Comments on: Geeking out… http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html Animation storyboarder, and part time comixer, James(JAMIE)Baker spouts off about this and that. Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:31:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: James Baker http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21557 James Baker Fri, 19 Oct 2007 06:36:27 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21557 Giantmonster>> That is a very interesting point. I too have come to realise that learning to live with reduced expectations is the best survival strategy for living in the 21st century, but I hadn't realised, until you mentioned it, that process actually DID begin in 1999.... Giantmonster>> That is a very interesting point. I too have come to realise that learning to live with reduced expectations is the best survival strategy for living in the 21st century, but I hadn’t realised, until you mentioned it, that process actually DID begin in 1999….

]]> By: giantmonster.com http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21551 giantmonster.com Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:08:54 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21551 oh star wars!! i just can't stay mad at you! i still love the original three movies. the new ones, eh - not so much. one positive note about the newer films: the complete and utter deep-nerd let down of the 'Phantom-Clone-Attack-Menace-Revenge' blah blah movies did help emotionally prepare me for the later crushing disappointments that were the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. so i thank george for softening the blow! i heard that syd mead settled out of court with george lucas regarding the snow walker similarities. thanks for the pics jamie! oh star wars!! i just can’t stay mad at you! i still love the original three movies. the new ones, eh - not so much.
one positive note about the newer films: the complete and utter deep-nerd let down of the ‘Phantom-Clone-Attack-Menace-Revenge’ blah blah movies did help emotionally prepare me for the later crushing disappointments that were the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. so i thank george for softening the blow!

i heard that syd mead settled out of court with george lucas regarding the snow walker similarities. thanks for the pics jamie!

]]> By: James Baker http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21510 James Baker Sat, 13 Oct 2007 04:10:47 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21510 "Verilly <b>It is I</b> who owns science-fiction! Cease and desist, thou copyright infringing Naves! Huh? Oh, <b>Hi SYD</b>... how's it going? A million? What the!? OK, OK, here you go... SHHHH!" “Verilly It is I who owns science-fiction! Cease and desist, thou copyright infringing Naves! Huh? Oh, Hi SYD… how’s it going? A million? What the!? OK, OK, here you go… SHHHH!”

]]> By: jshu http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21508 jshu Fri, 12 Oct 2007 20:35:23 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21508 *the lawsuit was brought against Battlestar by G- but it was Ralph and Joe Johnston who freelanced on that gig! it all gives Chewie a big headache. *the lawsuit was brought against Battlestar by G- but it was Ralph and Joe Johnston who freelanced on that gig! it all gives Chewie a big headache.

]]> By: James Baker http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21500 James Baker Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:02:57 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21500 Ted>> I envy you (and JAY) for owning those books. Look after them! In the early 1980s I used to have another Syd Mead book, I think it was called SENTINEL and like many of my ART books back then, it fell to pieces from constant reading. I think it may have had a version of his WALKER painting in there. Anyway, he is an amazing visionary. Rhode>> Sorry to have blown your mind! I know how you feel, though. I was shocked when I found this stuff, and I am surprised that the similarities aren't remarked upon more often... In the late 1970s, there was a lawsuit against the producers of Battlestar Galactica claiming that they had ripped off ideas and designs from Star Wars. I never heard of any lawsuits going in the other direction though, despite Star Wars itself being <b>clearly</b> influenced by other earlier Science-Fiction. It's a thorny issue; the difference between "inspired by" and "ripped off", and I deal with that myself all the time. Anyway, none of this changes the fact that I still love these characters and the movies too. John>> Glad that you agree about Mr Hamill being unfairly maligned over the years... Harrison Ford was lucky enough to play the "cool" space-gun-slinger character, and Mark Hamill had to play the <b>whiny small town geeky kid</b> who wanted to travel and have adventures... hmmm... no WONDER I identified with THAT character as a 13 year old... :) Kevin>> These movies must be very hard for actors to work in and even more so on the NEW ones, where so much was shot in front of blue-screens, and some of the script was even kept secret from the actors themselves. BUT At least the prequel actors had already established good reputations to retreat back to afterwards, whereas poor old MH was stuck with the "bad actor" label for life. Ted>> I envy you (and JAY) for owning those books. Look after them! In the early 1980s I used to have another Syd Mead book, I think it was called SENTINEL and like many of my ART books back then, it fell to pieces from constant reading. I think it may have had a version of his WALKER painting in there. Anyway, he is an amazing visionary.

Rhode>> Sorry to have blown your mind! I know how you feel, though. I was shocked when I found this stuff, and I am surprised that the similarities aren’t remarked upon more often… In the late 1970s, there was a lawsuit against the producers of Battlestar Galactica claiming that they had ripped off ideas and designs from Star Wars. I never heard of any lawsuits going in the other direction though, despite Star Wars itself being clearly influenced by other earlier Science-Fiction. It’s a thorny issue; the difference between “inspired by” and “ripped off”, and I deal with that myself all the time. Anyway, none of this changes the fact that I still love these characters and the movies too.

John>> Glad that you agree about Mr Hamill being unfairly maligned over the years… Harrison Ford was lucky enough to play the “cool” space-gun-slinger character, and Mark Hamill had to play the whiny small town geeky kid who wanted to travel and have adventures… hmmm… no WONDER I identified with THAT character as a 13 year old… :)

Kevin>> These movies must be very hard for actors to work in and even more so on the NEW ones, where so much was shot in front of blue-screens, and some of the script was even kept secret from the actors themselves. BUT At least the prequel actors had already established good reputations to retreat back to afterwards, whereas poor old MH was stuck with the “bad actor” label for life.

]]> By: Kevin Richardson http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21498 Kevin Richardson Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:25:53 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21498 Nice! I agree with the Mark Hamill comments -- I think Liam is great...but not in TPM! But I don't blame him for that. Episode 1 felt like an effects extravaganza, and the actors were just in the way. Nice! I agree with the Mark Hamill comments — I think Liam is great…but not in TPM! But I don’t blame him for that. Episode 1 felt like an effects extravaganza, and the actors were just in the way.

]]> By: John Hoffman http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21493 John Hoffman Thu, 11 Oct 2007 03:10:45 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21493 Cool post. Chewie was easily my favorite as a kid. In fact, he was the first Star Wars action figure I got WAY back in the day. I'm in agreement with your Mark Hamill assessment. I think he's considered one of the if not top, better voice talents in LA because of all the crazy stuff he can do with it. That Mead painting is AMAZING!!! Cool post. Chewie was easily my favorite as a kid. In fact, he was the first Star Wars action figure I got WAY back in the day.

I’m in agreement with your Mark Hamill assessment. I think he’s considered one of the if not top, better voice talents in LA because of all the crazy stuff he can do with it.

That Mead painting is AMAZING!!!

]]> By: Rhode http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21492 Rhode Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:49:30 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21492 Wow Jamie!- This blog post just blew my mind about Chewie! Also, it was great to see the early drafts of the screenplay- it's all there. Wow Jamie!- This blog post just blew my mind about Chewie! Also, it was great to see the early drafts of the screenplay- it’s all there.

]]> By: tedm http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21491 tedm Wed, 10 Oct 2007 23:51:27 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21491 My dad was working for General Motors when Syd Mead did those US steel books. He very kindly gave them to me for my birthday a few years back since I couldn't stop drooling over them. Those are without question among my MOST prized possessions. JShu is the only other person I've met who has them. Those books are WAY ahead of their time; and amazing. My dad was working for General Motors when Syd Mead did those US steel books. He very kindly gave them to me for my birthday a few years back since I couldn’t stop drooling over them. Those are without question among my MOST prized possessions. JShu is the only other person I’ve met who has them. Those books are WAY ahead of their time; and amazing.

]]> By: James Baker http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21489 James Baker Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:06:08 +0000 http://www.james-baker.com/news/2007/10/geeking-out.html#comment-21489 Karen>> I like Liam Neeson too. I didn't intend to bash on him or any of the other actors in the new SW movies. All of them have entertained me in many films and I know that each of them are good actors. The point that I was trying to make is that Mark Hamill has been criticised for 30 years as being a bad actor when, in my opinion, he turns in just as good a performance as many actors who had already established themselves as good actors before appearing in SW. Thanks for commenting! Patrick>> It's a great design, isn't it? Jshu>>When I saw these images, back in the early 1980s they kind of rocked my world... Two of my fave designs from the first two films were done even before visual development had started on the movies.. Karen>> I like Liam Neeson too. I didn’t intend to bash on him or any of the other actors in the new SW movies. All of them have entertained me in many films and I know that each of them are good actors. The point that I was trying to make is that Mark Hamill has been criticised for 30 years as being a bad actor when, in my opinion, he turns in just as good a performance as many actors who had already established themselves as good actors before appearing in SW.

Thanks for commenting!

Patrick>> It’s a great design, isn’t it?

Jshu>>When I saw these images, back in the early 1980s they kind of rocked my world… Two of my fave designs from the first two films were done even before visual development had started on the movies..

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