Industrial Light & Magic

Thanks to one of Maureen's lovely cousins, Monica, and her talented, very generous husband, whom we'll only identify as Mr. B, just before Christmas, 2017 we were given a tour of the Industrial Light & Magic / LucasFilm facilities, Letterman Digital Arts Center, inside the Presidio in San Francisco. After a bit, I felt guilty being given the tour. I'd needed more time to prep. I needed to watch a dozen more movies, a couple I'd seen again,. I needed to read some blogs, I really needed to talk to our son-in-law, Joe. I didn't know enough. In truth, I wasn't worthy.

In case ILM or even LucasFilm doesn't ring a bell for you, they are the CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) or VFX  (Visual Effects) wizards who made the original Star Wars trilogy, the Indiana Jones movies, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, Transformers, Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America, etc., etc., etc.  In some cases they built the equipment to make the effects possible. They are artists, technicians, sculptors and imaginators on the highest international level.

Maureen with Monica

Mr. B would show us a maquette (I had to look it up) and ask if we recognized it. Too often we would not know. He was very gracious, but it was like lifting the edge of the tent of magic for a guy with cataracts in very dark glasses.

So, with only a few comments, because I know how pure many true fans want their information, here are the snapshots I took with my phone as we walked through the temple.
Forgive me. I was not worthy.

This bronze Yoda stands guard at the door.
Rightfully, up on a pedestal

The original ILM logo

More talent than you can shake a light saber at.

Rogue One Death Trooper in the lobby

Close up of the weapon

Mr. B said the Vader armor in the lobby was not "real" in that it wasn't from a particular episode and was instead assembled from parts. I think Lord Vader's life support control panel here is most like Episode 1.

Dangerous lobby. Here I was stopped by Boba Fett in his Mandalorian armor.
Luckily Mr. B vouched for me. 

The real, original R2D2 and C3PO. (Sorry for the Christmas light contamination.)

The real Yoda, from Episode IV

This is a large framed print in a hallway. It shows some of the early Star Wars concept sketches

Storm Troopers are tall. "Real" ST armor.

Elements of a single frame composited for the Speeder sequence

The original Compositor the team at ILM assembled from other equipment to create Star Wars' effects.

Mr. B, M and me, in his office. Kickass Capt. America shield on the wall.

Ray Harryhaussen was one of the original stop-motion wizards of movies.
He was SFX royalty and often visited ILM. Every time he did he would sign this famous still from one of his films; 1958's The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.

Hans Solo's modified TL-44 Heavy Blaster

You have chosen wisely, Pilgrim. The Holy Grail sits in a glass case in ILM.

The real boy's bike from E.T.

The VFX crew for E.T.

The VFX crew for Captain America, The Winter Soldier. Complexity has grown.

For Jurassic Park they tried this animatronic. It was too jerky in the tests so they went CG.

It's amazing what you find in their halls.

And what will find you. Clever girl. Came right up beside us.

A large (6 ft across?) matte painting. 

This was the exterior door of the original ILM | LucasFilms on an industrial looking building.
This is now in a hallway inside the Presidio.
There's a story about this, but it's going to cost you a glass of wine to hear it.

It was a fascinating tour, lavish in the time we were given. Like so many very talented people the folks we met at ILM were charming, witty, modest and gracious. It was wonderful. 

We were in awe.