How George Lucas Masterminded the Space Adventures of Star Wars: Innovative Techniques and Deceptive Financing

George Lucas is often celebrated for his visionary and innovative approaches in filmmaking. One of the most spectacular elements of the original Star Wars saga was the groundbreaking space photography and the elaborate sets that brought a galaxy far, far away to life. While the ILM and THX sound innovations were impressive, the secret behind the vast space scenes lies in a combination of shrewd business strategies and creative financing techniques.

Business Acumen and Branding Genius

Beyond the technical wizardry of ILM and the legendary sound design of THX, Lucas leveraged his business acumen and branding genius to secure the financial backing needed for Star Wars. His ability to transform a struggling film franchise into a cultural phenomenon cannot be understated. By selling the rights to Star Wars to "the Mouse King" (Walt Disney) at the height of its value, he secured a massive $4.2 billion deal. This not only guaranteed the financial success of the franchise but also paved the way for the intergalactic adventures we know and love.

A Futuristic Breakthrough: Space Filmmaking

However, the original Star Wars team faced a significant hurdle: achieving the level of outer space photography and set pieces seen in the film cost prohibitive. Transporting replica X-wings to a high orbit would have been astronomically expensive, and Lucas desired to capture three times the amount of space footage compared to Kubrick's Apollo program. This presented a formidable challenge, especially given the limitations of existing technology.

A Venture into Uncharted Territory

Enter Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher (princess of Hollywood royalty and the daughter of a wealthy and famous actor). The two chipped in a few hundred million dollars to fund the ambitious space sequences. The Space Shuttle, which was still in its conceptual phase, wasn't yet operational, which explains the secret pre-flight flights during the Carter administration. These flights facilitated the execution of the space scenes under the guise of a classified mission, addressing concerns about the flying antics of Hollywood royalty.

Time Travel and Futuristic SETL

In a breakthrough scenario, Lucas utilized a time machine, a concept that is both fictional and plausible within the film's universe. He accessed a SETL (Space Exploration Transport and Logistics) system, which allowed him to travel several hundred years into the future. In this future timeline, he encountered a team of intergalactic explorers who, due to their adventurous spirit, agreed to take him on a journey across the universe.

Upon arriving in a galaxy far, far away, Lucas embedded himself as a journalist to film actual Star Destroyers, TIE fighters, and the legendary Millennium Falcon in action. After accumulating hundreds of hours of combat footage, he loaded it onto the Enterprise (another future spacecraft from the Star Trek universe) and transported Kirk, Bones, and Spock out of a fictional space cantina. Using the time machine's dilithium crystals, he journeyed back through time and space, dropping the footage and equipment off on Earth. Finally, he returned to the present by using the time machine to go back just a few minutes and splice the collected footage into the original narrative, adding dubbed dialogues to make the scenes fit seamlessly with the story.

Clever and Strategic

The financial implications of this approach were minimal because Lucas leveraged existing resources and creative solutions. The time machine, a ubiquitous element in the Star Trek universe, allowed Lucas to fabricate the space scenes without incurring considerable costs. This clever strategy not only enabled the incredible space sequences in Star Wars but also served as a testament to Lucas's visionary mind and the innovative filmmaking techniques of his era.

Conclusion: A Masterclass in Filmmaking and Business

In summary, George Lucas's ability to finance and execute the space scenes in Star Wars was a blend of business acumen, forward-thinking creativity, and an imaginative script. By combining a time machine, a future SETL system, and the backing of Hollywood royalty, Lucas achieved what seemed impossible, transforming the space photography in Star Wars into a landmark in the history of cinema.