George Lucas’s Star Wars changed the direction of American film with some of the most ingenious special effects contrived for movies of its time. Twenty-two months were spent on the special effects, including the six months needed to design the equipment and the more than 1,000 story boards for the effects sequences.
A special computerized camera, called a Dykstraflex, was designed to give the illusion of real screen movement. This system, controlled by the camera operator, enabled him or her to pan, tilt, and track around the model, always keeping it in focus. The breakthrough was the camera’s ability to repeat the identical movements from shot to shot; thus the effects sequences could be built like a music track, layer upon layer. The illusion was complete: 10 none of the spaceships in Star Wars ever moved – only the camera did.
The star-field backdrop in space was made by punching holes in black plexiglass. More than 75 models were constructed, with astonishing detail work. On the rebel blockade runner artists built a tiny cockpit, all done to scale. The miniaturized laser canons were fully motorized to swivel and tilt by remote control. The light sabers were four-sided blades coated with 15 reflective aluminum, attached to a small motor. When rotated, they created a flashing light later enhanced by animation.
