One day something unexpected happened. I got an email from a bloke in Canada named Scott McArthur. He said he’d seen my web page and loved it. In fact, he had a Stormtrooper costume of his own! A picture was attached, showing Scott in gleaming white TK armor standing next to a picturesque shore with […]
Scenes for The Empire Strikes Back Uncut are still rolling in and they are full of vegetables, minerals, and many animals. One of the best parts of watching each new scene is seeing how fans bring their own personal touches in the creative process. And nothing’s more personal than pets. Man’s best friend(s) pop up in […]
By the end of 1997 our adventures as Stormtroopers in a little one-tauntaun-town felt like they’d hit their high-water mark. The theatrical re-releases were done and gone, Star Wars merchandising was fading from store shelves, and events where a grown man in armor made sense were getting scarce. Like a watering hole in the desert, […]
Star Wars fans from around the globe have their minds full of possibilities and excitement since the spectacular news broke that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm Ltd., and the eye-popping announcement that after many years of speculation and hope, additional episodes of the Star Wars saga will be released! While global fandom and movie news sites wait for the […]
After meeting with Star Wars fans in London, Germany, and Belgium over the past two weeks, I’m once again awed and inspired by the creativity (and organization!) of the fan community. In prepping for Celebration Europe II, I was also able to spend quality time in the Essen convention center (Messe Essen) with some colleagues […]
It’s the day before Halloween and you don’t have a costume. Dressing up like Queen Amidala might be out of reach, but there are plenty of other Star Wars costumes you can make in a day. Maybe you just got invited to a Halloween party? Or perhaps you want to dress up for school or […]
The 30th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi is a landmark too big to go un-celebrated, and if there’s one thing Star Wars fans know how to do better than anyone, it’s how to celebrate and party. But five long years have passed since the summer of 2007, which saw the […]
I grew up on Dagobah. Or, the next best thing: Florida. Our Jedi training was slightly different (we paddled boats instead of lifting X-wings) and we had no Yodas to guide us (manatees aren’t good instructors), but we did have an awesome swamp for a backyard. Which is why it’s so awesome to see fans […]
Until the 13th century, Ghent was the second largest city in Europe and it was even bigger than London. Silent (but popular) witnesses of Ghent’s glorious past are medieval buildings like Gravensteen Castle, built in 1180. But during rare occasions you can still find noble knights and evil warlocks lingering around in Ghent, only now […]
Nothing makes Star Wars fans happier than a chance to suit up and show off their costumes. Whether it’s Stormtrooper armor or Jedi robes or even a big box decorated like a Gonk droid, Star Wars costumes have always been popular. Fans my age will remember a day long ago when the only real option […]
The most famous person I’d ever met before starting the Legion was James Irwin, astronaut from the Apollo 15 mission and pilot of the lunar module. You want to talk about a sky-walker? He was the real deal. Even before Star Wars hit, I was nuts about space exploration as a kid and astronauts were […]
In 2009, we started Star Wars Uncut with little more than a big dream of getting fans involved in the Star Wars story. Turns out that dream got a lot of people excited. We had thousands of participants—young, old, animated, and furry. It was a lot of learning on the fly, as we figured out […]
Many people wrote me to say they enjoyed the history of the 501st installment I did last month. So I thought I’d pick up on it from time to time and get more of the story out. Few people know just how widely the Legion has woven its saga. It messes with my head sometimes […]
Last week the Star Wars community was consumed with headlines of bullying and hurt feelings. The good news is that our community rallied together and condemned the thoughtless act of mockery and turned it into a teachable moment. However, amidst all of the negative headlines, something extremely exciting happened and I’d like to shine the […]
Hello Star Wars Friends, I’m sorry it has been so long since my last blog. When I am away from the office as long as I was for Star Wars Celebration VI, there is always a lot to catch up on when I get back. I can now say that everything is pretty much back […]
Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood and I hosted a panel at Celebration CVI over the weekend on Star Wars sound. A part of our presentation involved the breakdown of a scene from The Clone Wars (“Massacre”, season 4). I stripped out the sound effects and dialog from the scene leaving it rather bare bones. We invited […]
As the curtain slowly fell on the splendor of Star Wars Celebration VI, with many members of the 501st already beginning preliminary plans for Celebration Europe II, a small, but hardy — some might say die-hard — detachment of troops made their way up to Atlanta, Georgia after a few days recovery for the majesty […]
It’s that time of year again: the air turns cool and crisp and it’s fun to grab some snacks and watch some favorite movies. Or football. Or both! Last night I was stuffing envelopes with 501st Legion patches while watching my Gamecocks play (horribly) and it struck me how long I’ve been a fan of […]
Every Labor Day, fandoms from all corners of the entertainment universe converge in Atlanta for Dragon*Con, which touts itself as “the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe!” One of the highlights of the weekend is the official Dragon*Con parade that […]
If there’s one thing that’s central to the Dragon*Con experience, it’s costumes. You can’t wave a stick in any of the host hotels without whacking a costumed attendee. (Please, don’t wave sticks at cons with the intent of whacking people.) And because the con is so huge, most tracks have their own costume contests, in […]
It’s August – funny how that happens every year – and it’s time for school to be in session again. I actually always looked forward to it when I was younger. Yes, I was that kid. I liked getting back into a routine, learning, having homework (unless it was math), and seeing friends. Mostly though, […]
The time is here, my young Padawans, to head off to Jedi training. Or as some people call it, “go back to school.” Ah yes, I can hear you cheering now. School is a fantastic place to learn, challenge yourself, and interact with all different types of people. But for some younglings, heading back to […]
Days Three & Four of Star Wars Celebration VI were literally filled from beginning to the very end of each day (and night) with action for members of the 501st Legion. By day, the convention center floor saw our full attention; at night, everyone witnessed the firepower – the stamina – we bring to keep […]
For members of the 501st, Day Two of Celebration VI was packed from start to finish with panels, performances and some genuine playtime. NO finer group of comrades could a Star Wars fan want, NO finer group of friends could a Star Wars fan have!
With Star Wars Celebration VI officially underway, members of the 501st fully deployed throughout the Orange County Convention Center, bringing that extra little something that only fully dressed Imperial Stormtroopers, Sith Lords, and Officers can bring to the biggest Star Wars party yet!
So with the once every two-years interstellar party that is a Star Wars Celebration kicking off with fans coming from all over (the galaxy…) to Orlando, Florida, one group in particular plays a very prominent, recurring, all-volunteer role in helping to make Star Wars come to life. Among all the featured events, guests, panels, and […]
We knew it would be big from the start. It was early June, 1977, and I had just graduated from high school in the small mountain town of Idaho Springs, Colorado. To celebrate, a buddy suggested we go to Denver to see a movie he had been hearing good things about.
I still remember the smell of popcorn butter. Funny how some things stick with you. It was 1997 and The Empire Strikes Back was premiering in its re-release. To mark the occasion I was squeezing into plastic armor in a back storage room at the local movie theater. That was it. That was the beginning […]
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