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 24th November 2007
Dear Diary,
The Star Wars Experience – The Phantom Menace – 1999
During at the end of Starship Troopers we were all hearing that we were going to work on the NEW Star Wars. Everyone was looking forward to be a part of it. I was excited and ecstatic!
It was the movie to be on, the new Star Wars film was finally here. Steve Gawley, one of the original pioneers was going to supervise it. I was thrilled. Steve is a long time friend and we look at each other as brothers. I’m his little brother. We look the same but he is 6’2″. I’m 5’6″.
At least he doesn’t call me his mini-me.
With Episode One I was ready for a rollercoaster ride and that’s what it was. Working on any Star Wars film is like jumping on a sanding belt at high speed. Keep your feet running and don’t trip! Keep your skills and quality or work in a high level at all times. Just work fast but don’t screw up. I was ready for it. I have a fast personality – I was set.
Little did I know I was able to use every interest in my career. Sculpting, model making, painting, creature making and character makeup. It is so wonderful to know now that I contributed all those things to Star Wars.
THE PHANTOM MENACE CONTRIBUTIONS
Painting small scale (low-res) pods – crew
Building small scale pods – crew
C-3P0 Puppet Fabrication – crew
Pod Hanger set – crew
Building large scale pods – crew
Built all the Pod binders for the large scale Pods – crew
Battle Droids crew
Battle Droid Blaster – I did all
Destroyer Droids – crew
Theed statues sculptures (Humans) – sculpted all
Jedi Senate sculptures (Jockametie style) – crew
Ben Quad’s hands – close up shot I did all
Beggar’s Canyon – crew
Waldo’s Grade – crew
Ramp at Grade – crew
Mos Espa Arena – crew / Rocks crew/ all the little dwellings I did all
Federation Landing ship – crew
Naboo Swamp – crew
Dud Bolt puppet – sculpted and painted
Mars Duo puppet – crew
Bib Fortuna – makeup with assistant
Aurra Sing guns – I did all
Aurra Sing – Makeup crew
Orn Free Ta – with Assistant
IN THE MOVIE AS A CHARACTER
Pod Racer (Mawhonic) – During the race I get bumped by Sebulba and crash and die in the rocks.
Horax Ryder (Bonehead) – Outside talking to Lorne Peterson
Senate members – As a human, Rodian, Ishi Tibb
Mos Espa Arena observer
