George Lucas Struggles to Reinvent Himself 370
GuyMannDude writes "Wired has a lengthy article about what lies ahead for George Lucas. Originally a member of a maverick group of young filmmakers who were at odds with the thinking and methods of the major studios, he has now become the most financially successful director in history by marketing the ultimate popcorn fodder. With the Star Wars saga ending, Lucas now struggles with how to reinvent himself." I imagine it will be hard to get away from Star Wars, given that he's producing television shows set in the fictional universe.
Clones, Myths and Prizes (Score:5, Interesting)
and He estimates that he gave two decades of solid work to Star Wars, not including a hiatus to raise three adopted kids as a single father.
Obviously the time has come for payback from his fans.
How many young Star Wars couples would be willing to raise their very own George Lucas Love Clone?
Come on, George. Donate some nuclei. Leave the midichlorian, er, mitochondrian DNA to the egg donor.
Face it -- its the right thing to do.
Bit serially, this guy has done a lot for digital cinema and his accumulated capital seems most appropriately put to use cultivating young talent. The academic cinema schools where he and his contemporaries got their start just aren't what they used to be but he could certainly help advance the state of the art in home "home schooled" digital movie production.
This would get kids in the hinterlands producing movies from their own myths, starting from the same age Spielberg was when he first got a hold of a movie camera.
Probably the best way to do it would be to get together with someone like John Carmack and define a series of prize awards for technologies that are critical to bringing the cost of movie production down.
Re:Clones, Myths and Prizes (Score:2)
Shouldn't that read, "Clothes, Misses, and Pizzas?" as his wealth increases?
Re:Clones, Myths and Prizes (Score:5, Funny)
Michael Jackson already tried that, and look where it got him.
It's obvious what he's going to do (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:It's obvious what he's going to do (Score:5, Insightful)
But I don't believe it.
Look at the way he lives. Watch any of the biographies on him. He has never been someone in it for the money. See Donald Trump for an example of how someone in it for the money lives. George could afford a wildly lavish lifestyle. But he doesn't live it.
All the money goes back into the process. ILM. THX. Skywalker Sound. LucasArts. Etc. He likes the job. He likes creating stuff. He likes being a part of new filmmaking technology. That's what he is in it for.
I'll readily agree that he isn't necessarily very good at making movies. At least, not at making good movies. But he hit it big with Star Wars (ANH), and has leveraged it to continute doing what he likes. Fox studios would do anything to get 7-9 made, but it isn't their decision. They gave that right to Lucas back in the 70s.
Maverick young film-makers. (Score:3, Insightful)
isn't this just the way it goes?
the counter-culture becomes the over-the-counter culture.
Maybe we could get those hinterland kids to produce Jar-Jar cups for taco bell, or Obiwan Bobble heads for your car..
Re:Clones, Myths and Prizes (Score:5, Insightful)
You mean, like a DV camcorder and a PC?! Or custom flash animations? Or Machinima? Or an Intel 'Play' ($100 or less at toy stores everywhere)?
Seriously, someone emailed me a 1-minute, 20-frame animated gif that made me laugh myself silly (google 'lord-of-the-rings really-really'). Napoleon Dynamite (a so-so flick) cost $60,000. 401-the-movie (or whatever that homebrew flick was called) was done by two guys in a garage. Whether you go gonzo and buy old gear (early video toasters are STUPID cheap on ebay, for the capability they have) or buy new consumer/hobbyist gear (toys or personal gear), you can create stuff easily nowadays. And once done, between burnable discs, torrents and viral marketing and websites, good material can be distributed more easily than ever, too.
The difference between a damn-funny personal movie and commercial cinema isn't in the creativity (the writing, editing, acting, etc). It's all the details. I judged a regional film fest last year, and the judges instinctively 'cut slack' to beginner projects. If the content is good, everyone tolerates cut corners. But, once there's money to be made, you have to go back and reshoot, paying attention to the details.
Until the goal is truly going commercial, people can do amazing stuff just using COTS gadgetry and a PC. The capability is there sixteen different ways to sundown. Hell, people can do cool stuff in freakin' Powerpoint, as David Byrne demonstrated last year.
I'm sure there are technical hardware improvements possible. But they're not the barrier. Competitions or websites giving these airtime/attention, busted copyright laws (it should be legal/cheap (via compulsory licensing?) to co-opt content like LOTR RRSE does) and desire and experience are about the only impediments.
The Details (Score:3, Interesting)
Well then this seems to be a good starting point.
I don't expect you to answer this here but the question becomes, "What are the common characteristics of these 'details' that suck up the most time and energy?"
Computers are good at being indefatigable -- so where can they help with detail work? It seems they could help a lot if you could better characterize it.
Re:The Details (Score:5, Informative)
The *details* are the zillion budget items for a movie: sets, lighting, sound, special effects, costumes, makeup, etc etc etc. They're manpower-intensive, use specialized gear, and perfection in these crafts only comes with experience. Otherwise, the audience will notice.
Every one of the 200 names that go zinging past at a movie's end represents a category of details important enough that the show hired a specialist. Small, indy films cut corners on these, but that just means people try to do several jobs at once, and at some point the audience will start to notice.
So, if you wanna do things right, you hire some help. Once you grow beyond a team of a few people, start planning a la Brooks' mythical man-month, where each sixth person needs a manager. That gets fun, because the boss role is split between some guy too distracted to care about half of the details (the director) and people hired to handle these details as transparently as possible. Add in accountants and schedulers and people to round up the crafts needed or get bids for the work being done, etc. Even on a good day, it really starts to look like a wierdass engineering project by the time you're done. Once costs stretch the budget (and they will, whether you're doing Titanic or a documentary) throw in someone obsessed with budget (producer). If you're sadistic, imagine the worst-case of the conflict between director and producer.
Then, do everything on insane interdependent timelines: sets can take weeks to assemble, and hours to touch up before filming. Makeup often starts at 4am, there's a continual flow of 'plan shot, make adjustments to fit plan, shoot, repeat', so that actors are sometimes only onstage for a few hours total spaced over as much as a 16-hour day, and in addition to the crafts, security, catering, medics, etc. are all needed to help all these people throughout that long day. Add external factors (weather, lost gear, changes in story, disappearing cast members).
The end result is fairly inefficient, with dozens of people waiting for their next task, but billing for the whole day. Spending rates soar, but each person you remove causes tiny gaps and mistakes or slows things down immensely. A director pausing to review a shot also means everyone else is pausing to wait for him. But not pausing could mean rebuilding the set, flying actors back in, etc. when a shot is deemed unworkable...
I don't see gadgets *solving* a lot of this. And as they do, new complications are introduced. For example, DV allows better immediate-review capability than film. That saves $$$loads$$$ on film, but increases the chance for delays. Sound gear gets better, but audience expectations increase. Special effects are a never-ending race with audience expectations, too.
Re:Clones, Myths and Prizes (Score:5, Funny)
For the lazy...lord-of-the-rings really-really" [badnewsonline.com]
Re:Clones, Myths and Prizes (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Clones, Myths and Prizes (Score:3, Insightful)
I fully agree with your summation here. I am doubtful, however, that he'll succeed in this effort. This is the dream of any aged artist. Oh, if Metallica could record another album of the caliber of "Kill 'em All"!! Or if Slayer could create another "Reign in Blood." Or the Beastie Boys could revisit "Paul's Boutique" again.
They can't. Maturity and success has fogged their third eye. It's only a very rare breed of successful arti
New outlet (Score:5, Funny)
Re:New outlet (Score:2, Funny)
Re:New outlet (Score:5, Funny)
Eww.
Re:New outlet (Score:3, Funny)
Re:New outlet (Score:2, Funny)
Still, there are possibilities [netfunny.com]...
Re:New outlet (Score:3, Funny)
Re:New outlet (Score:3, Interesting)
If Lucas is stuck in a rut, it's his own doing. He's put out so much crap based on his original three pieces of crap alm
Re:New outlet (Score:2)
Visited here [scummvm.org] lately?
Hate to burst your bubble... (Score:2)
You may claim you can take it or leave it, but you really do project a sort of disappointed wistfulness about the subject. Maybe you just expected too much?
As far as his vanishing goes - all in good time. To my knowledge, we all die sometime. Till then, we may as well have some options. New talent will emerge with the
Re:Hate to burst your bubble... (Score:3, Funny)
I, for one, will believe that statement well after he's:
released the E1-E3 DVD Box Set
released the E1-E3 Collector DVD Box Set
released the E1-E6 Super Collector DVD Box Set
released the Remastered E1-E6 Super Collector DVD Box Set
released the E1-E6 Ultimate-Jedi DVD Box Set with Extra Wookie
dead and buried
Even then, I would hesitate to purchase a box set on account of him screwin
George: Tell Smaller Stories (Score:5, Insightful)
And as another poster mentioned American Graffiti was quite good, with the very, very young Harrison Ford. Maybe what he needs to do is rewatch American Graffiti, which is a very different movie from everything else he's done. That's a whole non-scifi/fantasy career track he abanandoned 30+ years ago he could revisit. Perhaps he should stop trying to tell big stories and tell little ones instead.
See the wookie making whoopie! (Score:2)
And I don't want to talk about Empress Amigdala. (You do kno where your amigdala is located, dontcha?)
Too bad Han's solo...
Re:See the wookie making whoopie! (Score:2)
Yea. Talk about fuckin' wich ur mind. (Score:2)
Re:New outlet (Score:3, Funny)
That's just wrong. You need to get some therapy quick, cuz ... damn!
But I know there were some deleted scenes between Jabba and the Princess.
You know what they say, "Once you go Hut, you never", uh, never mind.
My appointment is at 4.
Re:New outlet (Score:3, Funny)
Wasn't Jabba played by Sally Strothers?
That would make it a lesbian sex fest!
But I doubt few here would complain.
Re:New outlet (Score:3, Funny)
Really? I thought it was either Elizabeth Taylor or Oprah Winfrey. I suppose I could figure it out if I'd look up the different sizes of Jabba and googled a bit . .
hawk
Re:New outlet (Score:5, Funny)
Star wars porn without leia? (Score:2)
Re:New outlet (Score:3, Funny)
Not for the first time, either (Score:5, Insightful)
Do what the other bazillionaires are doing... (Score:3, Interesting)
re-invent (Score:4, Funny)
Re:re-invent (Score:2, Insightful)
From TFA: (Score:3, Informative)
He could always reinvent his movies.
Looks like you'll get your wish! Greedo firing first in 3D! Maybe the new version will have Solo dodging the shot in Matrix-esque bullet time!
GMD
Re:re-invent (Score:2)
Shooting... first or second? (Score:3, Funny)
What!? (Score:2, Funny)
GL is working for Fox News?!
More Sequels (Score:5, Funny)
Forget that... (Score:2)
Seriously. Take the pre-composite footage of the confrontation with Bavmorda (sp?), replace with current effects technology, re-release. Instant club hit.
That, or Lucas can do what he did with Star Wars (the best of which he didn't direct) - write and direct a shitty prequel that totally taints the setting?
Oh, wait. He screwed that one over with a sequel [amazon.com]. In book form, anyway.
Re:More Sequels (Score:4, Informative)
That's nothing (Score:3, Funny)
Re:More Sequels (Score:3, Funny)
Coming next summer: Clean, American Walls!
Soon afterwards, we'll see a "re-release" of the original movie. Of course, Ron Howard will drive a flying car in this one because that's really what Lucas wanted all along. And Harrison Ford's bit character will be replaced by a computer-generated, talking duck. And Wolfman will be-- get this-- an actual Wolf-Man! This is going to be great!
Its the sad truth (Score:5, Insightful)
Unfortunately he made the huge mistake of trying to be director again, instead of just a producer. IMHO, the best Star Wars movies where episodes V and VI, both of which he didn't direct.
Maybe he could come up with something totally new and awe inspiring with SOME story this time. Gone are the days where eye candy was enough to make a great hit.
Re:Its the sad truth (Score:4, Insightful)
Bull. Look at how much the "cleaned up" rereleases of IV-VI grossed. Look at what Ep2 grossed and how many people were all OMFG YODA LIGHT SABER FIGHT!!!!!!!!! The mere idea was fanservice. Pure eye candy. Straight up conceptual bullshit.
Oh, and that fanservice piece of CRAP grossed $649,476,740 worldwide.
Yeah, that doesn't beat Titanic but I'll be damned if the movie had anything I'd consider "redeeming" from a non eye-candy perspective. And Lucas is still rolling in dough.
Re:Its the sad truth (Score:3, Insightful)
Are you freaking serious? ROTJ was easily the worst movie of the original trilogy. In fact I'd say it battles it out with TPM for the worst movie in the series. The best thing I can usually say about it is that it resolves the series nicely, and episode III makes it much better.
What about re-releases? (Score:5, Funny)
Name something good by Lucas (Score:5, Insightful)
He isn't a great filmmaker. He isn't even a passable mass-market filmmaker. He's a guy who made a cult hit that happened to be a global hit.
And then he made a series with Spielberg.
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:3, Insightful)
The funny thing is, I watched the originals while growing up and thought they were fantastic. Now I think they're just crappy films that are fun to watch.
Maybe I'll think the same about the first three in 20 years time. No surely not!!!
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:2)
The area he's always been strong in, imo, is his ear for sound- Freiheit and THX-1138 come to mind. Not to mention the original Star Wars.
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:3, Insightful)
American Graffitti
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:5, Insightful)
THX-1138?
These were not good movies? Or do they just not count because they were made before you were born?
I'll admit, Lucas has had some real stinkers (Howard the Duck, Willow). And I've been less than impressed with Eps I and II. But I wouldn't write the guy off completely just yet. He did have some real talent once upon a time. Hopefully he can rediscover it.
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:2)
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:2)
Did you just say Howard the Duck and Willow were stinkers???
You, my friend, have no sense of humor!
Those movies are great in an "Evil Dead" kind of way.
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:3, Funny)
Howard was pretty fowl.
It's simply rediculous to have a pint sized non-human battling evil like that.
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:3, Interesting)
Realizing of course that a lot of this comes down to personal taste
Re:Name something good by Lucas (Score:5, Insightful)
Started the outfit that later spun off from his empire to create Pixar.
Owns the company that does sound work for most movies.
Say what you will about George and the Star Wars movies, He's actually made more of a contribution to filmmaking outside of the Star Wars franchise than within it.
Bring back Indy!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bring back Indy!! (Score:2)
now, why would he need harrision ford to make a totally fucked up indiana jones film?
Re:Bring back Indy!! (Score:4, Informative)
Innovation (Score:5, Informative)
American Grafiti, Episode 1) the Diaper years (Score:5, Funny)
Re:American Grafiti, Episode 1) the Diaper years (Score:4, Funny)
Hard to get away from star wars... (Score:2)
Anyway, I think Lucas does have a lot of strengths, it's just that coming up with an emotionally compelling story isn't one of them. What if he teamed up with existing sci fi writers and brought their stories to the screen? He would be a great producer, and then he could help find up-and-coming directors and authors.
great movies that no one wants to see (Score:5, Funny)
"I've earned the right to fail, which means making what I think are really great movies that no one wants to see."
This is in contrast to his previous strategy of making really bad movies that everyone wants to see.
Maverik Filmmaker? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Maverik Filmmaker? (Score:2)
Re:Maverik Filmmaker? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Oh! And Altman! (Score:3, Interesting)
Lucas is a maverick because he snubbed the studio system *and* the various Hollywood unions, including the Actor's and Director's Guild and made big-budget blockbuster *independent* films. (Lucas paid for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi from his profits from Star Wars; no studio backed him.)
The closest modern director would probably be Robert Rodriguez, especially considering his recent fight with th
reinvent a good idea (Score:3, Insightful)
To reinvent oneself, you have to create yourself in the first place. Star Wars was a culmination of his story ideas with actors and movie techniques that have never been seen before. This is the key to its success.
Unfortunately, time and time again when directors/actors/musicians get older and have kids, their creativity is geared toward kid-friendly productions that their own kids can watch or sing along with them. This G-rated kid-friendly mindset sometimes kills creativity. He needs to get back to his 1970s mindset where he had to create something that has never been seen/done/heard of before - and not worry about what his audience thinks. (easier said than done) The upcoming 3D Star Wars is a start, but it is still cashing in on an old idea. Anyway, good luck George!
That's easy! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:That's easy! (Score:3, Funny)
What lies ahead for George Lucas? (Score:2)
Digitally Remaster Himself (Score:4, Funny)
Earned the right... (Score:2)
"I've earned the right to fail, which means making what I think are really great movies that no one wants to see."
He actually decided to start doing this a few years ago...
Here we go, another "Lucas" bitchfest... (Score:3, Insightful)
Meanwhile, your hypocritical asses are the FIRST ONES IN LINE to shell out $$ to see the new movies... and you do it multiple times.
Maybe... (Score:3, Funny)
"This is how I always intended to look, but I didn't have the technology back then to make myself 7ft tall and partially translucent."
Changes in Movies (Score:2)
Lucas already said what he'll do... (Score:3, Interesting)
These would unlikely be sci-fci (his words not mine) and likely be dramas and, again in his own words, have exactly zero mass appeal. So, really niche films that are very unpopular or have radical thoughts or ideas wrapped into the narrative.
I don't know why he's chosen to do this. Unlike Speilberg and Schindler's List, he has no political or epic historical story to tell. I would say Schnidler's List is not exactly a mass market movie either.
If small indy film is where he wants to go back to, I think he should do it. He should become a professor at USC's film school. That is really what I think would give him the most happiness. Imagine the wait list for that course.
Re:Lucas already said what he'll do... (Score:3, Insightful)
The comparison to Vader in TFA seems to be an appropriate one. In the movies, Vader can't find redemption until his son comes along. In real life, it may be the heirs to his legacy who can redeem him from high-budget schlock.
No better way to court heirs to his legacy than by teaching.
Hm. (Score:2)
My impetus to read the article decreased after I realized my error.
Easy way to reinvent himself (Score:4, Funny)
He could fall into some lava and then come back as a mask-wearing, rich and powerful overlord who used to be noble but now only does things for his own personal gain.
Well, at least the MASK would be new.
Imaginative Work (Score:3, Informative)
Aren't there 9 Star Wars episodes (Score:3, Interesting)
Yes, the musical! (Score:3, Funny)
Saw him doing CGI, for a character that looked like mucas,
M-U-C-U-Mucus...
I saw the obese fuck in his valley of fog,
Asked him his name and in a raspy voice, he said "Lucas".
L-U-C-A-Lucas,
Lu-Lu-Lu-Lu Lucas...
Well I've been around, but I ain't never seen,
A guy who raped all our childhoods in a manner obscene,
Oh, George Lucas.
Lu-Lu-Lu-Lu Lucas...
And I'm not dumb, but I can't understand,
How Jar Jar and the Ewoks came from Emperor's Hand,
Oh, George Lucas.
Lu-Lu
Re:Step One... (Score:5, Insightful)
> these simple instructions.
This is getting annoying.
George Lucas doesn't read Slashdot, and he probably never will.
We're all sorry he did not use your saliva-encrusted fan fiction as the basis for his script for Episodes I-III, but millions of people enjoyed the movies anyway.
Comments such as yours and of the two dozen other minority ranters on Slashdot are getting irritating to no end. If you don't like the movies, fine -- click on Preferences, then click on Homepage, and de-select Star Wars. There! wasn't that easy?
I hope George Lucas makes Jar-Jar a freakin' Jedi Master in Episode III just to piss off the "George Lucas killed my childhood" crowd.
Re:Step One... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Step One... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Step One... (Score:5, Insightful)
You know, before I answer any more questions there's something I wanted to say. Having read all your posts over the years, and... I've spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled... y'know... hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a movie!
I mean, look at you, look at the way you're dressed! You've turned an enjoyable little job, that Lucas did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME! I mean, how old are you people? What have you done with yourselves?
You, you must be almost 30... have you ever kissed a girl? I didn't think so! There's a whole world out there! When I was your age, I didn't watch movies! I LIVED! So... move out of your parent's basements! And get your own apartments and GROW THE HELL UP! I mean, it's just a movie dammit, IT'S JUST A MOVIE!
I think that sums it up.
I say give the man a chance. (Score:5, Insightful)
Say what you want, but Lucas has always stuck to his guns over the years, creating HIS vision on the screen, not kowtowing what to a bunch of acned sci-fi dorks want to see. That takes integrity. Only time will tell if he can withstand the onslaught of attacks from lesser "fans" who probably never even filmed so much as a school play!
Re:I say give the man a chance. (Score:4, Funny)
Didn't that happen six years ago?
Re:Step One... (Score:2)
Re:Step One... (Score:3, Insightful)
Best "Matrix: Revolutions" review 3var!!!
Also, did you notice that the shot of Neo being carried off by the machines was a frame-for-frame rip-off of the Ohm hoisting up Nausicaa in Miyazaki's vastly superior work, "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind"?
Not to mention the final Neo vs. Smith showdown mirroring another superior film: "Dark City"... only without making sense in the context of the story.
Comment on Lucas to avoid the
Re:Step One... (Score:2)
Choice quote from TFA: "I've earned the right to fail, which means making what I think are really great movies that no one wants to see."
So yeah, I guess that's not going to happen anytime soon, if I had to make a guess. His denial is as deep as a root canal.
Re:Step Four/Join up with Kevin Smith (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, you've missed what he's really good at and what the article hints at - editing the film into something that is very watchable.
Lucas has an amazing ability as a visual and audible story teller. He has the ability to place the viewer in the middle of the scene and make them feel as if they are a part of it. It is important to note that he worries about the sound just as much as the picture and they do merge seamlessly together.
He's the anti-Kevin Smith. Lucas has saddled himself with a story that everybody knows how it is going to play itself out, but he has managed to create some visually entertaining pieces of film along the way. Smith is the opposite, when he's at the top of his game you don't know what to expect at the end, but you know you'll be entertained by the dialog and bored by static cameras four to six feet from the talent.
The idea of Lucas being the anti-Kevin Smith got me to wondering what you would get if they were to collaborate. Smith would provide the story, dialog and characters while Lucas would make the movie visually and aurally interesting.
Hmmm... Kevin, if you're reading this, have your people talk to my people and we'll talk.
myke
Re:Reinvent this... (Score:5, Funny)
M