Industrial Light & Magic ( ILM ) is an American motion picture visual effects company and computer animation studio that was founded on May 26, 1975 by George Lucas . It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm , which Lucas founded, and was created when he began production on the original Star Wars , now the fourth episode of the Skywalker Saga .
113-576: (Redirected from Episode Five ) Episode Five , Episode 5 or Episode V may refer to: The Empire Strikes Back also known as Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back , a 1980 film "Episode Five" ( SAO Abridged ) "Episode 5" ( Humans series 1) "Episode 5" ( Primeval ) "Episode 5" ( Silverwing ) "Episode 5" ( Ashes to Ashes ) "Episode 5" ( Peep Show ) "Episode 5" ( Skins ) "Episode 5" ( Twin Peaks ) Topics referred to by
226-425: A Miss Piggy routine. Hamill recalled Ford giving him a kiss instead of reading his lines, which entertained the crew. Mayhew fell ill while filming Han's torture scene because the set used bursts of steam, which raised the ambient temperature to 90 °F (32 °C) while he was wearing a wool suit. Bank of America representatives visited the set in late March, concerned about rising costs. Lucas rarely visited
339-517: A BAFTA , among others. Subsequent releases have raised the film's worldwide gross to $ 538–549 million and, adjusted for inflation, it is the 13th-highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada . Since its release, The Empire Strikes Back has been critically reassessed and is now often regarded as the best film in the Star Wars series and among the greatest films ever made . It has had
452-525: A Fox distribution employee with recommending Finse , Norway; Kurtz said it was Reynolds who had done so. For the bog planet Dagobah, scouts looked at Central Africa, Kenya, and Scandinavia, but Lucas wanted to avoid shooting on location. He funded the construction of a " Star Wars stage" at Elstree Studios , London, for the Dagobah and rebel base sets. Construction for the stage—which measured 1,250,000 cubic feet (35,000 m ) and cost $ 2 million—began at
565-551: A controlled drop at a rate of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) or 2,500 feet (760 m) a minute. A heated shelter for the helicopter had to be constructed, which delayed filming of the shot by four weeks. The second unit, scheduled to be in Finse for three weeks, was there for eight. When the crew returned to London, they had only half the planned footage, and background images for special effects shots were uneven. Empire ' s budget increased to around $ 22 million because of
678-487: A cut of the film until March. That month, Lucas decided he wanted an additional Hoth scene and auditioned 50 ILM crew to appear as Rebels. The final 124-minute cut was completed on April 16, which triggered a $ 10 million payment from Fox to Bank of Boston. Lucasfilm also launched an employee bonus scheme to share Empire ' s profits with its staff. Test screenings were held in San Francisco on April 19. While
791-586: A different actor to provide Yoda's voice, but decided it would be too difficult to cast someone who could match their voice to Oz's puppetry. Jeremy Bulloch did not audition for Boba Fett; he was hired because the costume fit him. It was uncomfortable and top-heavy, making it difficult to maintain his balance, and the mask often steamed up. Bulloch assumed his lines would be dubbed over, as he had little dialogue (Fett's voice actor, Jason Wingreen, remained uncredited until 2000). Bulloch also appears as an Imperial officer who restrains Leia on Bespin. No other cast member
904-527: A diminutive, froglike creature, Minch Yoda. Lucas drew on influences including The Thing from Another World (1951), the novel Dune (1965), and the television series Flash Gordon (1954). Around this time, Kurtz conceived the title The Empire Strikes Back . He said they avoided calling it Star Wars II because films with "II" in their titles were seen as inferior. Brackett completed her first draft in February 1978, titled Star Wars sequel, from
1017-546: A full mask that his wife Elaine wore. Chimpanzee eyes were superimposed over her face; cat eyes and assistant accountant Laura Crockett's eyes were also considered. Pre-production began in early 1978. Although Kershner wanted two years, this phase only lasted a year. Seeking an area to represent the ice planet Hoth, location scouts considered Finland, Sweden, and the Arctic Circle. The location needed to be free of trees and near populated areas for amenities. Kershner credited
1130-463: A line mentioning Lando deliberately abandoning his people, and had Luke contact Leia through the Force instead of Obi-Wan's ghost. The fourth draft—mostly the same but with more detailed action—was submitted on October 24. Although some of Brackett's ideas remained, such as Luke's Dagobah training, her dialogue and characterization were removed. Kasdan described her take as from "a different era", lacking
1243-508: A new 30,000-square-foot studio on Water Street in the Gastown district in 2014. In October 2012, Disney bought ILM's parent company, Lucasfilm, acquiring ILM, Skywalker Sound , and LucasArts in the process. Disney stated that it had no immediate plans to change ILM's operations, but began to lay off employees by April of the next year. Following the restructuring of LucasArts in April 2013, ILM
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#17330859262981356-800: A new studio in Mumbai . In May 2023, ILMxLAB was rebranded as ILM Immersive. In August 2023, Lucasfilm announced it would close the ILM studio in Singapore due to economic factors affecting the industry and the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes . The closure affected 340 Singapore-based jobs. Employees continued working until the end of the year. Disney confirmed that it would be helping employees to either find work with local companies with similar skills requirements or relocate to ILM's other studios in London , Vancouver , Sydney and Mumbai . An ILM Singapore employee confirmed that
1469-689: A profit percentage. He had profited substantially from Star Wars and did not need to work, but was too invested in his creation to entrust it to others. Lucas had concepts for the sequel but no solid structure. He knew the story would be darker, would explore more mature themes and relationships, and would continue to explore the nature of the Force. Lucas intended to fund the production independently, using his $ 12 million profit from Star Wars to relocate and expand his special effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and establish his Skywalker movie ranch in Marin County, California , with
1582-522: A result, they started investing in Apple and SGI computers. One of Lucas' employees was given the task to find the right people to hire. His search would lead him to NYIT, where he found Edwin Catmull and his colleagues. Catmull and others accepted Lucas' job offer, and a new computer division at Lucasfilm was created in 1979, which technically belonged to another division than ILM, with the hiring of Ed Catmull as
1695-399: A second, third, and fourth film, but Ford had declined similar terms because of earlier bad experiences; he agreed to return because he wanted to improve on his Star Wars performance. Hamill spent four months bodybuilding and learning karate, fencing, and kendo to prepare for his stunts. David Prowse hesitated to return as Darth Vader because, as he was hidden behind a costume, he believed
1808-520: A sequel was swiftly put into production. In case Star Wars had failed, creator George Lucas had contracted Alan Dean Foster to write a low-budget sequel (later released as the novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye ). Once the success of Star Wars was evident, Lucas was reluctant to direct the sequel because of the stress of making the first film and its impact on his health. The popularity of Star Wars brought Lucas wealth, fame and positive attention from
1921-579: A shot of the Star Destroyer launching probes. He continued tweaking elements to improve the special effects, but even with ILM staff working up to 24 hours a day, six days a week, there was not enough time to do everything they wanted. A Dagobah pick-up scene, in which R2-D2 is spat out by a monster, was filmed in Lucas's swimming pool; the Emperor's scenes were filmed in February 1980. Fox executives did not see
2034-469: A shot, and inserting the film's actors into preexisting footage—in films such as in Forrest Gump in 1994. Adam Savage , Grant Imahara and Tory Belleci of MythBusters fame have all worked at ILM. ILM is also famous for their commercial work. Their clients include Energizer , and Oldsmobile . They also animated Yoda for a series of 2012 commercials for Vodafone , which were broadcast in
2147-421: A significant impact on filmmaking and popular culture and is often considered an example of a sequel superior to its predecessor. The climax, in which Vader reveals he is Luke's father, is often ranked as one of the greatest plot twists in cinema. The film spawned a variety of merchandise and adaptations, including video games and a radio play. The United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in
2260-483: A sister (not Leia), Han goes on a mission to recruit his powerful stepfather, and Lando is a clone from the Clone Wars . Lucas made detailed notes and attempted to contact Brackett, but she had been hospitalized, and died of cancer a few weeks later, on March 18. The strict schedule left Lucas no choice but to write the second draft himself. Though Brackett's draft followed Lucas's outline, he found she had portrayed
2373-427: A slimy creature to a small blue one; each version retained the character's long life and wisdom. Yoda was intended to teach Luke to respect everyone and not judge by appearances, and defy audience expectations. The draft tightened or expanded dialogue to better pace action scenes, added more romance, and added or changed locations, such as moving a Vader scene from a spaceship deck to his private cubicle. Lucas removed
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#17330859262982486-478: A story conference to discuss Lucas's draft. The group collaborated on ideas, with Lucas embracing their challenges and input. Mandated to deliver a fifth of the script every other week, Kasdan began his rewrite, focusing on developing character relationships and psychologies; he completed the third draft by early August. This version refined Minch Yoda—alternately named "the Critter", Minch, Buffy, and simply Yoda—from
2599-536: A story conference. Lucas had core ideas in mind but wanted Brackett to piece them together. He envisioned one central plot complemented by three main subplots, set across 60 scenes, 100 script pages, and a two-hour runtime. They formed a general outline and ideas that included the Wookiee homeworld, new alien species, the Galactic Emperor, a gambler from Han's past, water and city planets, Luke's lost twin sister, and
2712-661: A warehouse in Van Nuys , California. After seeing the map for the location was zoned as light industrial , Lucas named the group Industrial Light and Magic, which became the Special Visual Effects department on Star Wars . Alongside Dykstra, other leading members of the original ILM team were Ken Ralston , Richard Edlund , Dennis Muren , Robert Blalack , Joe Johnston , Phil Tippett , Steve Gawley , Lorne Peterson , and Paul Huston. In late 1978, when in pre-production for The Empire Strikes Back , Lucas reformed most of
2825-409: A week later. The typical purpose of the second unit was to do time-consuming filming for special effects shots, but they were now filming main scenes—including Luke's ice cave imprisonment—because the schedule had overrun by around 26 days. Hamill was unavailable for several days after injuring his hand during a stunt jump from a speeder bike . Having been called in for the stunt the same day his son
2938-491: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages The Empire Strikes Back The Empire Strikes Back (also known as Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back ) is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan , based on a story by George Lucas . The sequel to Star Wars (1977), it
3051-521: Is featured in the billing on the Photoshop splash screen. John Knoll continues to be ILM's top visual effects supervisor, and was one of the executive producers and writers of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story . In addition to their work for George Lucas, ILM also collaborates with Steven Spielberg on many films that he directs and produces. Dennis Muren has acted as Computer Animation Supervisor on many of these films. For Jurassic Park in 1993, ILM used
3164-621: Is the second film in the Star Wars film series and the fifth chronological chapter of the " Skywalker Saga ". Set three years after the events of Star Wars , the film recounts the battle between the malevolent Galactic Empire , led by the Emperor , and the Rebel Alliance , led by Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia . As the Empire goes on the offensive, Luke trains to master the Force so he can confront
3277-415: Is voiced by Clive Revill and portrayed physically by Elaine Baker. The bounty hunter Boba Fett is portrayed physically by Jeremy Bulloch and voiced by Jason Wingreen (who remained uncredited until 2000). Other bounty hunters include Dengar (portrayed by Morris Bush) and the humanoid lizard Bossk (Alan Harris). Following the unexpected financial success and cultural impact of Star Wars (1977),
3390-932: The Falcon ' s hyperdrive and the vessel escapes. After the group joins the rebel fleet, Luke's missing hand is replaced by a robotic prosthesis . He, Leia, C-3PO , and R2-D2 observe as Lando and Chewbacca depart on the Falcon to find Han. The film also features Alec Guinness as Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi, and John Hollis as Lobot, Lando's aide. The Rebel force includes General Rieekan (portrayed by Bruce Boa ), Major Derlin ( John Ratzenberger ), Cal Alder ( Jack McKenzie ), Dak Ralter ( John Morton ), Wedge Antilles ( Denis Lawson ), Zev Senesca ( Christopher Malcolm ), and Hobbie Klivian ( Richard Oldfield ). The Empire's forces include Admiral Piett ( Kenneth Colley ), Admiral Ozzel ( Michael Sheard ), General Veers ( Julian Glover ), and Captain Needa ( Michael Culver ). The Emperor
3503-565: The Jedi Master Yoda . Han Solo discovers Luke and insulates him against the weather inside his deceased tauntaun mount until they are rescued the next morning. Alerted to the Rebels' location, the Empire launches a large-scale attack using AT-AT walkers , forcing the Rebels to evacuate the base. Han, Princess Leia , C-3PO and Chewbacca escape aboard the Millennium Falcon , but
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3616-563: The Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio of San Francisco . In 2012, The Walt Disney Company acquired ILM as part of its purchase of Lucasfilm. As of 2024, Industrial Light & Magic has won 16 Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects . Lucas wanted his 1977 film Star Wars to include visual effects that had never been seen on film before. After discovering that the in-house effects department at 20th Century Fox
3729-623: The National Film Registry in 2010. Return of the Jedi (1983) followed Empire , concluding the original Star Wars trilogy . Prequel and sequel trilogies have since been released. Three years after the destruction of the Death Star , the Imperial fleet, led by Darth Vader , dispatches probe droids across the galaxy in search for the Rebel Alliance . One probe locates the rebel base on
3842-536: The Star Wars property. Lucas took an executive producer role, enabling him to focus on his businesses and the development of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). By late 1977, Kurtz began hiring key crew members, including production designer Norman Reynolds , consultant John Barry , makeup artist Stuart Freeborn , and first assistant director David Tomblin . Lucas rehired artists Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston to maintain visual consistency with Star Wars , and
3955-579: The Star Wars stage. By February 25, the Finse location crew had arrived in Norway to receive flown-in equipment containers and begin digging trenches for battle scenes. The musical score for The Empire Strikes Back was composed and conducted by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra , at a cost of about $ 250,000. Williams began planning the score in November 1979, estimating
4068-560: The acetate film brittle, camera lenses iced over, snow seeped into equipment, and effects paint froze inside the tin. To counter these effects, lenses were kept cool but the camera body was warmed to protect the film, battery, and camera operators' hands. The crew was outside for up to 11 hours at a time, being subjected to thin air, limited visibility, and mild frostbite ; one crewman slipped and broke two ribs. The difficult conditions led to strong camaraderie among crewmembers. Avalanches blocked direct transport links, and trenches dug by
4181-450: The crew credits at the end of the film to avoid interfering with the opening. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Directors Guild of America (DGA) had allowed this for the first film because Lucas directed and it opened with the logo for his namesake Lucasfilm, but for Empire they refused to allow Kershner or the first and second unit directors to be credited only at the end, fined Lucas $ 250,000 when he ignored them and tried to have
4294-435: The Emperor's powerful disciple, Darth Vader . The ensemble cast includes Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Billy Dee Williams , Anthony Daniels , David Prowse , Kenny Baker , Peter Mayhew , and Frank Oz . Following the success of Star Wars , Lucas hired Brackett to write the sequel. After she died in 1978, he outlined the whole Star Wars saga and wrote the next draft himself, before hiring Raiders of
4407-678: The Lost Ark (1981) writer Kasdan to enhance his work. To avoid the stress he faced directing Star Wars , Lucas handed the responsibility to Kershner and focused on expanding his special effects company Industrial Light & Magic instead. Filmed from March to September 1979 in Finse , Norway, and at Elstree Studios in England, The Empire Strikes Back faced production difficulties, including actor injuries, illnesses, fires, and problems securing additional financing as costs rose. Initially budgeted at $ 8 million, costs had risen to $ 30.5 million by
4520-541: The Singapore arm of Lucasfilm Animation . In 2006, ILM invented IMoCap (Image Based Motion Capture Technology). By 2007, ILM was one of the largest visual effects vendors in the motion picture industry and had one of the largest render farms (named Death Star ). In 2011, it was announced the company was considering a project-based facility in Vancouver . ILM first opened a temporary facility in Vancouver before relocating to
4633-538: The UK. Actor Masi Oka worked on several major ILM productions as a programmer , including Revenge of the Sith , before joining the cast of the NBC show Heroes as Hiro Nakamura . American film director David Fincher worked at ILM for four years in the early 1980s. Film director Joe Johnston was a Visual effects artist and an Art Director. Film director Mark A.Z. Dippé
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4746-406: The adventures of Luke Skywalker . The draft contained a city in the clouds, a chase through an asteroid belt, a greater focus on the love triangle between Luke, Han, and Leia (who is portrayed as a damsel in distress ), the battle of Hoth and a climactic duel between Luke and Darth Vader. The ghosts of his father and Obi-Wan visit Luke, leaving Vader a separate character. The draft reveals Luke has
4859-406: The characters differently than he intended. Lucas completed his handwritten, 121-page draft on April 1. He found the process more enjoyable than on Star Wars because he was familiar with the universe, but struggled to write a satisfying conclusion, leaving it open for a third film. This draft established Luke's sister as a new character undertaking a similar journey, Vader's castle and his fear of
4972-467: The closure of the Singaporean studio was linked to the strike. Photoshop was first used at Industrial Light & Magic as an image-processing program. Photoshop was created by ILM Visual Effects Supervisor John Knoll and his brother Thomas as a summer project. It was used on The Abyss . The Knoll brothers sold the program to Adobe in 1989. Thomas Knoll continues to work on Photoshop at Adobe and
5085-611: The company and Lucasfilm, granting himself 5% of the box office gross profits . He also founded Black Falcon to license Star Wars merchandising rights, using the income to subsidize his ongoing projects. Development for the sequel began in August 1977, under the title Star Wars Chapter II . Lucas considered replacing producer Gary Kurtz with Howard Kazanjian because Kurtz had not fulfilled his role and left problems unresolved while filming Star Wars . Kurtz convinced him otherwise by trading on his longtime loyalty to Lucas and knowledge of
5198-402: The crew quickly filled with snow. Scenes could be prepared only a few hours in advance and many scenes were filmed just outside the crew's hotel as the shifting weather regularly altered the scenery. Although Fisher was not scheduled to film scenes in Norway, she joined Hamill on location because she wanted to observe the process. Ford was not scheduled for the Finse phase, but to compensate for
5311-515: The crew, including Kershner, and tactics were used to delay its impact, including paying staff biweekly instead of weekly and Lucas borrowing money from his merchandising company Black Falcon. Lucas worried he would have to sell Empire and its associated rights to Fox to sustain the project, losing his creative freedom. Fox was also threatening to buy out the bond and take over filming. With about 20% of Empire left to film, Lucasfilm president Charles Weber arranged for Bank of Boston to refinance
5424-524: The dark side and help him destroy his master, the Emperor , so they may rule the galaxy together. Luke refuses, citing Obi-Wan's claim that Vader killed his father, prompting Vader to reveal that he is Luke's father. Distraught, Luke plunges down the air shaft and is ejected beneath the floating city, latching onto an antenna. He reaches out through the Force to Leia, and the Falcon returns to rescue him. They are attacked by TIE fighters but narrowly evade capture by Vader's Star Destroyer when R2-D2 repairs
5537-510: The dark side tree on Dagobah. A wrap party was held on the set to mark the official conclusion of filming on September 5, 1979, after 133 days. Guinness filmed his scenes against a bluescreen the same day. Kershner and the second unit continued filming additional footage, including Luke's X-Wing being raised from the swamp. Kershner left the set on September 9, and Hamill finished 103 days of filming two days later. The second unit finished filming on September 24 with Hamill's stunt double. There
5650-431: The dark side, wanting to instead explore this in the next film. Lucas believed it was important the characters be inspirational and appropriate for children. His typed draft is titled Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back . In June 1978, impressed with his work on Raiders of the Lost Ark , Lucas hired Lawrence Kasdan to refine the draft; Kasdan was paid $ 60,000. In early July, Kasdan, Kershner and Lucas held
5763-434: The delays and having to rework scenes to compensate for the missing footage. Filming at Elstree began on March 13, 1979. Production remained behind schedule without Stage 3 (which had been destroyed by fire), and the incomplete Star Wars stage lacked protection from the cold weather. The result was that the crew had to work out of any available space. To save time, some scenes were shot simultaneously, such as those set in
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#17330859262985876-484: The delays, he was brought there instead of creating a separate set in a Leeds studio. On a few hours' notice, he arrived in Finse, having traveled the last 23 miles (37 km) of the snow-laden journey by snowplow. Production returned to England after a week, though Hamill had an additional day of filming. The second unit remained in Norway through March to film explosions, incidental footage, and battle scenes featuring 35 mountain rescue skiers as extras. The skiers' work
5989-531: The director's indulgences. Kurtz had also given Kershner more leeway because of the delays caused by the Stage 3 fire. Kershner's slower work pace had frustrated Lucas. He described his filming style as frugal, performing two or three takes with little coverage film that could later compensate for mistakes. Watts and Reynolds said Kershner often looked at new ways of doing things, but this required planning that only delayed things further. Kershner had tried replicating
6102-476: The emperor, distinct power levels in controlling the Force, Yoda's unconventional speech pattern, and bounty hunters, including Boba Fett. Lucas wrote Fett like the Man with No Name , combining him with an abandoned idea for a Super Stormtrooper . Lucas's handwritten draft included mention of Vader being Luke's father, but the typed script omitted this revelation. Despite contradictory information in drafts that included
6215-439: The end of August. Sets were the single biggest expense of the production, costing a total of $ 3.5 million. By December, the budget had increased to $ 21.5 million, more than double the original estimate. Financial projections for The Chapter II Company suggested it would run a monthly deficit of $ 5–25 million by the end of 1979, including over $ 2 million in production costs and $ 400,000 to fund ILM. As
6328-449: The ending was unclear about where Luke and Leia were in relation to Lando and Chewbacca. In the three-week window between its limited and wider release, Lucas, Johnston, and visual effects artist Ken Ralston filmed enhancement scenes at ILM, using existing footage, a new score, modified dialogue, and new miniatures to create establishing shots of the Rebel fleet and their relative positions. By
6441-432: The equipment that would be necessary to complete their work. Compared to the 360 special effects shots for Star Wars , Empire required around 600. The crew, supervised by Richard Edlund and Brian Johnson , included Dennis Muren , Bruce Nicholson , Lorne Peterson , Steve Gawley , Phil Tippett , Tom St. Amand, and Nilo Rodis-Jamero . Up to 100 people worked on the project daily, including Stuart Freeborn, who
6554-399: The experience was like fighting blindfolded because of the costume. Hamill spent weeks practicing his fencing routine, eventually growing frustrated and refusing to continue. The next scene, where Vader confesses he is Luke's father, was shrouded in secrecy. Prowse was given the line "Obi-Wan Kenobi is your father" to read because he was known for repeatedly leaking information. Only Kershner,
6667-671: The film removed from theaters. Because Lucas had followed the laws relevant to the United Kingdom where it was produced, the DGA was unable to sanction him and instead fined Kershner $ 25,000. Lucas paid his fine but was so frustrated that he left the WGA, DGA, and Motion Picture Association , which restricted his ability to write and direct future films. Industrial Light %26 Magic ILM originated in Van Nuys , California , then later moved to San Rafael in 1978, and since 2005 it has been based at
6780-481: The film would require 107 minutes of music. For two weeks across 18 three-hour sessions just after Christmas, Williams recorded the score at Anvil Studios and Abbey Road Studios , London. Up to 104 musicians were involved at a time, playing such instruments as oboes, piccolos, pianos, and harps. Principal photography began on March 5, 1979, on the Hardangerjøkulen glacier near Finse, Norway, representing
6893-402: The filmmakers played down his involvement to portray the droid as a real being. He ultimately agreed, however, for an improved salary. Alec Guinness said he could not return as Obi-Wan because his failing eyesight required him to avoid bright lights. Recasting him was considered but, determined to recruit him, Lucas agreed to a deal in late August 1979 which gave him a more limited role. Guinness
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#17330859262987006-528: The first CGI-animated feature, Toy Story . In 2000, ILM created the OpenEXR format for high-dynamic-range imaging . ILM operated from an inconspicuous property in San Rafael, California until 2005. The company was known to locals as The Kerner Company , a name that did not draw any attention, allowing the company to operate in secret, thus preventing the compromise of sensitive information on its productions to
7119-441: The first NYIT employee who joined the company. Lucas' list for them was a digital film editing system, a digital sound editing system, a laser film printer, and further exploration of computer graphics. John Lasseter , who was hired a few years later, worked on computer-animation as part of ILM's contribution to Young Sherlock Holmes . The Graphics Group was later sold to Steve Jobs , named Pixar Animation Studios , and created
7232-526: The full-scale Millenium Falcon . These scenes had to be filmed efficiently, so the Falcon could be dismantled to make way for the Dagobah set. Filming began on the carbon chamber scene in late June while the second unit filmed anything they could. The raised set was largely incomplete, and low lighting and steam were used to conceal any obvious flaws. The fog machines and heat from the steam made many cast and crew members sick; it took approximately three weeks to film. The confession of love between Leia and Han
7345-426: The genre attempting to profit by association and big-budget entries such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Black Hole , both released just months before The Empire Strikes Back . Sequels were not expected to perform as well as their originals, and there were low expectations for merchandising. Even so, tie-in deals were arranged with Coca-Cola , Nestlé , General Mills , and Topps collectibles. Fox
7458-474: The ghost of Luke's father, Lucas said he had always intended for Vader to be Luke's father and omitted it from scripts to avoid leaks. Lucas included elements such as Han's debt to Jabba, and recontextualized Luke leaving Dagobah to rescue his friends: in Brackett's draft, Obi-Wan instructs Luke to leave; Lucas had Luke choose to do so. He also removed a scene of Luke massacring stormtroopers to convey him falling to
7571-510: The group to the Empire, knowing Luke will come to their aid. Meanwhile, Luke travels with R2-D2 in his X-wing fighter to Dagobah, where he crash-lands. He meets Yoda, a diminutive creature who reluctantly accepts him as his Jedi apprentice after conferring with Obi-Wan's spirit. Yoda trains Luke to master the light side of the Force and resist negative emotions that will seduce him to the dark side , as they did Vader. Luke struggles to control his anger and impulsiveness and fails to comprehend
7684-567: The ice cavern and medical bay. Kershner wanted each character to make a unique entrance in the film. While filming Vader's entrance, the snow troopers preceding Prowse tripped over the polystyrene ice, and the stuntman behind him stood on his cape, breaking it off, causing Prowse to fall onto the snow troopers. The shoot was strenuous and mired in conflicts. Fisher suffered from influenza and bronchitis, her weight dropped to 85 pounds (39 kg) while working 12-hour days, and she collapsed on set from an allergic reaction to steam or spray paint. She
7797-451: The ice planet Hoth . While Luke Skywalker is scouting near the base, a wampa captures him before he can investigate a meteorite, but he escapes by using the Force to retrieve his lightsaber and wound the beast. Before Luke succumbs to hypothermia , the Force spirit of his deceased mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi , instructs him to go to the swamp planet Dagobah to train as a Jedi Knight under
7910-422: The insurers refused to allow him to perform a 15-foot (4.6 m) fall out of a window. He accidentally fell from a nine-inch ledge 40 feet (12 m) high but rolled on landing to avoid injury. Lucas returned to the set on July 15 and stayed for the rest of filming. He rewrote Luke's scenes on Dagobah, removing or trimming them so they could be shot in just over two weeks. Most of the cast completed filming by
8023-488: The loan to $ 31 million, including $ 27.7 million from Bank of Boston and $ 3 million guaranteed by Fox in exchange for an increased percentage of the theatrical returns and 10% of merchandising profits. Lucasfilm took out the loan, making the company directly liable. The Star Wars stage was completed in early May. It was too small to house the Rebel hangar and Dagobah sets, and an extension had to be funded and built. The producers mandated filming begin on
8136-650: The media or fans. In 2005, when Lucas decided to move locations to the Presidio of San Francisco and focus on digital effects, a management-led team bought the five physical and practical effects divisions and formed a new company that included the George Lucas Theater, retained the "Kerner" name as Kerner Technologies, Inc. and provided physical effects for major motion pictures, often working with ILM, until its Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2011. In 2005, ILM extended its operations to Lucasfilm Singapore , which also includes
8249-465: The nature and power of the Force until he witnesses Yoda use it to levitate the X-wing from the swamp. Luke has a premonition of Han and Leia in pain and, despite Obi-Wan's and Yoda's protestations, abandons his training to rescue them. Although Obi-Wan believes Luke is their only hope, Yoda asserts that "there is another." Leia confesses her love for Han before Vader freezes him in carbonite to test whether
8362-686: The necessary tone. Kazanjian did not believe the Writers Guild of America West would approve of her receiving credit, but Lucas liked Brackett and supported her credit as co-writer. He also provided for her family beyond her contracted pay. The fifth draft was completed in February 1979. It revised some scenes and introduced a "Hogmen" species devised by Kershner; Lucas did not like the idea because he perceived them as slaves. Mark Hamill (Luke), Carrie Fisher (Leia), Harrison Ford (Han), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2) all reprised their Star Wars roles. Hamill and Fisher were contracted for
8475-561: The opening of a new facility in Sydney , Australia. In the same year, ILM introduced StageCraft . Also known as "The Volume", it uses high-definition LED video walls to generate virtual sceneries and was first used in The Mandalorian . Following Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox , Fox VFX Lab was folded into ILM, including the Technoprops division. In October 2022, ILM opened
8588-626: The planet Hoth. Initially scheduled to conclude on June 22, by the end of the first week it was obvious it would take longer and cost more. Filming the Hoth scenes on a set was considered, but ultimately rejected as inauthentic. The location filming coincided with the area's worst snowstorm in half a century, impeding the production with blizzards, 40-mile-per-hour (64 km/h) winds, and temperatures between −26 °F (−32 °C) and −38 °F (−39 °C). The weather cleared only twice; some days, filming could not take place. The frigid conditions made
8701-516: The process will safely imprison Luke. Han survives and is given to Fett, who intends to collect his bounty from Jabba the Hutt . Lando frees Leia and Chewbacca, but they are too late to stop Fett's escape. The group fights its way back to the Falcon and flees the city. Luke arrives and engages Vader in a lightsaber duel over the city's central air shaft. Vader defeats Luke, severing his right hand and separating him from his lightsaber. He urges Luke to embrace
8814-411: The producers' favor if it exceeded $ 100 million. Filming had to begin by January 1979 for release on May 1, 1980. The deal offered the possibility of significant financial gain for Lucas, but he risked financial ruin if the sequel failed. To mitigate some of the risk, Lucas founded The Chapter II Company to control the film's development and absorb its liabilities. He signed a contract between
8927-408: The producers, and Hamill knew the actual line. While filming the scene, Hamill was positioned on a platform suspended 35 feet (11 m) above a pile of mattresses. Footage of his fall into the reactor shaft was damaged during processing and the scene had to be reshot in early August. The Vader confrontation took eight weeks to film. Hamill insisted on doing as many of his stunts as possible, though
9040-543: The program Viewpaint, which allowed the visual effects artists to paint color and texture directly onto the surface of the computer models. Former ILM CG Animator Steve "Spaz" Williams said that it took nearly a year for the shots that involved computer-generated dinosaurs to be completed. The film is noted for its groundbreaking use of computer-generated imagery , and is regarded as a landmark for visual effects . The company also works on more subtle special effects—such as widening streets, digitally adding more extras to
9153-514: The project's conclusion, around 700 people had worked on Empire . Lucas's firm, Industrial Light & Magic, developed the special effects for The Empire Strikes Back at a cost of $ 8 million, including staffing and the construction of the company's new facility in Marin County, California. The building was still under construction when staff arrived in September 1978, and initially lacked
9266-430: The project's conclusion. Released on May 21, 1980, the highly anticipated sequel became the highest-grossing film that year , earning approximately $ 401.5 million worldwide. Unlike its lighthearted predecessor, Empire met with mixed reviews from critics, and fans were conflicted about its darker and more mature themes. The film was nominated for various awards and won two Academy Awards , two Grammy Awards , and
9379-400: The public, but it also brought negative attention in the form of threats and many requests for financial backing. Conscious that the sequel needed to exceed the original's scope—making it a bigger production—and that his production effects company Lucasfilm was relatively small and operating out of a makeshift office, Lucas considered selling the project to 20th Century-Fox in exchange for
9492-570: The quick pacing of Star Wars , not lingering on any scene for too long, and encouraged improvisation, modifying scenes and dialogue to focus more on characters' emotions, such as C-3PO interrupting Han and Leia as they are about to kiss. Kazanjian said many mistakes were made but blamed Weber, Lucasfilm vice president John Moohr, and primarily Kurtz. Actor John Morton called Kurtz an unsung hero, who brought his experience of filming war to Empire . The schedule overrun resulted in filming and post-production taking place simultaneously; filmed footage
9605-451: The remainder as collateral for a loan from Bank of America for the film's $ 8 million budget. Fox had the right of first negotiation and refusal to participate in any potential sequel. Negotiations began in mid-1977 between the studio and Lucas's representatives. Fox had already given Lucas controlling interest in the series' merchandising and sequels because it had thought Star Wars would be worthless. Terms were agreed quickly for
9718-496: The role offered little job security; he returned after being told further delays would lead to his being replaced. James Earl Jones returned to voice Vader but, as with Star Wars , declined a credit because he considered himself "special effects" to Prowse's physical performance. He earned $ 15,000 for half a day's work, plus a small percentage of the profits. Anthony Daniels was reluctant to return as C-3PO because he had received little acknowledgment for his previous performance, as
9831-415: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Episode 5 . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Episode_5&oldid=1248487394 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
9944-402: The sequel compared to the original, in part because Fox executive Alan Ladd Jr. had been supportive of the original and was eager for the sequel. The 100-page contract was signed on September 21, 1977, dictating that Fox would distribute the film but have no creative input, in exchange for 50% of the gross profits on the first $ 20 million earned, with the percentage increasing to 77.5% in
10057-606: The sequel to a film as successful as Star Wars , and his friends warned him against taking the job, believing he would be blamed if it failed. Lucas convinced Kershner it was not so much a sequel as a chapter in a larger story; he also promised him he could make the film his own way. Lucas began formulating ideas in August 1977. These included the Emperor, Luke's lost sister, and an explanation of facial injuries Hamill had suffered from an accident after filming Star Wars (Lucas told Hamill that, had he died, his character would have been replaced, not recast). Hamill recounted being told
10170-477: The sequel. He contacted Triple-I , known for their early computer effects in movies like Westworld (1973), Futureworld (1976), Tron (1982), and The Last Starfighter which ended up making a computer-generated test of five X-wing fighters flying in formation. He found it to be too expensive and returned to handmade models. Nevertheless, the test had showed him it was possible, and he decided he would create his own computer graphics department instead. As
10283-409: The set, but arrived on May 6 after realizing the production was behind schedule and over budget. An official Lucasfilm memo instructed staff to misstate the film's direct costs as $ 17 million. At this point, Kurtz and Lucas estimated it would cost $ 25–28 million to complete filming. Finances ran out in mid-July when Bank of America refused to increase the loan. The crisis was kept from
10396-475: The ship's hyperdrive malfunctions. They hide in an asteroid field , where Han and Leia grow closer amid the tension. Vader summons several bounty hunters, including Boba Fett , to find the Falcon . Evading the Imperial fleet, Han's group travels to the floating Cloud City on the gas planet Bespin , which is governed by his old friend Lando Calrissian . Fett tracks them there, and Vader forces Lando to surrender
10509-401: The sister character might be Leia, which he found disappointing. Lucas had written Star Wars but did not enjoy developing lore for an original universe. Science-fiction writer Leigh Brackett , whom Lucas met through a friend, excelled in quick-paced dialogue. He hired her for $ 50,000, aware that she had cancer. Between November 28 and December 2, 1977, Lucas and Brackett held
10622-415: The stage on May 18, regardless of its state. The hangar scene involved 77 rebel extras, which cost £2,000 per day. Around 50 short tons (45 long tons) of dendritic salt , mixed with magnesium sulfate for a sparkle effect, were used for the snowy sets; this combination of substances gave the cast and crew headaches. Second unit director John Barry died suddenly in early June; Harley Cokeliss replaced him
10735-400: The start of August, including Ford, Fisher, Williams, Mayhew, and Daniels. Hamill began filming on the Dagobah set with Yoda. They only had 12 days to film because Oz was scheduled for another project. With the film now over 50 days behind schedule, Kurtz was removed from his role and replaced by Kazanjian and associate producer Robert Watts . One of the last scenes shot was of Luke exploring
10848-574: The start of filming in January 1979 loomed, a fire on Elstree's Stage 3—where The Shining (1980) was being filmed—destroyed the space planned for Empire ' s sets. The impact was significant, resulting in the Empire production being forced to give up two stages so The Shining could continue filming. Sixty-four sets had to be moved through nine stages and the filming schedule had to be altered. Poor weather delayed construction of necessary sets, props, and
10961-417: The tauntaun special effect was criticized, audiences liked Han's reply of "I know" to Leia's confession of love. Lucas was unimpressed by the scene, believing it was not how Han would act. Because the magnetic soundtrack could flake from the film reels, Kurtz hired people to watch the film reels 24 hours a day to identify defects; 22% were defective. Shortly after the film's theatrical release, Lucas decided
11074-510: The team into Industrial Light & Magic in Marin County, California . From here on, the company expanded and has since gone on to produce special effects for over three hundred films, including the entire Star Wars saga, the Indiana Jones series, and the Jurassic Park series. After the success of the first Star Wars movie, Lucas became interested in using computer graphics on
11187-461: The three began conceptualizing the Hoth battle in December. By this point, the budget had increased to $ 10 million. Lucas wanted a director who would support the material and accept that he was ultimately in charge. He considered around 100 directors, including Alan Parker and John Badham , before hiring his old acquaintance Irvin Kershner in February 1978. Kershner was reluctant to direct
11300-445: Was a token role , but was assured it was not specifically written for a black actor. Kershner said Williams had the fantastic charm of a "Mississippi riverboat hustler". Howard Rollins , Terry Alexander , Robert Christian , Thurman Scott, and Yaphet Kotto were also considered for the part. Yoda was voiced and puppeteered by Frank Oz, with assistance from Kathryn Mullen , David Barclay , and Wendy Froud . Lucas had intended for
11413-531: Was also allergic to most makeup. Her overuse of hallucinogens and painkillers worsened her condition, as did the anxiety she experienced while performing her speech to the rebels. Stress and personal traumas led to frequent arguments among Hamill, Fisher, and Ford. Ford and Hamill fell ill or were injured at different times. Hamill was depressed by his isolation from human cast members, as his scenes required him to interact mostly with puppets, robots, and actors whose voices would be added later or dubbed over. He
11526-431: Was approximately 400,000 feet (120,000 m) of film, or 80 hours of footage. The final budget was $ 30.5 million. Kurtz blamed inflation , which had increased resource, cast, and crew costs significantly. Lucas blamed Kurtz for lack of oversight and poor financial planning. Watts said Kurtz was not good with people and never developed a working relationship with Kershner, making it difficult for him to temper
11639-459: Was available for this role, so Kurtz had him quickly change out of the Fett costume to stand in. John Morton portrays Fett in the same scene. There was no extensive casting for the Emperor. Lucas chose Clive Revill to provide the character's voice, and actress Marjorie Eaton physically portrayed the Emperor in test footage. The footage proved unsatisfactory, and special effects artist Rick Baker created
11752-428: Was born, aggravated by the salt-laden setting, and exhausted, he angrily chastised Kurtz for not using a double for the scene. Kershner's hands-on directing style, which included him acting out how he wanted a scene performed, agitated Hamill; Kershner, for his part, was frustrated that Hamill was not following his advice. The life-size hangar set was dismantled in mid-June to allow the construction of other sets around
11865-502: Was compensated with a donation to the Norwegian Red Cross . To film the Imperial probe landing, eight sticks of dynamite were placed on the glacier and set to explode at sunrise, but the demolitions expert in charge knocked the battery out of his radio and received the message too late to capture the intended shot. The opening sweeping shot of the area was captured by flying a helicopter to 15,000 feet (4,600 m) and performing
11978-612: Was confident in the film and spent little money on advertising, taking out small advertisements in newspapers instead of full-page spreads. The studio's market research showed 60% of those interested in the film were male. Lucasfilm set up a telephone number allowing callers to hear a message from cast members. Fox demanded a minimum 28-week appearance in theaters, although 12 weeks was the norm for major films. Estimates suggested Empire needed to earn $ 57.2 million to be profitable, after marketing, distribution, and loan interest costs. As with Star Wars , Lucas wanted to place all of
12091-468: Was left overstaffed and the faculty was reduced to serve only ILM's visual effects department. ILM opened a London studio headquartered in the city's Soho district on October 15, 2014. On November 7, 2018, ILM opened a new division targeted at television series called ILM TV . It will be based in ILM's new 47,000-square-foot London studio with support from the company's locations in San Francisco, Vancouver and Singapore. In July 2019, ILM announced
12204-404: Was meant to use an earpiece to hear Oz's Yoda dialogue, but for various reasons this did not work, and he struggled to form a relationship with the character. The Dagobah set was liberally sprayed with mineral oil, which caused him physical discomfort for long periods. Hamill called it a "physical ordeal the whole time ... but I don't really mind that". At one point, Oz cheered Hamill up with
12317-497: Was no longer operational, Lucas approached Douglas Trumbull , best known for the effects on 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Silent Running (1972). Trumbull declined as he was already committed to working on Steven Spielberg 's film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), but suggested his assistant John Dykstra to Lucas. Dykstra brought together a small team of college students, artists, and engineers and set them up in
12430-422: Was paid 0.25% of Empire ' s box office gross for his few hours of work. Billy Dee Williams was cast as Lando Calrissian, making him the first black actor with a starring role in the series. He found the character interesting because of his cape and Armenian surname ; Williams believed this gave him room to develop the character. Williams said Lando was much like himself—a "pretty cool guy". He believed it
12543-686: Was responsible mainly for crafting the Yoda puppet. Various techniques, including miniatures , matte paintings , stop motion , articulated models and full-size vehicles were used to create Empire ' s many effects. Industry professionals expected comedies and positive entertainment to dominate theaters in 1980 because of low morale in the United States caused by an economic recession . This generally increased theatrical visits as audiences sought escapism and ignored romantic films and depictions of blue-collar life . A surge of interest in science fiction following Star Wars led to many low-budget entries in
12656-459: Was scripted with both of them admitting their feelings for the other. Kershner felt this was too "sappy". He had Ford improvise lines repeatedly until Ford said he would do only one more take; his response to Leia's confession of love in the final take was "I know". By the end of the month, cast and crew morale was low. Hamill returned in early July to film his climactic battle against Darth Vader, portrayed by stunt double Bob Anderson , who said
12769-416: Was shipped immediately to ILM to begin effects work. A rough cut resembling the finished film (minus special effects) was put together by mid-October 1979. Lucas provided 31 pages of notes about changes he wanted, mainly alterations in dialogue and scene lengths. Jones recorded Vader's dialogue in late 1979 and early 1980. In early 1980, Lucas changed the long-planned opening of Luke riding his tauntaun to
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