My Journey to Endor by Tracey McCoy Thompson

Author:Tracey McCoy Thompson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kevin Edward Thompson
Published: 2021-12-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

Learning on the Fly

Each and every shot of the film was drawn out on a shot sheet illustrated like a flip book that had been approved by George Lucas. The crew used this as a guide to set up each shot. I remember seeing the director of photography, also known as the cinematographer, Jim Glennon, examining the book and moving the camera around, trying to find the right shot that perfectly mimicked each drawing.

One particular afternoon was full of action work with Ewok extras. Action work is basically general chaos. Ewoks were running and hiding from stormtroopers and stormtroopers were running from attacking Ewoks. We all ran around until we got tired. As a stunt guy, I couldn’t get tired. I had to keep running. Production was switching out Ewok extras after every take when they got tired, but we stunt guys had to keep our energy up. That was our job.

I heard my name crackle on the walkie-talkie. I was needed at another location ASAP.

I jumped into the jeep and headed to a new location in the forest for my next stunt. A huge seventy-foot crane sat at the edge of a cliff overlooking a valley of dead trees. I stared at it with butterflies in my stomach. The crane was for me. Gulp.

A couple stormtrooper stunt guys approached. They were out of costume and helping out with the scene. “Hey Kev, we’re going to swing you in over this valley. Are you up for that?” I nodded. The cameramen from ILM came over to explain how it would work. I was to swing across the valley, pretend to land on a platform, then swing back. In the film, it would look like I was swinging into the village. This was a big stunt and I was proud to be asked to do it. In our two weeks in the forest, I had proven myself and they had chosen me to tackle it. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. That crane was high!

During the shot, they would use Vista Vision cameras. These cameras have a higher resolution, wide screen variant of the 35mm motion picture film format cameras. George used them exclusively for special effect shots. The camera looked completely different—the film was threaded sideways instead of through the top. This gives a clearer and wider picture. I had studied these cameras in college and was excited to be filmed by them.

They told me the crane operator was the best one in the county. Hm. Okay, I thought. I wondered how many crane operators there were in this county, but no time for pondering, I had to accept it and prepare. I wanted to be the stunt guy. Here was my chance.

The scene was where the Ewoks catch the heroes, tie them up, and carry them through the village on poles. The camera pans the heroes and continues to me. I wave to my Ewok family and swing into the imaginary village. Just like

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