Rolling back the years once again we present Danny’s Diary, a series of articles written back in 2007 – 2008 and originally posted on Lightsabre.co.uk by ILM and Kerner Optical multi-tasker Danny Wagner.
Saturday 10th November 2007
Dear Diary,
The Star Wars Experience – Special Editions – 1997
Star Wars! Just the name says something. To some it means an awesome sci-fi movie they saw in 1977, and some say ‘Sorry, I’m a Trekkie’. Some jump in surprise and spring to attention at the words…as a true die-hard fan would do. As a special effects enthusiast and movie goer I loved it, and it did change my life, just like a lot of other effects people.
When I was the tender age on 10 I loved all that stuff. Special effects. I focused on the Stop-motion animation, model space ships, monsters and make-up effects. When Star Wars came out it had it all, and I mean all. Creatures, stop-mo, and models. I had no idea when I was older I would actually work on a Star Wars movie, even do all the stuff I was inspired to do. When the time came to do the new Star Wars films, for me and my comrades it was the special editions. But hey, I made it!
Right when the CGI was getting popular the ILM model shop was gearing up for the Star Wars – Special Editions project. I knew there wasn’t going to be a lot at first but it was Star Wars. As for the creature shop at ILM during that time, there were talents such as Howie Weed and Mark Siegel. They then moved over to the DARK SIDE as we call it – the CGI world.
Alongside Weed and Siegel, there were Richard Miller, Don Bies, Anna Bies, Carol Bauman, Nelson Hall, Scott McNamara, Wendy Morton, Victoria Lewis, Mike Jobe, Erik Jensen and Tony Peseado – sorry for the other talents I forgot to mention. Oh yeah and me! Boy, writing that way makes be feel like I’m at the bottom of the list, but we all know I’m not. RIGHT!? HELLO?!
