Author: Elliot

Interview: Colin Jackman, Key Sculptor with Lucasfilm’s Creature Department

Colin Jackman Interview
Image Credit: Cinefex

Behind every great creature of the Star Wars universe, there are plenty of humans working hard to make them believable for the audience, even if the character might only appear for a few moments on screen. Given how much details goes into even the most minor of background aliens, it’s no surprise one of the creatures could go on to have a giant fan following no matter their screen time. If you’re curious to learn more regarding behind-the-scenes details for the creation of said creatures, specifically those from the most recent of films The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, then we here at the Manor have a treat for you. Thanks to some connections by Elliot (his network of spies rivals that of only the Bothans, pre-Death Star II of course), we managed to get an interview with Colin Jackman, a sculptor and special effects man who’s not only worked with Lucasfilm on TFA and Rogue One, but has a long list of projects including Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World, Harry Potter, Band of Brothers…and then some. Together Ryan and Elliot cooked up some questions for Colin (though both Qs & As got looked at by Lucasfilm so don’t go expecting any scoops on upcoming films like The Last Jedi), and his answers are full of insightful looks behind the curtains of creatures like Grummgar from TFA and Bistan and Pao from Rogue One, how to have calm under fandom pressure, and advice for anyone looking to get into the field. Check out our interview with Colin Jackman below! Continue reading “Interview: Colin Jackman, Key Sculptor with Lucasfilm’s Creature Department”

Documentary Reviews: Elstree 1976 & I Am Your Father

Documentary Reviews Elstree 1976 and I Am Your Father

The making of the original Star Wars trilogy is stock full of adventure and pitfall nearly as famous as the on screen antics of Luke, Han and Leia. The telling of these behind the scenes stories is a crowded space (see for instance J.W Rinzler’s outstanding Making Of series) with newer additions sadly often treading familiar ground. It’s encouraging then to see a handful of documentary filmmakers looking for more obscure tales from those who may have been on the Star Wars set only for a day, or for a couple of weeks, but who nonetheless have carved their own little slice of history and have the scars to prove it. Continue reading “Documentary Reviews: Elstree 1976 & I Am Your Father”

Soundtrack Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One A Star Wars Story Soundtrack Review

(I met Elliot Marsh and his wife Felicia at Celebration Anaheim in 2015 and managed to stay in contact despite them living across the pond in England. At Celebration Europe 2016 I got to spend some good quality time with these two wonderful Star Wars fans and have been good friends with them ever since. This is Elliot’s first post for the Manor!)

It’s still a bit of a mystery why Academy Award winning composer Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The King’s Speech) was suddenly removed from his duties on Rogue One in September 2016, just three months before the movie opened. Whatever the reason given (and “scheduling difficulties” was the official explanation offered by Lucasfilm) Desplat’s replacement Michael Giacchino (Lost, Star Trek Into Darkness) apparently had only four and a half weeks to compose his Rogue One score. His musical challenge: to answer the same question no doubt also then burdening director Gareth Edwards – how to break new ground in the Star Wars franchise with these standalone movies, without alienating a passionate fanbase?  Continue reading “Soundtrack Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”