May 12, 1999 - How does innocence become evil? When Star Wars first came out in 1977, the audience understood Darth Vader to be the embodiment of evil. By the third film, we understood that there was still some good in him, and that he was still worthy of redemption. Now we meet him as a young kid, before destiny overtakes him.
In tonite's chat session at Talk City, producer Rick McCallum returned to discuss the filming of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. This time he was joined by Jake Lloyd, who plays the young Anakin Skywalker. The session started at around 5:30pm PST.
Some tidbits from the conversation...
Audience: Rick, did the actors (McGregor, Neeson, et al) have any difficulty adjusting to the green screen, acting with to-be-added-in CGI characters?
McCallum: At first, for the first couple days they did. But what we like to do is have the artwork on the set at all times, so they always know the backgrounds that will be behind them, and we do very sophisticated animatics, which allow them to see what the scene is like both before and after the one they are doing. So we do all we can to help them, and after a couple of days, they all got used to it, and enjoyed the experience, I think, because they got to develop new skills that they all know will be used in the future.
Audience: Was technology (ours, Not Star Wars) a help or a hindrance in producing "The Phantom Menace"?
McCallum:
Without our technology, we could never have made the film. It's
really only during the last two or three years where everything has
converged to a point where both the software, which is incredibly
sophisticated, and the hardware, very powerful now to render the
images we want, have come together. And it's at last becoming
affordable and cost-efficient.
Audience: Rick and Jake, did either of you get to take any mementos from the set? If so, what?
Lloyd: I got to keep my Jedi Knight costume. I don't think I will get to wear it much, though - I've pretty much grown out of it!
McCallum: Who gave you permission, Jake, to keep that costume?
Lloyd: You did!
McCallum: I did? Hey, I want it back! *grin* I didn't keep anything, but I wanted to.
Audience: Hi Jake! As you went about acting the part of young Anakin Skywalker, was your performance affected at all by knowing who Anakin would later become?
Lloyd: No, because for me, Darth Vader has always been a good guy. He had so many chances to kill Luke Skywalker, and never did. And he has a good heart, because he saved Luke, and killed the emperor, which was enough redemption right there.
Audience: Mr. McCallum, what was the most nostalgic and/or emotional scene to film, both for returning cast members like Anthony Daniel's, and new ones like Jake and Natalie?
McCallum: Well, I think the most emotional scene is when Anakin leaves his mother, and I think the most emotional scene for Anthony and Kenny Baker was just being back together after 16 years.
Audience: What was the first scene you filmed for "The Phantom Menace"? Were you nervous?
Lloyd:
The first scene I filmed was where Jar Jar and I are sitting
in the lounge room. I was nervous, but then everyone is on the
first scene. But I got over it quickly, and within two minutes,
it was gone.