NOT so long ago in a studio not that far away, shooting began on one of the most anticipated films of all time. STEPHEN FENECH reports.
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For 13 years, Rick McCallum has been responsible for taking George Lucas's Star Wars ideas off the page and putting them on the big screen.
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And when cameras began rolling at Sydney's Fox Studios for the latest and final instalment, Episode III, at 8.07am on June 30, he continued a tradition begun in 1997 on the first day of filming for Episode III in England and marked the first take with the clapboard.
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In that first scene was Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) with R2-D2 lending his support in the background.
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McCallum, 50, has been in Sydney since Christmas preparing the Fox Studios backlot for the 12-week, $175 million production.
«
Seven sound stages have been transformed into various locations in the Star Wars universe with more than 1000 crew members, mostly Australians.
«
And there were a few anxious moments before the actors walked on to the set for the first time. "It was one of those awkward, strange, surreal moments when you're making a movie because that's the time the baton is handed over," McCallum says.
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Five weeks into the shoot, McCallum's job as producer is really only beginning. "It's about getting everything ready for that first day, and then each of our days when we start shooting is about the next day," he says. "It's just as intense but at least we know we have solved all of our major problems, so it's making sure everything is together and ready and waiting for George to express himself."
«
Despite shooting Episode II on the same sound stages, Episode III presented a new set of problems.
«
Read more here
«
For 13 years, Rick McCallum has been responsible for taking George Lucas's Star Wars ideas off the page and putting them on the big screen.
«
And when cameras began rolling at Sydney's Fox Studios for the latest and final instalment, Episode III, at 8.07am on June 30, he continued a tradition begun in 1997 on the first day of filming for Episode III in England and marked the first take with the clapboard.
«
In that first scene was Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) with R2-D2 lending his support in the background.
«
McCallum, 50, has been in Sydney since Christmas preparing the Fox Studios backlot for the 12-week, $175 million production.
«
Seven sound stages have been transformed into various locations in the Star Wars universe with more than 1000 crew members, mostly Australians.
«
And there were a few anxious moments before the actors walked on to the set for the first time. "It was one of those awkward, strange, surreal moments when you're making a movie because that's the time the baton is handed over," McCallum says.
«
Five weeks into the shoot, McCallum's job as producer is really only beginning. "It's about getting everything ready for that first day, and then each of our days when we start shooting is about the next day," he says. "It's just as intense but at least we know we have solved all of our major problems, so it's making sure everything is together and ready and waiting for George to express himself."
«
Despite shooting Episode II on the same sound stages, Episode III presented a new set of problems.
«
Read more here