Star Wars Celebration IV news

[Captain Hawke]

Source: Star Wars.com
Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles To Mark 30th Anniversary of Saga
May 26, 2006

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Gen Con LLC will throw the largest party ever for fans of the saga, taking over the entire Los Angeles Convention Center in May 2007 for five days filled with live entertainment, celebrities from all six movies, special film and video presentations, an exhibit of movie props and costumes, exclusive merchandise sold at a 24-hour-a-day store, pop culture tributes, immersive events, costume contests, and scores of additional activities.

Star Wars Celebration IV will fill the L.A. Convention Center from Thursday, May 24 to Monday, May 28, 2007. Admission to the first day of the event will be for worldwide members of the Official Star Wars Fan Club, many of whom will help plan and run special programming themselves. The convention will be open to the general public from Friday through Monday, Memorial Day.

"Generations of fans have loved Star Wars, many passing along the 'Star Wars gene' to their children," said Steve Sansweet, Director of Content Management and head of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm. "This is the first chance to celebrate all six movies in the saga-George Lucas' complete story-as well as the vibrant future of Star Wars. If you've ever been to one of our Celebrations-or if you haven't been before-this is the one not to miss."

Celebration III, a four-day event held in Indianapolis in April 2005, attracted more than 34,000 fans from all over the world. "We started getting questions about a possible Celebration IV even while the last convention was running," Sansweet noted. "So we're determined to far outstrip anything we've done before, both in size and scope, as well as introduce many first-time activities and lots of exclusives."

Lucasfilm is also working on other Star Wars-related events in the Los Angeles area just prior to Celebration IV, "so we're expecting Southern California to become 'Destination: Star Wars' from the weekend before through Memorial Day weekend," Sansweet said.

The convention announcement was made jointly by Lucasfilm Ltd. and Gen Con LLC. Gen Con will once again manage the convention on behalf of Lucasfilm and the Official Star Wars Fan Club. The Celebration IV announcement is being made a year in advance to give fans worldwide a chance to plan for a week-long "Destination: Star Wars" blow-out in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is the ideal site for a 30th Anniversary convention, Sansweet said, since there are many Star Wars roots in the area. It was also the location of the first official Star Wars fan gathering, the 10th Anniversary Convention. Star Wars opened on May 25, 1977, on just 32 theater screens in North America, including Grauman's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard.

One of the highlights for fans at a Star Wars convention is the chance to buy unique merchandise, including an exclusive, limited-edition action figure. Because this has led to bottlenecks and long lines in the past, the Celebration IV store will be bigger than ever, self-service, well-stocked with merchandise, have plenty of check-out lanes...and be open 24 hours a day from the opening of the show on Thursday until the close on Monday!

"Gen Con is thrilled to be working again with Lucasfilm on this very special event," said Peter Adkison, owner of Gen Con LLC, producer of Gen Con Indy and other Gen Con events. "Together I know that we will produce a convention that will not only meet, but exceed, fans' expectations. With Lucasfilm 100% behind this show, it's going to be the biggest party in the history of the franchise. We are particularly focused on dramatically improving the selection and service in the Celebration store."

Stay tuned to starwars.com as your primary source for updates about programming, guests, activities, entertainment and exclusive merchandise at Celebration IV to be released as they are confirmed closer to the convention. Online ordering for tickets to the event and for discounted hotel rooms is scheduled to begin late summer/early fall. There will also be information on getting around Los Angeles, traveling to and from the Convention Center, and on shuttle buses available for convention-goers who are staying in the city.

[haidee]

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO there with armor on!!!

[Captain Hawke]

Star Wars Celebration IV will feature screen celebrities whose careers span the entire 30 years of the Star Wars saga. The event, scheduled for May 24 -- 28, 2007 in the Los Angeles Convention Center, will offer fans a good long weekend for fun, autographs, and meeting the performers who portrayed their favorite characters of the 6-movie series.

Official Pix, provider of authentic, licensed Star Wars photos and autographs, plans to host a record number of guests in the Celebration Autograph Hall. In addition stars Carrie Fisher, and Anthony Daniels from the original trilogy, expect to meet an entire list of stars who will also be celebrating 30 years of Star Wars.

The original princess with an attitude, Carrie Fisher, will appear during the show weekend. Fisher will be greeting fans and signing autographs in the Celebration Autograph Hall, and is scheduled to appear on stage for an interview and a question and answer session. Best known by Star Wars fans for her role in the original trilogy, Fisher is also a successful stage, screen, and television performer, as well as a noted author and script doctor.

Anthony Daniels, the actor who has performed as the golden droid C-3PO in all six movies of the Star Wars saga, is slated to meet fans and sign autographs in the Celebration Autograph Hall all five days of the show, May 24 -- 28, and is scheduled to appear on stage as well. Daniels has been part of the Star Wars saga since the beginning, and has breathed endearing humanity and humor into his well loved, not-so-mechanical droid character.

Other autograph guests include:

Kenny Baker, R2-D2 in all six films of the saga: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.

Paul Blake, Greedo, A New Hope.

Richard Bonehill, Snowtrooper, Rebel soldier, tauntaun, The Empire Strikes Back.

Michonne Bourriague, Aurra Sing, The Phantom Menace

Michael Carter, Bib Fortuna, Return of the Jedi.

John Coppinger, Puppeteer, Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi.

Sean Crawford, Yak Face and Mon Calamari officer, Return of the Jedi

Tim Dry, J'Quille (Whiphid) and Mon Calamari, Return of the Jedi

Mike Edmunds, Logray, Ugnaught, Return of the Jedi.

Rusty Goff, Kabe, Jawa, Gonk, A New Hope

Garrick Hagon, Biggs Darklighter, A New Hope.

Barrie Holland, Lieutenant Renz, Return of the Jedi.

Gerald Home, Tessek, Mon Calamari officer,Return of the Jedi.

Nalini Krishan, Barriss Offee, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith

Richard Le Parmentier, Admiral Motti, A New Hope

Ian Liston, Wes Janson, Wedge Antilles' tailgunner, The Empire Strikes Back.

Peter Mayhew, The mighty Chewbacca in the original trilogy, and also in Revenge of the Sith, Mayhew has traversed 30 years of the saga.

Shannon McRandle, Mara Jade, Star Wars trading card game.

Rena Owen, Taun We, Attack of the Clones, and Senator Nee Alavar, Revenge of the Sith.

Mary Oyaya, Luminara Unduli, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.

Ray Park, Darth Maul, The Phantom Menace.

Bonnie Piesse, Beru Lars, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

David Prowse, Darth Vader in the original trilogy: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and i>Return of the Jedi.

Tim Rose, Admiral Ackbar, Salacious Crumb, Sy Snootles, Return of the Jedi

George Roubicek, Commander Praji, A New Hope.

Orli Shoshan, Shaak Ti, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

Bruce Spence, Tion Medon, Revenge of the Sith.

Femi Taylor, Oola, Return of the Jedi and Return of the Jedi: Special Edition.

Simon Williamson, Max Rebo, Gamorrean Guards, Return of the Jedi.


There are many more stars still to be announced who will sign autographs and appear on stage and/or in meet and greet sessions at Celebration IV. Check www.starwars.com/celebration for more updates coming soon!

[Brie]

Hawke,

Are you going this time?

[Captain Hawke]

I went to C3... It doesn't look like I'll be going to C4....

If y'all want to check out my C3 experience head over to blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.listAll&friendID=95199115&startID=167121954&StartPostedDate=2006-09-12%2009:14:00.0&next=1&page=2&Mytoken=AB2B7D72-1839-4FC6-9D3F021D4FEAC92572913644

The first post is at the bottom of the page. I didn't design the blog system...

[Captain Hawke]

Meet the Producer and Director Of The Clone Wars at Celebration IV
May 11, 2007





It's been talked about for two years, but the long wait to hear about The Clone Wars from Lucasfilm Animation is nearing an end as fans at Celebration IV will be able to go behind the scenes with the crew of this extraordinary new Star Wars television series.
Catherine Winder, producer of The Clone Wars, and Supervising Director Dave Filoni will make a special appearance at Celebration IV on Sunday, May 27. During presentations in the Celebration Theater (Room 408AB), Winder and Filoni will explore the genesis of the series and reveal how a talented team of artists, designers and animators at Lucasfilm Animation -- many of them longtime Star Wars fans -- have been bringing an exciting, cinematic style to the CG-animated The Clone Wars.

It's the first public presentation by the creative team behind The Clone Wars and promises a fascinating glimpse at the unique process that goes into the creation of this significant new chapter in the Star Wars Saga, created under the guidance of George Lucas himself.

Winder is also Executive Producer at Lucasfilm Animation, where she oversees both development and production. During her career in animation, she has worked as both an executive and a producer in feature films, home video and television. Prior to joining Lucasfilm Animation, she ran her own industry consulting business. She was also Senior Vice President of Production at Fox Feature Animation, where she oversaw the Oscar-nominated film Ice Age. She has produced such series as "Spawn" and "Spicy City" for HBO and "Aeon Flux" for MTV. She began her animation career in Asia, working for Walt Disney Television Japan, followed by positions at Hanna-Barbera/Turner Pictures in both Taiwan and Los Angeles.

Filoni most recently was a director on the Nickelodeon animated series "Avatar: The Last Airbender". He began his career in animation at Film Roman as an assistant director on "King of the Hill". While at Film Roman, he also served as an assistant director on the WB TV series "Mission Hill" and "The Oblongs". He went on to work for Walt Disney Television Animation on "Kim Possible", "Teamo Supremo" and "Lilo and Stitch". A lifelong Star Wars fan, Filoni has great appreciation and respect for the Star Wars galaxy and is proud to be leading such a phenomenal crew on The Clone Wars.
*****************************************************
Warwick Davis to Host Celebration Europe!
May 10, 2007

Actor and seasoned Celebration host Warwick Davis will preside as the Celebration Europe Master of Ceremonies on the Main Stage this coming July 13-15 at London's ExCeL Center.
Always a favorite with audiences, Davis will host interviews with celebrity guests, question and answer sessions, and will chat with fans, and share insights into his own extensive film and stage experience. Located within a 2000-seat theater constructed within the ExCeL Center, the Celebration Europe Main Stage will feature an extensive line up of exciting guests and shows across all three days of the show, all of which will be woven together by Davis' expert hand.

Davis has been well known to Star Wars fans since his career-starting performance as Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, and in the television films Ewoks: Battle for Endor and Caravan of Courage. The young actor moved to a leading role soon after, portraying the title character in Willow. Warwick returned to the galaxy far far away in 1997 and with several roles in The Phantom Menace.

Outside of the realms of Star Wars Davis has had scores of roles on stage, television, and the big screen, a cult-favorite being the evil title character in six Leprechaun films. He appeared alongside David Bowie in Labyrinth, alongside Jamie Foxx in the multi-award-winning film Ray and alongside Ricky Gervais in TV's Extras. He has been regular in all the Harry Potter films, playing the core cast role of Professor Flitwick, as well as the Goblin Bank Teller in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

In 1995 Davis established Willow Personal Management, "The Biggest Agency for Short Actors in the World."

Watch for his return to Hogwarts in 2007as Flitwick in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and for his new role as Nikabrik in the upcoming Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian currently in production.

For more on the talented actor and his many projects, check out his official web site www.warwickdavis.co.uk/

[Captain Hawke]

Star Wars: 30 Years In the Galaxy... and on the Tube
May 08, 2007

Thirty years ago, in May 1977, the phenomenon that is Star Wars ran head-on into popular culture, and popular culture jumped on for a hyperspace ride. Evidence of the galaxy far, far away was everywhere -- on toy shelves, in discos, and especially on television.
Especially for Celebration IV, we have assembled a collection of film clips, cartoons, commercials, trailers, and more into hours of entertaining footage. We welcome you to the room we call "Star Wars in Pop Culture." Sit back, set down your shopping bags, take a few deep breaths, and prepare to be entertained.

The Star Wars in Pop Culture program brings it all together: early Kenner toy commercials; the first starring role for Boba Fett in the cartoon produced as part of the Star Wars Holiday Special; and tributes to Star Wars in current television shows. Watch the early teaser and theatrical trailers and compare them to the dramatic new trailers for the Star Wars prequels. You'll see just how much movie marketing has changed.

Footage runs in the Pop Culture room from show opening each day until late at night, so there should be time to squeeze in some viewings, even given all there is to do at Celebration IV. Members of the Official Star Wars Fan Club can enjoy Star Wars in Pop Culture on Fan Club-Only Day, Thursday, May 24. Stop by between shows during the day, or for a nightcap of Star Wars-inspired laughter.
******************************************************


ILM Rock Stars at Celebration IV
May 01, 2007

George Lucas' innovative and imaginative work has attracted some of the very best talents in moviemaking, ever since the director's first teams started creating new technologies to make his vision a reality. From producers to art directors, visual effects supervisors to swordmasters, the movies of the Star Wars Saga have inspired new ideas and generated great stories.
Come and hear some of these amazing stories from movie craftsmen who have worked at Industrial Light & Magic at key points throughout the three decades of Star Wars, and have come to take part in the celebration!

Jon Berg
As a child, Jon Berg was captivated by the stop-motion animated classic Mighty Joe Young, which featured the talents of Willis O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen. His first job was at a California studio called Cascade Pictures, which produced television commercials. It was here that Berg first met his future Industrial Light & Magic co-workers Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett. Eventually Berg left Cascade to join ILM, where he worked as an animator, modelmaker, and visual effects artist for the three original movies. Most notably, Berg (with Tippett) animated the holographic chess sequence between R2-D2 and Chewbacca in A New Hope, and handled the modelmaking and stop-motion animation of the AT-AT walkers in The Empire Strikes Back. Berg also played a Bith band member as well as one of the two arguing Duros (Phil Tippett was the other) in the famous cantina scene.

In addition to the original trilogy, Berg has worked on a variety of films including Gremlins, Dragonslayer, The Fly, Naked Lunch, 2010, Ghostbusters, The Nightmare before Christmas, and the Star Wars prequels.

Don Bies
Don Bies, the Droid Unit Supervisor for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, has a long and close association with the Star Wars galaxy. Bies started operating R2-D2 for Industrial Light & Magic for a series of Japanese television commercials in 1987. Since then, he has worked on countless films and commercials for the pioneering visual effects studio, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Congo, Starship Troopers, and the infamous "Darth Vader vs. the Energizer Bunny" commercial.

Bies worked on the Star Wars Special Editions, and added a list of on-screen appearances to his more typical off-screen contributions. He appeared as a Bith musician and Boba Fett in Jabba's Palace, as well as Imperial stormtroopers, officers, and aliens throughout the new sequences. Bies, also a senior model maker, has worked on each of the Star Wars prequels. See Bies at Celebration IV on the stage, and in the R2-D2 Builders' Room, where he encourages and inspires the worldwide group of droid builders.

Richard Edlund, ASC
Richard Edlund has made a deep and lasting impression in filmmaking and visual effects. A founding member of Industrial Light & Magic, he established his reputation by winning four Oscars® for the effects in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Return of the Jedi, and a nomination for Poltergeist. He has received five additional nominations, three Academy Scientific and Engineering awards, two BAFTAS and an Emmy for visual effects in the original miniseries Battlestar Galactica.

In 1983 Edlund founded Boss Film Studios, its maiden project being Ghostbusters. Until its close in 1997, the studio produced visual effects for about 30 movies, including 2010, Poltergeist 2, Cliffhanger, Batman Returns, Ghost, Alien3, Die Hard, Species, Multiplicity and Air Force One. Edlund was awarded the John Bonner Medal of Commendation this year for his contributions to the Motion Picture Academy of Arts & Sciences by its Scientific and Technical Awards Committee.

Dennis Muren, A.S.C.
Dennis Muren is the Senior Visual Effects Supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic. Recipient of eight Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, Muren is actively involved in the evolution of the company, as well as the design and development of new techniques and equipment. In June 1999, Muren became the first visual effects artist to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Muren's academy award-winning movies for ILM include The Abyss, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Jurassic Park.

Lorne Peterson
Lorne Peterson is one of the original members of Industrial Light & Magic, having been hired by George Lucas to create the models for Star Wars. In 1978, Peterson was invited by Lucas to move to Northern California to oversee the production of models for The Empire Strikes Back. Since that time, he has worked on most of Lucas' movies, as well as those of Steven Spielberg.

Aside from the work he has done for ILM, Peterson has done industrial design modelmaking for McDonaldland, JBL Speakers, Kikkoman, Yamaha Snowmobiles and the feature film The China Syndrome. Peterson was honored with an Academy Award and a British Academy Award for the special effects work in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Ken Ralston
Ken Ralston has earned five Academy Awards as Visual Effects Supervisor for Forrest Gump, Death Becomes Her, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Cocoon, and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. He most recently completed production as senior visual effects supervisor on The Polar Express with longtime collaborator, director Robert Zemeckis, and senior visual effects supervisor Jerome Chen. He is currently working with Jerome Chen and Robert Zemeckis on the upcoming performance capture adaptation of Beowulf.

For close to two decades, Mr. Ralston was a visual effects supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic, placing his aesthetic and technical stamp on many of the company's landmark film innovations. Constantly pushing the technological envelope, he played a central role in establishing ILM's groundbreaking reputation. Working side-by-side with directors and production designers, Ralston helped filmmakers hone their visions and realize their ideas on the screen.

Phil Tippett
Phil Tippett, award-winning visual effects supervisor, animation pioneer, and director, knew what path he would take from the age of seven, when he first watched Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion classic The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad. By 1978, Phil was at Industrial Light & Magic animating the Imperial walkers for The Empire Strikes Back.

After developing the animation technique of Go-Motion in 1982, Tippett became the head of the ILM creature shop for Return of the Jedi, for which he was awarded an Oscar. After founding Tippett Studio in 1984, Phil received acclaim for his work on the Emmy-award winning Dinosaur!, and for the movies RoboCop, Willow, and Starship Troopers. He was awarded his second Oscar for his supervision of the dinosaur animation in Jurassic Park. Phil developed and directed his own feature, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation. Currently he mentors the artists who create the unique visual effects at Tippett Studio while developing innovative new projects.


Previously announced, and also appearing at Celebration IV - John Knoll
Knoll will present a rare, behind-the-scenes retrospective of the ground-breaking work at ILM, with shots from the visual archives that document work on the Star Wars original trilogy, as well as his very personal tour of "life on the prequels."
******************************************************

Tattoo Exhibit and Competition at Celebration IV!
May 04, 2007


Nothing expresses dedication to the Star Wars universe quite like a beautifully-rendered Star Wars tattoo. Shane Turgeon, host of the Star Wars Tattoos and Toys site, will exhibit exceptional tattoo art in the Fan Fair Hall, and accept registrations for the Star Wars Tattoo competition, to be held on Sunday during Celebration IV.

Stop by the Tattoo Exhibit in the Fan Fair Hall (Hall G) and view Turgeon’s collection of images, and sign up for the Tattoo Competition. Turgeon will also have some very cool Star Wars tattoo shirts in his booth, as well as copies of his self-published, spectacular coffee table book The Force in the Flesh.

Turgeon, who has some very impressive Star Wars ink himself, is challenging tattooed fans to make this show even better and more extensive than the outstanding show from Celebration in 2005. Fans with Star Wars tattoos, we know you can’t forget them at home, so visit the Tattoo Exhibit in the Fan Fair Hall and sign up for the show!

After the show on Sunday, Turgeon invites all fans of tattoos, Star Wars tattoos in particular, to join him in the Fan Club Lounge for a mixer. Tattooed fans who are not members of the Fan Club should stop by the Tattoo Exhibit before the Sunday show for a special ticket to get them in to the mixer.
******************************************************

[Captain Hawke]

[athene]

Thanks! for posting this.