podcast

Today I’m talking to Juan-Luis Sanchez, visual effects artist who worked on clothing, digital stand-ins and so much more for Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.

From working at Industrial Light and Magic to trying his hand at the sound stages, Mr. Sanchez’s time in the VFX industry is full of incredible stories and equally incredible passion.

(He also stood in for Count Dooku’s hands … so just buckle in for a fascinating conversation.)

For more information about his work, both visual effects and not, head to www.juanluis.com or follow him on Twitter at @juanluissays. Next week, we’re talking to Gold Leader …

Alan Harris is perhaps most famous for portraying one of the most iconic aliens in Star Wars: the fearsome bounty hunter Bossk, in The Empire Strikes Back.

However, he had roles in each of the Original Trilogy, as well as returned to the saga briefly, two decades later, to appear in The Phantom Menace. From being the first person to wear a Boba Fett costume (now the famous white “Prototype Fett“) to becoming the mold for Han Solo in Carbonite, Mr. Harris’ contributions to the saga are both so surprising and so important.

Thank you to Zachery McGinnis from Galactic Productions for coordinating this interview. Check out his website for the latest appearances and celebrity autographs: http://www.galacticproductionsevents.com/

Today I’m talking to Jock, who not only is one of the best comic book artists in the world, but also was one of the Costume Concept Designers of The Last Jedi.

From Luke Skywalkers’ hermit gear and Crait robes to General Organa’s collar to Rey’s poncho, we go through the process of so many of the iconic outfits he helped to design. So pull out your The Art of the Last Jedi and follow along as we go page-by-page through the creation of DJ, Rose Tico, Resistance Bombers and so much more.

For more information about Jock’s upcoming projects, please visit www.4twenty.co.ukor follow him at www.twitter.com/jock4twenty

And pick up the retrospective on his career thus far, in this incredible book from our friends at Insight Editions: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Jock-Will-Dennis/dp/1608878058

In this episode, I’m talking to one of my favorite current Star Wars authors, Mr. Jason Fry, who not only wrote the incredible novelization of The Last Jedi, but has been contributing to the universe for many, many years.

Learn more about how Incredible Cross-Sections are put together and find out the details behind Luke’s wife, Han Solo’s funeral and deleted scenes of the Master Codebreaker. (I also, of course, had to bring up the re-canonization of Dash Rendar at the end of the episode.)

For more information about Mr. Fry’s upcoming projects, please visit www.jasonfry.net or follow him at www.twitter.com/jasoncfry

To read more about The Jupiter Pirates (which you definitely should), visit: www.jupiterpirates.com

Today’s conversation is with one of the most formative voices in Star Wars, as we know it today, Mr. Bill Slavicsek, writer, game designer and Creative Director for West End Games and Wizards of the Coast.

From naming alien creatures like Ithorians, Quarrens and Sullastans to shaping what we now consider to be the “voice” of Star Wars, we take a fascinating look at the early Expanded Universe and the journey from the sourcebooks to The Clone Wars and Rebels.

If I didn’t gush enough about his memoir, Defining a Galaxy, below are links to purchase both the physical and digital copies in the description. It is truly worth your read.

Physical: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/249649/Defining-A-Galaxy

Digital (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Defining-Galaxy-Bill-Slavicsek-ebook/dp/B07JYPZTV9

So, I did something dumb.

When The Academy announced a panel featuring Marcia Lucas (!!!!), Ben Burtt (!!!!), John Dykstra, Dennis Muren, John Knoll, Harrison Ellenshaw (TB94 Episode 18), Richard Edlund(TB94 Episode 19) and many more … I bought a ticket. And then it sold out.

The event was in Los Angeles on a Thursday and I, well, live in Dallas. So I booked a flight, flew out to California and ended up having the time of my life.

Here’s a fun, quick listen about my trip, both my experience and some snippets from the panel. It is probably the closest I’ll ever actually get to getting Marcia Lucas on this show.

And definitely check out The Academy and all of the great events they are doing: https://www.oscars.org

Today I’m talking to Troy Denning, author of so many classic Star Wars novels, including Star by Star, Tatooine Ghost, the Dark Nest Trilogy and a ton more.

From the New Jedi Order bible to the deaths of Anakin Solo and Darth Caedus, we take a trip back to the Expanded Universe for some behind-the-scenes stories.

For more information about his latest novels and upcoming appearances, follow him on Twitter at @TDenningAuthor. His upcoming HALO book, Oblivion, is coming out this fall and can be pre-ordered here: https://www.amazon.com/HALO-Oblivion-Master-Chief-Story/dp/1982114762

Today I’m talking to Bill Kimberlin, who started at Industrial Light & Magic as a Visual Effects Editor on Return of the Jedi, working alongside Ken Ralston, on the infamous SB-19 shot … dubbed the most complicated VFX shot in motion picture history

We go through the history of ILM, the stories behind the movies and we even get into the Back to the Future sequels, which shouldn’t be a surprise if you know me at all.

For more of his stories, and to see some of the incredible pictures, drawings and scans we were discussing during the episode, check out his book, Inside the Star Wars Empire: A Memoir: https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Star-Wars-Empire-Memoir/dp/1493032313

This is my conversation with Kevin J. Anderson, one of the most prolific Star Wars authors of all time. From the beginnings of the expanded universe to Darksaber and the Young Jedi Knights series, we really go through the history of those original Bantman books.

And we talk some Dune, of course.

His latest epic novel, Spine of the Dragon came out on June 4, 2019 and is available anywhere books are sold. https://www.amazon.com/Spine-Dragon-Wake-1/dp/1250302102

For upcoming appearance information, as well as his next releases, head to www.wordfire.com

Today we’re talking with Mike Quinn, puppeteer and creature performer. From Jabba the Hutt’s eyes to Sy Snootles to Nien Nunb returning and then surviving to the end of The Last Jedi, we talk about it all.

I’ve been wanting Mr. Quinn on the show since the very beginning so it is SO exciting to have him on today. Check out his website: http://www.quinnzonestudios.com/

And pre-order Mr. Quinn’s auto-biography now: http://secretsofpuppetry.com/talk-to-the-hand/