991]

Managed to get a piece from the first Death Star, which if people know was made of foam, and managed to get a brass ethcing piece with a pattern on it from the unfinished side of the II Death Star, and a piece of fur from the wampa, and a piece of the sarlacc pit, and last but not least a piece from one of the AT-AT Walkers, either from the small models, or medium size models or from the large scale models.

[@owyman]

@@GHOST91991 HOW!!!

[@GHOST91991]

On ebay, been very fortunate to go on when these items have been listed. some from UK some from America@@owyman

[@OldMovieRob]

John Williams' music and ILM practical effects - it was a golden age of cinema back then.

[@P7777-u7r]

Analog effects honestly impress me more then CGI Yeah I admire the level that computers had to reach to create good CGI but the amount of skill needed to build physical models as well as physically edit rolls of plastic film frame by frame is truly an impressive feat

[@ryanlehning556]

Indeed. I'd rather be impressed by people than computers.

[@amaurythewarrior]

@@ryanlehning556 because you don't think CGI is made by people? modelling, texturing, animating, lighting and rendering these 3D models takes just as much talent as making physical models...

[@daxramdac7194]

@@ryanlehning556 Lol, you think they just type "spaceship" at a prompt and bam, an awesome looking spaceship appears? Computer artists use digital modeling tools to model, detail, texture, render, etc. and it takes just as much effort, if not more so, than building physical models.

[@ryanlehning556]

@@daxramdac7194 yeah see? thats boring.

[@skipads5141]

CGI looks fake AF.

[@mysteriumxarxes3990]

the particular pieces about masterpieces is that the people involved in with doesn't do that because of the money they will get, they do that because of the enjoyement they have during its production and the will to see it done and be perfect, and this is what makes a masterpiece

[@hughJ]

That shot of the Falcon reversing and pivoting out of the Deathstar is probably still my favorite fx shot across all the films. I don't think any of the modern CG shots convey the same sense of mass and inertia the way those large models and motion control rigs do.

[@semirecumbentoneYT]

Yeah exactly. CGI movement is what is fucked up. Even if texture resolution realism is photorealistic, without accurate realistic physical movement, it will look like a video game.

[@andywilliams8540]

Agree. But also the big first person pov tracking show as they first enter the trench. 2 sublime shots.

[@captainsteve5475]

True artists, that put more detail in the ships than we ever noticed, especially as kids. Amazing work.

[@jmatrix010]

No further star wars movie will ever replace the Magic and adventure and sense of wonder that the originals have..

[@AngelCatBaby]

I'm with you on this one....HIGH 5

[@kummakummakummakummakummac8606]

Yeah because you're not a kid anymore.

[@matiasmov1]

@Jon Boy It's even better i think...

[@Bogeyman19DidNotScareMyAss]

wespozo 1-3 suck. Suck bad.

[@histguy101]

Well, yes. Nothing you see as an adult can replace your childhood.

[@3_7s777]

Along time ago in a time when movies were made with passion and spoilers didn't exists.....

[@admiralsquatbar127]

The first act and last act of The Wrath of Khan was completely changed due to a script leak. Spock was supposed to die in the first act. This was all due to theft on set.

[@mem1701movies]

actually they did. FOR SOME REASON they released the RETURN OF THE JEDI comic before the movie came out and I couldn't help myself. it was disappointing. the only difference in the comic is that they didn't show VADER'S face. they showed Luke covering his eyes as it was supposedly too gruesome.

[@blurgle9185]

People used to spoil movies without a shred of hesitation. I remember being quite alone finding spoilers to be something bad.

[@bobjordan69]

Spoilers absolutely existed, you could even read the novelisation if the first one before it came out

[@arielfilmsinc1926]

Despite all this there was still "security" figure packs of Jedi Figures in 1983 "blacked out" the ewoks as was MPC Models catalog showing NO Jabba The scene in the comic was intentional as Lucas wanted people to SEE the film (though we had VHS Beta that would not happen for a few months You Tube Internet?) And Disney Owning Star Wars back in 1983????????????????????????????????????

[@passiton3801]

The ILM group were amazing, on how they were able to faithfully produce, an present such stunning special fx! They were more than model makers, they were visionaries, conceptual artists, with a real grasp of the future an how it could develop. Well ahead of their time.

[@davidbutler8096]

Meeting Dennis Muren one afternoon in Mill Valley was one of the highlights of my life. Having George come into the market I worked at was another. His house is just up the street from United Market in San Anselmo.

[@exercicesinmetal666]

in 1977 in theaters people were blown away with that movie, so much new stuff came out. It was a revolution.

[@08prema]

The golden age of Lucasfilm/ILM

[@MarCuseus]

*Before the dark times, before Disney*

[@Lyf4rMusic]

@@MarCuseus Disney, the destroyer of everything good with it's billion dollars nut sacks!

[@AmusedWalrus]

The dark times were the prequels, at least Disney is actually using practical effects

[@MarCuseus]

@@AmusedWalrus **FACEPALM** they used a crap load of practical effects for the prequels

[@AmusedWalrus]

90% of the sets and alien creatures were CGI in the prequels, eeven the fucking ships were CGI. All you have to do is watch the making of the prequels, the sequels are at least using practical effects for most things.

[@jimmyb1559]

I still remember when I went to see Star Wars for the first time like it was yesterday. With limited time and budget they did a great job with the special effects that has stood the test of time.

[@greatwhite61967]

In a galaxy far far away these movies still look amazing & it was great to see a documentary that focused on the practical effects/puppet makers & performer's & in particular the model makers & what they endured to bring these iconic movie scenes & film's together... In light of this still ongoing coronavirus outbreak stay safe and healthy wherever you in this world... " May Your Health Stay With You " .....

[@OAleathaO]

21:00 - The only problem with the traditional stop-motion animation was that everything was in focus all the time and there was no motion blur. Phil Tippet when he started his own studio invented a technique he called "Go Motion" which added motion blur and realistic focus. It was so good that it was originally considered for use on Jurassic Park but of course ILM and their CGI had surpassed him by that point sadly. Steven Spielberg was extremely upset at having to turn Phil down but of course had to go with the best available for his movie.

[@semirecumbentoneYT]

I think, very critically thinking, and with extensive movie history (I saw original Star Wars in theatres) that the only movie that managed to portray CGI and present it believably and well, was the first Jurassic Park. Why? I think it was because they put tremendous work and effort, in making it look as good as only possible with the awkward limitations CGI has (especially movement) by extensive background work of how huge animals move etc. It was not just playing around with vectors, they really put effort in mimicking the best way possible. It still had a glimpse of movement failure problems (for example how stupid the dinosaurs tails are "kept up" over the ground and their running movements etc. but I think as I saw it in movies it was rather well done, quite believable. What do you think?

[@naturestuf9148]

@@semirecumbentoneYT There is some process that traditional chemical film movies did to reintegrate the cgi that hid the cgi 'plastic' look and gave it a slightly grainy, fuzzier feel... This is why Episode I cgi blends better than EP2 & EP3 (which had gone totally to digital cameras ) and late 90's movies like Starship Trooper had fx that aged so well.

[@houstonhelicoptertours1006]

The AT-ST in ROTJ used go-motion armatures. The programming of those first go-motion systems was incredibly difficult and time consuming. Some (very brave) stop motion animators introduced their own form of blur and imperfection into the animation by carefully moving or nudging the models during exposure, but of course that goes only so far.

[@houstonhelicoptertours1006]

​ @Nature Stuf We usually reintroduced an appropriate amount of film grain or video noise when we composited CG elements over photographic (life action) plates. That and the correct amount of motion blur helped a lot. The final re-print to chemical film also "softened" the CG elements a bit.

[@mattmccain8492]

These guys haven't gotten enough credit for what they created that has inspired so much in our culture and so many people by their incredible work and dedication. They inspired me as a 7 year to take up modeling and miniatures as a hobby that I still do today. Even 42 years later , their work is still awesome. Thank you gentlemen for what you gave my generation at that time.

[@samsoncrosswood7259]

The frame the model makers gave Lucas - "Our first shot!" Heard around the world. The craft, dedication and hands on attention - that's why the originals have a "reality" the others lack, VII included. Less computers and, to paraphrase Han Solo, "discussion before a committee."

[@TryptychUK]

I had often heard that the escape pod sequence was the first ILM shot.

[@AngelCatBaby]

I agree....HIGH 5

[@mannysaurus19]

I love this documentary. Look at the love and dedication that was put into making those starfighters and starships! You don't see that anymore...

[@lucasoheyze4597]

Yeah you do

[@matthewclark7952]

I really appreciate all the hard work and effort these guys went to. Most of the original effects still look great and they just added that extra bit of magic to my childhood. Great stuff indeed!

[@theloneranger8725]

Very few of the effects in Star Wars would have been possible if not for the groundbreaking work done by Ray Harryhausen in the 1950s and 1960s. Ray perfected the stop action modeling process, called Dynamation, that was used all the way up until Jurassic Park was made in 1993. I find his special effects in the 1963 movie Jason and the Argonauts still amazing today.

[@TheCleansingx]

Phil Tippett is such a legend! All the stop motion scenes are just perfect!

[@mephistosprincipium]

I just finished watching IV and V and I‘m still blown away by the special effects - ultimately that’s the reason why I‘m here watching this :D timeless masterpiece

[@Optiv1]

So sad that many of these amazing pieces of art got lost with the remastered versions...

[@DaveGilmour]

Optiv112 to say that all of them are lost is an exaggeration. There are plenty of untouched scenes.

[@Cr4z3d]

Look up Harmy's Despecialized Editions and for the first movie, the Silver Screen Edition.

[@annnee6818]

Cr4z3d It's a shame that Lucas had to cram every frame with some dumb CGI creature in the foreground. Because some of the changes were good, like the view fromm the windows in cloud city or exchanging cardboard cutouts for real people in crowd shots... if only he'd stuck to that. But as it is you can't watch the special editions. Han shot first!

[@sonofhibbs4425]

A crime!

[@steve1978ger]

Well... I just watched "All Changes Made to Star Wars: A New Hope (Comparison Video)" , and my impression is that very little was removed, a good part of what was added makes perfect sense and adds to the movie (like the CGI Jabba that was supposed to be included in the first place) and most of the anger about Lucas' edits is talk by people who don't realize that most of their disappointment comes from no longer watching the film with the eyes of a twelve year old.

[@ericchamberlain9260]

"Make the ship like a hamburger." -George Lucas

[@ALivingFlame]

Proof that George is always hungry 🍔

[@davemckay4359]

Yesssssss....

[@nicholasdickens2801]

With a pickle - for the cockpit I heard.

[@bobjordan69]

You don’t win friends with salad 🤷‍♂️

[@ImperiousRexRacing]

"Make the Star Destroyers like pizza slices."

[@BlaireBustillo]

Finished watching the whole video. Great to know how big the efforts they've done before when there were no digital animation. The film crew did an amazing job. Worth the watch. :D

[@ryanbarr2178]

A whole lot of effort still goes into cgi

[@CrackedTubeGamer]

What I find interesting is how close some of the other models came to be in the film, like how ugly was that first star destroyer. The film nearly ended up looking like space balls thank god it didn't.

[@Hide_and_Tweak]

it's funny when you realize this old technique gives much better results than the synthesis of today. Our eyes are too used to spot things made by a computer, but real objects look way more realistic.

[@CrackedTubeGamer]

But did you know every film since 1977 Has included more practical effects? all the naboo star fighters when they explode are physical objects. Most things in ep 1 where physical like the naboo city. Its just how its blended and made to look futuristic that makes it so CGI. Episode 3 takes the physical props to a whole new level.

[@DropTehBazz]

Practical effects laced with CGI will look like CGI, not practical.

[@davidhewson1234]

I started making models 57/ 58 and there was more glue than the model. Later I economized on glue and they looked like the photo on the box. Models taught me everything ! Eye for detail, standing back and viewing as a painting. Have sold some of my later creations. Don't need top secret, in our minds. Thanks my friends. Dave

[@bubsterjohnson7438]

Crazy to think almost everyone knows about Star Wars in some way or another I grew up loving Star wars as a kid and still love it to this day much respect to everyone involved in these films they have made a lot of people's childhoods great

[@two-moonz2953]

Ahhhh, yes, when Star Wars was Star Wars.

[@DrWhom]

bla bla i bet you weren't even born in 77

[@TheSEAempire]

Deipatrous he is probably a teenager who likes to pretend to be a cinephile 😂

[@SSaNNEE100]

@@DrWhom I wasnt born in 1977 I was born in 1996 and grew up with prequels but I can say still that OT is the best and reason Star Wars is so loved. You have to be certain kind of person to appreciate this kind of art over just crappy CGIs of prequels. Sequels have the best cgi Star Wars movies have ever had (but People are too vocal about other issues to appreciate that fact the whole chase scene on Jakku through the stardestroyer was fully CGI and awesome CGI to be honest.) Not to say every Star Wars movie from the first ones to the sequels suffer from bad writing and cringe worth lines I am still glad something started the Star Wars and thanks to -77 never forget, even though lived then I did not :3

[@herbpeischl2397]

Loo imagine if star wars was from the concept

[@nathanfracasse6645]

@@SSaNNEE100 You try doing the CGI for phantom menace with a 1997 computer.

[@billygowhoop]

while it's obviously much more lucrative generally to be in front of the camera, I'd imagine the most fun is had behind the camera. all those little problems and challenges seem like a lot of fun to figure out

[@surandissidus3243]

billygowhoop Its much more difficult to have a consistently profitable job in front of the camera.

[@mem1701movies]

Ryan A yeah but a lot of times one movie can set you for life

[@Antiganos]

@@mem1701movies Only very rarely does that happen. There's millions of actors, a career path famous for being synonymous with desperate starving artists, but only a handful of people lucky enough to make it big. For every Harrison Ford, there's 10,000 actors that just make enough to keep on keeping on, but those aren't the actors we talk about. Most actors play the bartender, or the librarian from Season 1 Episode 3, or soldier #5. That's just how this industry works. Best wishes stranger!

[@Puppy_Puppington]

Man... I wish I was a part of that generation to grow up with the original trilogy coming out. So much amazing cultural stuff happened from the late 60s to the 80s

[@seanbogaard529]

I think they are a little hard on themselves about how having the pilots in the head of the AT-AT made "no sense". Yes, it might be better to have them in the more heavily armored 'torso' section but then we have things in other military craft like ball turrets which are completely exposing crew members but adding high amounts of utility. ILM made the right call.

[@control_the_pet_population]

Well, yes and no. I agree that it makes sense to have a crew member inside a ball turret to aim the guns... on WW2-era Earth before modern electronics and computers... But... this is a galaxy far, far away where things like faster-than-light travel is a given. You'd think they'd have all kinds of remotely controlled and aimed weapons. I'm not complaining, part of the charm of Star Wars is that oddball "WW2 in Space" vibe that doesn't make much sense when you truly think about it. That universe is filled with unimaginable technology. Space, speed, distance, gravity... all are easily manipulated... Do you know where your enemies are located? Well, punch in a few coordinates into the hyperspace computer and you can be on top of them in short order... But once you get there... well, you need to fly down a narrow trench to within a few meters before firing that unguided projectile into the exhaust port.

[@tomvander6254]

These models look so real because real enthusiasm and creativity and a lot of time was put into it. It was the golden age for films because Star Wars only opened the door to make so many special effects possible, such as Jurassic Park. Lucas and Spielberg became the giants in Hollywood.

[@bigmike9947]

Why do you think there aren't any creative or enthusiastic people in VFX studios nowadays? Because there totally are people like that. But you seem to think that no effort or creativity is put into VFX anymore.

[@tomvander6254]

​@@bigmike9947 i dont think so, but only described this decade of filmmakers and their steps into a new world! even i said so, don`t mean today are not, correct?

[@Andrewlang90]

I think seeing the AT-AT shaped my creativity for my childhood. By far my favourite sci-fi vehicle of all time

[@joelonsdale]

Thoroughly enjoyable. What amazing skill, imagination and patience those guys had!

[@bigeasyarts8415]

Joe Lonsdale skill, patience and talent! Three things the up and coming generations just don’t have very much of anymore. Honestly it is very sad that younger people just do not have as much pride and dedication to their craft. Kinda sad. 😔

[@doltBmB]

I think one of the things that really sets older effects like this apart, is that when time comes to actually make it. Whether it's a miniature or an animatronic or a prop or what have you, it has to be real. There is a creative process of turning the idea into something real. These days, whatever the concept artist dreams up is gospel and can be put right into the computer. So that hideous landspeeder would have been made exactly as it was first drawn. But back then, the prop makers were free to interpret and make something more real.

[@jasonmulliken5620]

It’s crazy how good all this stuff holds up still. I just rewatched all the movies recently and I can only think of one maybe two times that looked a tad bit cheesy out of all the movies to date.

[@TheQuarreler]

Man just that thumbnail, pure art and creativity that would really bring movies to life, behind the scenes looks so much cooler that way, nowadays it’s mostly just a green screen to show!

This doc is far superior to the Disney films. That speaks volumes.

[@geet77777]

I love how disney and the media keep telling people that the new movies are so great and such hits, when everyone loudly disagrees.

[@philipconboy3712]

Nester Ness it’s actually ridiculous you’re right 😂

[@TherealRNOwwfpooh]

@@geet77777 The bad opening for Galaxy's Edge should've been a red flag to Disney's executives, telling them that they need to make their versions to the standard of the original trilogy & not the subpar-to-terrible prequels (ironically, most of Disney's output concerning _Star Wars_ has largely been prequels save _Rouge One_ & _Rise of Skywalker_ [see the _Solo_ standalone film & the Disney Plus+ series on Boba & Jenga Fett's bounty hunter race]).

[@xebatansis]

CGI will never achieve this amount of love and skill.

[@icecreamisnice117]

I mean that’s just untrue on so many levels...

[@luongmaihunggia]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIqVioV7iMtsm7M

[@Cloganart]

This is so untrue. It takes so much time and work to do CGi, if not more than this sometimes. Kitbashing existing pieces together (which is almost every Star Wars prop ever to exist) in real life is a lot simpler than modeling those pieces, texturing them, iterating and then compositing them . It's a lot more reusable to do the CGi as well.

[@fearglitchdragonvodsandoth2973]

this is true, CGI will always look fake

[@mitchellrobbins133]

Trust the force.

[@alejandrov1103]

Thank you, mr. Lucas, for giving us Star Wars!

[@zOOmzity]

My cousin George Mather, was Production Supervisor - Miniatures, for this movie and others. Fascinating to watch how models were built. Kudos to all involved.

[@wmanad8479]

Had a relative at ILM, some of her sculptures & models are in museums now. ILM's creativity and skill showed in the product. Those were the days!

[@M1GarandMan3005]

A mix between practical effects and CGI I thinks looks the best. I watched Independence Day and still looks better than most films today. They also did the same thing with Episode 1 The Phantom Menace, where they used real models and CGI mixed with each other.

[@noahcoast]

25:25 „so I made a model of myself, now I gotta make him look smart“ hahahah what a legend, he’s literally yoda

[@MostlyPennyCat]

I remember coming face to face with the model for Executer in 1998. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. For a sense of scale, those big engines at the back? They're those halogen spots with the reflectors. Still a big model though.

[@zakiranderson722]

It would be such an honor to work in any capacity on an iconic film like this .

[@GyvonJante]

It all started with an IDEA! Born of the influences of countless other idea dreamers from before! The world would be such a dismal place with dreamers and adventurers!

[@noots2224]

I just realized that Yoda could have looked alot more creepy

[@MerchantIvoryfilms]

Last Jedi just crapped all over this kind of hard work and dedication. Star Wars 1-6 and Rouge one will be the only films i ever enjoy.

[@itsMrNoble]

Merchant Ivory It's ROGUE ONE not Rouge One!!

[@alexs.3210]

Fuck disney!

[@grega.4556]

ROUGE ONE. The behind scenes documentary about the make-up team for Star Wars. 😂

[@bossinator_gaming7382]

What are you talking about? The Last Jedi has many problems, but the visual effects are not one of them. They are easily the best part of the film and are actually some pretty incredible work by the artists.

[@MerchantIvoryfilms]

​@@bossinator_gaming7382 Your just ignorant and have no idea what film making piratical effects are

[@camwardart]

amazing. Probably will see nothing with as much time, skill, love, effort, or care in cinema again.

[@bmnftw1]

New Bladerunner is alright. And there's also Dune coming from the same guy, which I have high hopes for.

[@bigmike9947]

What in the god damn fuck are you talking about? There is so much care put into VFX nowadays, so much skill and effort, just because it's made digitally doesn't mean it doesn't take skill or effort. Movies still take years to make, just like these ones, you just have your head too far up your nostalgic ass to see it.

[@rainerfantasie9573]

I remember I had a big book with pictures and stories about all these models and puppets and stuff. Lost it someday and I still regret it todya.

[@ryansmukala7618]

As a kid watching both these and the prequels as they came out, I was completely in love with the action and story. Still am. But now that I’m older I’m finding myself more and more obsessed with the amazing small scale models they made, miniature sets, and even the large scale sets they create. I just think the model making is so cool and detailed and I’m so fascinated by set design, especially for these movies. I saw the special features for the last Jedi, and they showed the set they created for the ancient tree catching fire bit and it’s so amazing how they can make it look like the real place (the island where the setting was originally at). I really appreciate the detailing and the creation of it all.

[@CinemaGulp]

Watching this is so amazing. It is night and day from the Revenge of the Sith VFX doc. That is all computer generated everything. This shows the true craftsmanship and creativity working on this scale before the days of CGI. Its truly fascinating.

[@Megafauna1]

That cartoon isn't too bad for having been in the Holiday Special.

[@MadChristoph]

I know, it introduces us to Boba Fett

[@devinwatson4594]

thanks

[@j.p.vangordon9876]

It was when the baby Wookie was watching a video... it was the VERY FIRST TIME that anyone saw the Boba Fett character...

[@RedwihteGame]

I love this! I love, love, love, LOVE this! Legendary trilogy, hope it’ll live on in the future

[@henmich]

Tippett and Johnston inspired me to get into the business of visuals and art. Thank you so much for the inspiration.

[@Mike-tv9rk]

I watched star wars at a birthday party. Drinking ketchup out of the bottle under a coffee table. That's how young I was. Empire came much later. But Rotj was my first cinema viewing. And every moment it etched onto my grey matter. I had no idea how long I took to make a scout walker trip on some logs. But at 50 (nearly) years old it's a revelation as to the effort of those who did 😢

[@PSNmemoryismisery]

Most of this is WAY better than some of the bad CGI w see today. I love the old effects making methods I grew up with.

[@Hammern28]

I find that the AT AT hull, main body, resembles a WWII German King Tiger quite a bit.

[@alanbrownrigg3149]

Also the interior of the ATST looks like the interior of a Tiger with all the padded sections on the wall and ceiling

[@-thebatman-]

so much better than the sequel trilogy

[@ultrazazzon]

It's absolutely amazing that all the cool things from the original trilogy were all practical effects. The AT-AT bit was so cool. The sheer amount of time/effort that went into that must have been huge but it's so so so worth it because they give Star Wars the Star Wars feel.

[@Stuart3844]

Watching this was a great antidote for the new episodes. Took me right back to why I love(d) SW so much. This purveys the magic which was there in the original series. Loved it

[@AngelCatBaby]

I love how all the effects have come out with these models, and I truly love the Millennium Falcon the most....it would be a very practical ship for space travel...in my opinion, the design is perfect for it...everything in the Universe itself, is either round or an oval/oblong shape in form...nothing is actually square.....HIGH 5 to those who were putting it all together....sometimes something comes good out of something not really planned upon....LOL

[@overklift]

"That ship was built real quick and became Iconic, who would have known?" Nah, It's not Iconic, it's the most beautiful peace of art someone has ever made that happened to also be a spaceship.

[@sfcd4757]

They should have kept the cameras and filmed all the movies in the same manner. That would have been outstanding. Limited CGI. I challenge anyone to film this way in 2020

[@TheKisj]

Christopher nolan is going pretty hard on practical effects in his movies

[@RafaCoutinho_]

The thing that makes Star Wars great is the unorthodox style of things. Crazy to think this movie came out in 1977.

[@sergiodjf]

Those guys were very ingenious! Building computer-based camera systems from scratch when computers were not readily available. Lots of respect for that art work! 👏💯

[@solusquatro3448]

Stop motion is sculpting in space and time.

[@TheRowlandstone73]

Man, I really miss that Sy Snootles puppet (53:03) and the original song used in that scene, as the 'Special Edition' song and all-CG characters are complete and utter arse gravy!

[@UNITEWAD]

Word.

[@JamminJedi]

Look up Harmy's Despecialized.

[@damionchrist]

Thank God for Harmy! It's literally the only known way to watch the original theatrical versions in HD 1080p, I got em!!

[@UNITEWAD]

Word.

[@Cr4z3d]

+DamionChrist Well, there's also the Silver Screen Edition for at least ANH now, which is a restoration of the actual 35mm print.

[@jameshernandez5766]

I was watching the latest Spiderman movie and it was like a Saturday morning with all the CGI. The original Star Wars movies were the best. Modeling making and crafting at its finest.

[@devinwatson4594]

thank you

[@skipads5141]

1:16 I love when he jumps out of the land speeder hovering in air it bounces like old '50s car suspension.

[@arnoldronning5471]

It still astonishes me how the "old fashioned' model effects sometimes achieve a greater veracity than slick CGI. I think special FX might actually have peaked when the old and the new technology were able to complement one another (model work and CGI combined). I am amazed that most of the Death Star scenes were actually matte paintings. My hat goes off to the artist(s).

[@TheHairyBeastie]

RIP Princess Leia, a little piece of our childhood dies with you.

[@generalralph6291]

Carrie Fisher will always be my princess!

[@peckenhamm123]

It's crazy how similar the animated Luke and the CGI Clone Wars Anakin look

[@sketchenopt5084]

I love the use of miniatures in older movies like BTTF and star wars, I think it looks better than CGI even with our new technological advances, but that is simply my opinion.

[@petertremblay3725]

As a cg artist i can tell you that cg is soulless and there is no way to fix that ever.

[@kevinsupreme_ph36yearsago59]

CGI can look real as practical effects but it will cost so much money to make them, on the other hand it's easier to achieve realistic vfx using miniature models *(because their real objects infront of a camera)* & there more affordable, they're the best option for low budget movies.

[@PoofOfLogic]

I'll take the incredible models and miniatures that these guys created over CGI any day of the week...Aside from just looking more real, there's something cool about knowing these ships and vehicles really exist, regardless of size...I used to enjoy watching the Behind the scenes ILM documentaries almost as much as the films themselves...really cool stuff.

[@dernvader6876]

They had a special display at the Marin County Civic Center one time of all the Star Wars stuff, they had all the ship models from the films and costumes and everything, the costumes were especially cool to see in person and the real size of them... that was really cool.

[@fookutube501]

My uncle was one of the general hand in the art department on star war,he said saw alot of the ships and model being thrown out or destroy..He said he would have save them if he had a truck to move them,bet you they would be worth alot now