When \u201cStar Wars\u201d the film came out in 1977, it was all by itself.<\/b>
\nWhen \u201cStar Wars\u201d the film came out in 1977, it was all by itself. This is not the case anymore. The universe of properties belonging to the Star Wars franchise has expanded to the point where Star Wars is everywhere. While 2016\u2019s \u201cRogue One: A Star Wars Story\u201d and the upcoming \u201cStar Wars: Episode VIII\u2014The Last Jedi\u201d reflect the fact that film is the franchise\u2019s killer app, the franchise, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, can be seen in everything from action figures to TV shows to novels to comic books to paper napkins to T-shirts and backpacks. Name an item and there\u2019s a Star Wars version of it.
That reflects the power and responsibility of Lucasfilm, the company visionary George Lucas built.
Unique workplace
It\u2019s also a workplace with a unique esprit de corps. Lucasfilm executive vice president Lynwen Brennan said: \u201cI\u2019 d probably go to my job even if I didn\u2019 t get paid, but I don\u2019 t tell anyone that. It sounds trite, but it\u2019s all about the people. The people we work with are all so passionate about what they do. Star Wars means so much to them. We put every ounce of our being into continuing George Lucas\u2019 legacy and telling meaningful stories. It\u2019s the people I get to work with every day. Then there are the people outside the company, especially when I see the effect Star Wars has on them.\u201d
Lucasfilm Story Group creative executive Carrie Beck agreed: \u201cIt is a real gift and pleasure to work on something that means so much to so many people. There\u2019s something so incredibly powerful in that, and finding new ways of getting folks into that franchise.\u201d
Everyday magic
There is an everyday magic at work at Lucasfilm, as attested to by fellow Lucasfilm Story Group creative executive Diana Williams. \u201cThe most exciting part for me is within the halls of Lucasfilm, where there\u2019s a DNA of innovation, curiosity and always striving, \u201d she said. \u201cThe most exciting part of the day is when I get an e-mail from someone in the building saying, come see what I made. It\u2019s exciting to ask, \u2018how we will be continuing to push this story, how will we continue to push Star Wars?\u2019 \u201d
Someone who appreciates this effort is Lucasfilm Story Group creative executive Pablo Hidalgo: \u201cI have the distinction of coming from the fan community. It wasn\u2019 t a plan to be where I am today. As a teenager, I saw that Lucasfilm was just different. The films and the content that they made just stood out. There was just something about it. Working at Lucasfilm is just something that means so much to me and I see this as my way of giving back. I know what it is to be a kid enthralled with what Lucasfilm is making and I can instill that in kids today.\u201d
Original rebellion
In many ways, the folks at Lucasfilm identifies heavily with the gritty rebels who battle the Empire in the Star Wars universe, the people who, in Williams\u2019 words, \u201chave the audacity to overcome the impossible.\u201d Williams went on say: \u201cWe are the original rebellion. George had to get together a band of rebels who believed and beat the odds to create something incredible. That maverick spirit that defies convention exists in every person who works there today. It\u2019s in everything that we do. We\u2019 re always looking at something new to bring to the screen or to story. We\u2019 re still living George\u2019s legacy.\u201d
Brennan expands on this, explaining how cognizant they are of Star Wars in every product they release. \u201cWe understand that Star Wars lives in the movies, in the TV shows, in publishing, in toys and in the games. The wonderful thing with these stories being so meaningful is that people want to have an experience and that extend beyond the first experience they have. We look at that very holistically within the company. We\u2019 re pretty unique in the entertainment industry that everything from film production to TV production to publishing to consumer products to sound editing, its all under one roof. When we think about our stories and how to tell them, a lot of thought goes into asking, \u2018why tell a story on a certain platform, who are we reaching and what do we want them to feel?\u2019 That energy builds on itself in the company. There\u2019s a renaissance now for Star Wars and Lucasfilm and that enthusiasm is infectious.\u201d
Collaborative
Interestingly, this ties in with the Lucasfilm working environment, which Beck characterizes as: \u201ca very collaborative environment.\u201d
This also highlights the value of the Lucasfilm Story Group. This is the select group of people who literally tell the Star Wars saga. They decide what happens and this is reflected in the products. Hidalgo explained: \u201cWe\u2019 re the development group. We creatively work to figure out what the future of the Star Wars narrative will be and we work individually as a group with the various creative talent we bring to the table\u2014be they screenwriters or theme park designers\u2014you name it, we help guide their story. We don\u2019 t tell them what story to tell but we find that story together. Because we are the connection point where all this creative activity is happening and we have the rare opportunity in Lucasfilm to generate all this energy within one company, for various endeavors, we see it all and we make sure it\u2019s all in sync. For fans who want to believe Star Wars is a real place, we make it seamless.\u201d
Brennan put it best: \u201cIt all goes back to story. No matter where they come in, they know they\u2019 re getting a great Star Wars story. Once you come in, we \u2018ve got you.\u201d \u2014 RUEL S. DE VERA<\/p>\n

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