*Update 8/17* New, previously unseen, high-quality video
Video 5 (60mb)
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Hey guys. I posted this on the 3po builders and wanted to share here too.
Recently, I was contacted by Lucasfilm because LucasArts (the gaming division) wanted a C-3PO suit for their Activision presentation in Australia. Well, all 4 of the existing suits are on display at various museums worldwide and weren't available. Mary Franklin contacted me and introduced me to Julio Torres, producer at LucasArts, but my suit was in the shop getting chromed and wouldn't be available in time (Coincidentally, the same shop in Los Angeles that chromed the original C-3PO's). Julio persuaded the shop to get it done faster, then LFL paid for the chroming of my suit. And everything else. With that out of the way, I got my passport and on Thursday 7/27 flew to San Francisco to meet at the Lucasfilm offices where my now-chromed Threepio was waiting to be assembled.
Julio set up a nice office for me to use and I went to work. When I was done, we got him all packed up for the long flight. Just as we were taping up the box, someone popped in and said, hey, the ILM R2 is upstairs, you should put it on and walk over to get some photos."
To quote Vader, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."
Unfortunately we were out of time and needed to head to the airport. The chroming turned out fantastic. I kept a journal so watch for that in an issue of Bantha Tracks in the near future. For now, I met some awesome folks, got a humongous bag of goodies, and best of all, a real, golden Threepio of my own.
When I was done, we flew to New Zealand and on to Sydney where I stayed on the 24th floor in the Shangri La hotel overlooking the harbor and the famous opera house. We had some rehearsals and Threepio appeared as "the special guest" for 2 different presentations. My appearance and gestures, combined with internal servo sound effects and a pre-recorded Threepio voiceover gave the illusion C-3PO was actually speaking and giving the presentation. It was awesome.
At the after-party Activision had called on the local 501st to make an appearance so they had Fett, a snowtrooper, stormtrooper, biker and Tie pilot. It was awesome to meet them - all of them looked really great.
More footage, news and pics coming soon I hope.
Here are my photos...
http://tinyurl.com/n4c9t
Some video. Video 1 was when I was awaiting my entrance to the second, larger presentation. Yes, that's the kitchen of the hotel, just outside the Grand Ballroom. You should have seen the staff with Threepio standing there. In video 2 (it's squashed because I had to rotate it and couldn't stretch it back out) you'll see my entrance to the first and smaller of the 2 presentations. They had me enter at such a distance that I had to get to the stage as fast as possible while the voice track was playing. That's why I'm walking so strangely. Also, maneuvering thru the staggered tables in a hurry was a nightmare. if you look close, I very nearly clock a guy in the head with my elbow - luckily he ducked. Video 3 shows another clip of the same presentation where I'm standing between to large screens showing the game-play video. Video 4, another short clip.
Video1 . Video2 . Video3 . Video4 .
I had an awesome time. The photos of me building 3po are actually at Lucasfilm offices at The Presidio.
Please post any questions, my brain is numb, but I wanted to share the pics with you as soon as I could.
Enjoy.
- Chris
Video 5 (60mb)
-------------------------------
Hey guys. I posted this on the 3po builders and wanted to share here too.
Recently, I was contacted by Lucasfilm because LucasArts (the gaming division) wanted a C-3PO suit for their Activision presentation in Australia. Well, all 4 of the existing suits are on display at various museums worldwide and weren't available. Mary Franklin contacted me and introduced me to Julio Torres, producer at LucasArts, but my suit was in the shop getting chromed and wouldn't be available in time (Coincidentally, the same shop in Los Angeles that chromed the original C-3PO's). Julio persuaded the shop to get it done faster, then LFL paid for the chroming of my suit. And everything else. With that out of the way, I got my passport and on Thursday 7/27 flew to San Francisco to meet at the Lucasfilm offices where my now-chromed Threepio was waiting to be assembled.
Julio set up a nice office for me to use and I went to work. When I was done, we got him all packed up for the long flight. Just as we were taping up the box, someone popped in and said, hey, the ILM R2 is upstairs, you should put it on and walk over to get some photos."
To quote Vader, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."
Unfortunately we were out of time and needed to head to the airport. The chroming turned out fantastic. I kept a journal so watch for that in an issue of Bantha Tracks in the near future. For now, I met some awesome folks, got a humongous bag of goodies, and best of all, a real, golden Threepio of my own.
When I was done, we flew to New Zealand and on to Sydney where I stayed on the 24th floor in the Shangri La hotel overlooking the harbor and the famous opera house. We had some rehearsals and Threepio appeared as "the special guest" for 2 different presentations. My appearance and gestures, combined with internal servo sound effects and a pre-recorded Threepio voiceover gave the illusion C-3PO was actually speaking and giving the presentation. It was awesome.
At the after-party Activision had called on the local 501st to make an appearance so they had Fett, a snowtrooper, stormtrooper, biker and Tie pilot. It was awesome to meet them - all of them looked really great.
More footage, news and pics coming soon I hope.
Here are my photos...
http://tinyurl.com/n4c9t
Some video. Video 1 was when I was awaiting my entrance to the second, larger presentation. Yes, that's the kitchen of the hotel, just outside the Grand Ballroom. You should have seen the staff with Threepio standing there. In video 2 (it's squashed because I had to rotate it and couldn't stretch it back out) you'll see my entrance to the first and smaller of the 2 presentations. They had me enter at such a distance that I had to get to the stage as fast as possible while the voice track was playing. That's why I'm walking so strangely. Also, maneuvering thru the staggered tables in a hurry was a nightmare. if you look close, I very nearly clock a guy in the head with my elbow - luckily he ducked. Video 3 shows another clip of the same presentation where I'm standing between to large screens showing the game-play video. Video 4, another short clip.
Video1 . Video2 . Video3 . Video4 .
I had an awesome time. The photos of me building 3po are actually at Lucasfilm offices at The Presidio.
Please post any questions, my brain is numb, but I wanted to share the pics with you as soon as I could.
Enjoy.
- Chris
