May 11, 1999 - For Rick McCallum, it has been four and a half very long years. Nothing could stop them from shooting this movie. Not even freakish storms which could decimate a city. (At least one built for a movie.)
In tonite's chat session at Talk City, McCallum recounted what it was like to work with George Lucas, the impact that the Internet has had on the reception of The Phantom Menace, etc. The session started at around 5:30pm PST.
He was joined at 6pm by Ahmed Best, the actor behind the computer-generated character Jar Jar Binks.
Talk City used a chat engine which was Java-powered on the browser side. Some tidbits from the conversation...
Audience: What message do you hope the audience will contemplate after viewing Episode 1?
McCallum:
That's a good question!
This first episode is an introduction to all the characters. We know
what happens to Anakin, we don't know how or why. Episodes 2 and
3 will reveal this in a very dramatic context which I think will
be unbearable for most viewers. So to answer that, I think the
questions that we'll be asking are "Why do we do the things we do
that hurt other people?"
Is it our environment? Is it our genetic encoding? Is it ego?
Narcissism? Pride? Lack of compassion? Why do we hurt other
people and what are the consequences are some of the things we'll
be exploring in episodes 2 and 3.
Audience: Rick, Lucas recently said he was sorry that the 'hype' for Phantom Menace got 'out of hand'. Why do you think the hype is so intense?
McCallum:
I think it's because of two things:
One: the event itself is almost bigger than the movie itself.
There is a real need in people to have a collective experience
at a theater. It rarely ever happens. It's something we usually
associate with a rock concert or a nightclub but never at the movies
itself. I also think that the film is very transgenerational.
It appeals to everyone of all ages.
The second reason is that I think for the first time technology has
converged to a point where the Internet is such a powerful forum
for people to express their views and opinions. I think that the
hype really started on the Internet and has been building in a way
that none of us ever expected or hoped for. It's nothing that we
can control, let alone manage.
But since there's such a great lovefest out there, I can't help
but stand back in awe and amazement.
Audience: Where did you find Ray Park?
McCallum:
We originally looked for an actor who would be physical and who
could do a lot of the stunt work. That search became fruitless
after a couple of months. Nick Gillard, our stunt coordiantor,
one day brought in Ray and had the Darth Maul makeup applied.
Then he brought Ray down to see George and I, and do one of the
fight routines, and we were just amazed by the physical presence
and the incredible palate.
He's also the easiest guy you could ever work with. We hired
him instantly on the spot to play Darth Maul.
Audience: In ten years will we be able to watch the episodes 1-6 and still get the same effect?
McCallum: Yes! George always designed the films to be completely inter-related thematically. I can't wait for the day in the near future when I can sit down and watch either in a theater or on DVD chapters 1-6 all at one time. To see the whole twelve hour saga of the family I think will be an incredible experience.
At 6pm PST, Ahmed Best joined the conversation.
Audience: Could you tell us how you became a part of Star Wars... how did you get the part of Jar Jar Binks?
Best: That's a long, long tale! I was performing on stage in San Francisco doing the show called Stomp. Robin Gurland who was the casting director saw me on stage in Stomp and asked me to audition for Star Wars. I auditioned, and for some reason they took me.
Audience: Can you tell us about the auditions for it please?
Best: The first audition I did was me and the casting director just going through some improvisational movement and a little kind of onscreen audition. The second audition was with George and Rick and we were at ILM and I was wearing a very revealing motion capture suit. And George just had me walk around a bit... and then said thank you and he left. A couple of months later I got a phone call asking me to be in this.
McCallum: He got the part after the first audition.
Best: I did? That's really a great boost!
Audience: Mr. Best? I'm finding Jar Jar to be very funny. Do you act as zany as he comes across on the screen?
Best: I am zany! I'm wacky and all those other adjectives...that's me... It was kind of hard for the Jedi's though. They couldn't stop laughing!
Audience: Ahmed - how do you like being an action figure now that they are out in stores?
Best:
I like it! I just wish they looked more like ME! :-)