Star Wars: Clone Wars Press Information

Starring The Voices Of: Matt Lucas, James Arnold Taylor, Tom Kane, Nick James, Anthony Daniels, and Grey Delisle

Network: Cartoon Network (Check your local cable/satellite listings for channel)

Today Cartoon Network held special screenings of the first five episodes of the original “Micro-series” entitled “Star Wars: Clone Wars.” Members of the local New York press were invited to attend and see the first five episodes of this highly anticipated animated television event. Unfortunately I got sick on the way to the screening on the subway and had to turn back so this not a review, but a preview of press information provided to me courtesy of the kind folks at Cartoon Network. I hope to follow this up with an actual review of the series so you all can get a first hand impression before the series officially airs, but in the meantime I hope this information will be helpful for everyone interested in the series. Please note that these are excerpts taken directly from the press materials, but they are very clear and concise so I will not reinvent the wheel when the one in use works fine already.

I screened the Cartoon Network's 4-minute EPK tape today, which featured some clips from the series along with interview clips with the show's animation producers and scenes of the voice actors recording their dialogue. From what I can tell based on the clips from the series "Star Wars: Clone Wars" truly appears to be an animated epic complete with music and sound effects from the feature films that help to give it a sense of place in the "Star Wars" saga. The characters are instantly recognizable and yet they carry a personality that equally belongs to the animators. The new Clone Troopers behave like true military commandos complete with hand gestures and whatnot. The fight scenes are epically staged with what seems like hundreds of ships flying into battle with thousand of laser blasts going in every direction. Some of the voices for the main characters sound enough like their feature film counterparts so that it is easy to buy into this extension of "Star Wars." However some voices like that of Dooku do not sound anything like their live action counterparts. I get the sense that the first few episodes may take a bit of time to get used to, but once things go into full swing, I have no doubt fans (myself included) will be hooked. The aspect ratio of the clips were (1.78:1) letterboxed and I hope the series is presented in that manner when it finally broadcasts to preserve the epic theatrical quality the scenes I saw seemed to have and I hope that if there is an eventual DVD release, it will be in anamorphic widescreen and not pan and scan. So program your VCRs, DVD recorders, and Tivos because each episode is only three minutes and I can tell you after watching the four minute EPK a few times, three minutes will feel like 3 seconds once things get going. Now back to the press materials provided for review.

Star Wars: Clone Wars, an “epic micro-series” consisting of 20 animated shorts, will air on Cartoon Network beginning Friday, November 7. The first 10 chapters will debut weekdays at 8 p.m. (ET, PT), from November 7-20. The next 10 episodes will debut in Spring 2004.

Star Wars: Clone Wars continues the saga where the live action feature film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones left off – at the beginning of the Clone Wars, an epic civil war that pits the Galactic Republic against the vast Separatist movement headed by the Dark Lords of the Sith.

As Clone Wars unfolds, the valiant Jedi Knights, led by Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker, lead the Republic’s Clone Army against both familiar and new adversaries across the galaxy. These new characters, epic battles and intricate stories will add an exciting new dimension to the Star Wars saga.

Anakin Skywalker – Obi-Wan Kenobi’s apprentice, Anakin is a confident and headstrong 20-year-old with an impulsive nature and a flair for adventure. Anakin’s reckless ways can wear down even the most patient Jedi Master. But the young man, who will eventually become Darth Vader, is unusually strong with the Force.

Obi-Wan Kenobi – A Jedi Knight of exceptional skill and wisdom, Obi-Wan Kenobi has guided the young Anakin Skywalker along the path to becoming a Jedi for more than a decade. Reigning in his rebellious Padawan has made Obi-Wan, who gains the title of general during the Clone Wars, both wise and cynical beyond his years.

Mace Windu – A senior member of the Jedi High Council, Mace Windu has experience and wisdom that is legendary among the Jedi Knights. During the Clone Wars, Mace Windu is tapped to lead the Republic Army as a general.

Yoda – The wise and respected Jedi Master Yoda is incredibly powerful in the ways of the Force.

Kit Fisto – This Jedi, with large unblinking eyes and a tangle of flexible tentacles extending from his head, is perfectly suited to his mission during the Clone Wars: leading a special aquatic unit of clone troopers.

Count Dooku - A former Jedi, Count Dooku left the order after frequent clashes with the Jedi Council. Dooku is secretly, the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus, apprentice to Darth Sidious, the mastermind behind the Separatist movement. Count Dooku powerfully represents the dark side of the Force.

Darth Sidious- A powerful Sith Lord, Darth Sidious has mastered the dark side of the Force and has manipulated the galaxy to lead the Republic into a massive civil war against the Separatists.

Padmé Amidala – The young senator from Naboo is a strong and outspoken leader, as well as a brave fighter when need be. She is also secretly married to Anakin Skywalker and the future mother of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine – The commander of the Clone Army of the Republic, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has been granted absolute authority over the Galactic Senate. Though he seems a compassionate advocate of democratic rule, his true motivations are unclear.

R2-D2 and C–3PO –The spunky, resourceful R2-D2 is a gadget-loaded, squatty, but brave droid. C-3PO is a fussy protocol droid. Together again during the Clone Wars, they find themselves aiding the Republic while getting themselves into, and out of, difficult circumstances.

Captain Typho – Typho, who wears a stern look and a leather eye patch, is the head of Padmé’s security force and a constant presence at the senator’s side.

Clone Troopers – The army of the Republic is made up of clone troopers, designed for superior physical capability, stamina and mental capacity. The clone troopers, created utilizing the genetic material of bounty hunter Jango Fett, have been crafted as soldiers of exceptional skill who will be completely subservient to their commanders.

San Hill – The Chairman of the InterGalactic Banking Clan, San Hill joined the Separatist Movement in order to profit from the Clone Wars. The Separatists rely on the combined military forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, an alliance of institutions that capitalize on disillusionment with the Senate’s actions to further their own political and economic agenda.

Durge – A merciless bounty hunter, Durge is encased in thick, menacing armor and wields a variety of weapons. Strong and powerful, Durge is difficult to defeat, even after suffering great injury. Durge commands a force of deadly mercenary droids.

Asajj Ventress – A female warrior who has embraced the dark side of the Force, Asajj Ventress is eager to prove herself to Count Dooku by completing a mission to assassinate Anakin Skywalker. A fierce fighter, she uses two light sabers in her attacks.

Droid Army – The Separatists utilize an army of mechanized, mass-produced battle droids and super battle druids to carry out the fighting. The droids have become highly specialized, with impressive weaponry and the ability to fight in any environment.

Like fire across the galaxy, the Clone Wars spread. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine enlists the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin, to lead an assault on Muunilinst, a Separatist stronghold. As the Jedi prepare to lead the Republic Army to this new battlefront, Anakin must say goodbye to his secret love, Padmé Amidala. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin prepare to lead an assault on Muunilinst.

The Republic fleet, led by Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, encounters resistance as it enters the orbit of the planet Muunilinst. The Republic’s attack gunships manage to land on the planet, where they encounter the Droid Army of the Separatists. Advanced Recon Commandos, the elite shock forces of the Republic Army, are deployed on a special mission within the city, but their ship is shot down behind enemy lines.

On the planet of Muunilinst, the elite ARC troopers, cut off from their original drop zone, must make their way to an enemy command center. Along the way, they must face off against the Droid Army in a tricky urban battle zone.

The Separatist leader San Hill panics as the Republic Army advances. But Count Dooku has sent powerful new enemy, Durge, onto Muunilinst. This vicious bounty hunter leads a band of mercenaries toward the heart of the Republic’s forces. The Republic Army now faces a challenge greater than ever imagined against this tenacious villain and his forces.

On the water planet of Mon Calamari, Jedi Kit Fisto leads an attack on Separatist forces. He commands a squadron of amphibious clone troopers for the undersea offensive against a well-armed aquatic squad of the Droid Army.

Chapter Six

Count Dooku seeks a new ally with the power to defeat the Jedi. On the planet Rattatak, he encounters a mysterious fighter who dominates every opponent in the combat ring. She introduces herself to him as Asajj Ventress, a Sith warrior.

Chapter Seven

After denouncing her claims to be a Sith, Dooku challenges Asajj in combat and defeats her. But he is so impressed with her skills that he gives her an important assignment – to assassinate Anakin Skywalker.

Chapter Eight

Back on Muunilinst, Obi-Wan leads a team of Lancer Troops, specialized clone troopers mounted on speeder bikes. Durge and his mercenaries prove to be a stout challenge to Obi-Wan and his army. Meanwhile, the ARC troopers penetrate the enemy command center on another part of the planet.

Chapter Nine

Obi-Wan continues his assault on the Separatist command center on Muunilinst. The Jedi general and his Clone Army takes the battle directly to San Hill and the Separatist Droid Army.

Chapter Ten

Anakin Skywalker is leading the Clone Army in a fierce space battle when a mysterious ship engages him. When the pilot, mysterious Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress, leaps into hyperspace, the impetuous young Jedi follows, ignoring Obi-Wan’s orders.

Continue the Clone Wars will… Chapters 11 – 20 arrive on Cartoon Network in Spring 2004.

Each episodic short will be approximately three-minutes in length and will air exclusively on Cartoon Network beginning Friday, November 7. Chapters will debut at 8 p.m. (ET, PT). Following is the schedule for Star Wars: Clone Wars.

On Friday, November 21, all 10 chapters will be telecast in order, interspersed throughout that evening’s programming, during Fridays, Cartoon Network’s new prime time franchise airing Friday evenings from 7 p.m.-12 midnight (ET, PT) each week.

Below is a transcript of a press interview with “Star Wars: Clone Wars” Producer/Director Genndy Tartakovsky

Q. How was Star Wars: Clone Wars project initiated? Did Lucasfilm first contact Cartoon Network or vice-versa?

A. The project came together through joint conversations between Lucasfilm and Cartoon Network. Lucas wants to keep the Star Wars property robust and active between motion picture releases. So they approached me and asked if I would be interested in creating a one-minute program based on Star Wars. Well, of course I said “yes,” but told them that I couldn’t really do anything significant with one-minute episodes—it’s simply too short a time to tell a story. Cartoon Network went back to Lucasfilm and told them that they would be working with the team behind Samurai Jack (Emmy-winning series created by Tartakovsky). And it turns out that George Lucas watches and really admires Samurai Jack, so they sent word that we now would be worthy of creating three-minute Star Wars episodes!

Q. After working for years in half-hour formats, how did you go about preparing three-minute episodes?

A. When we got the greenlight from Lucasfilm, I still wasn’t really sure even three-minutes would work. So I took several existing 22-minute episodes of Samurai Jack and re-edited them into three-minute versions to see what I had. I wanted to know that in three minutes you could make sense, capture the viewer’s interest and still tell a compelling story. And I found that it actually worked, particularly if each installment worked to build upon the previous one, to offer an important piece to the overall story arc, then end with a cliff-hanger that would inspire the viewer to come back to see what happens next. I think you’ll see that each episode, despite being only three minutes long, has a beginning, middle and an end that pulls the viewer in and makes him or her want to know more.

Q. What is Lucasfilm’s involvement with the creation of the series? Has the company told you what storyline to follow or have they given you a free hand?

A. They’ve been remarkably hands-off with us about Clone Wars. I think once George Lucas gave his overall blessing or “seal of approval” because of what we’ve achieved to date with Samurai Jack, everyone felt they could trust us to handle the property with the appropriate care and concern it deserves. So we went away and developed our own storyline, a new perspective and approach, along with character designs and production elements—all of which really excited us—and we brought it back and pitched the new scenario to them. And fortunately, everyone really loved it.

Q. So what is this new scenario, your particular angle, to the Star Wars story?

A. Because this project is composed of so many different short segments, I like compare it to HBO’s Band of Brothers, a project I really admired that takes a huge story like the European Allied campaign of World War II and presents it in a series of “a day in the life of” stories. As I see it, this project mirrors that approach by showcasing several “days in the life of the Clone Wars.” For instance, in the first few episodes, we’re presenting a singular, but extremely important campaign, The Battle of Muunilinst, an all-city planet under attack by the Separatist movement. We’re able to explain the goals and obstacles the old Republic and Jedi must face, reveal important internal conflicts between the main characters, and still have time to highlight the action of the battle.

Q. Was there anything off-limits or forbidden to you from the original story?

A. Really, there was only one area where we were told by Lucasfilm not to approach, and that had to do with the love-story between Anakin and Padmé. We actually had an idea originally where at some point in the middle of the war, Anakin would have a quiet moment and he would take out a small hologram picture of Padmé and reflect upon how much he misses her. But since we were told not to explore any romantic interest in the story, we had to let that go. You will see Padmé, though, in the very first episode as she waves goodbye and later on in the series.

Q. Did you have to produce storyboards for Lucasfilm before moving ahead with actual production, or did you plunge ahead once they approved the original overall storyline?

A. Once we presented the overall outline covering the 20-episode series, we wrote one or two-sentence descriptions for each individual installment. After these were approved, we then created storyboards for these episodes and shared them with the partners. But since we were working within a tight timeframe to meet the Fall ’03 premiere, we immediately began production on each chapter once the storyboards were finalized.

A. Oh yes, of course. Really, everyone my age grew up with Star Wars. It was definitely one of the first big movies I saw after immigrating to America. I think it truly is one of the most inspirational, most influential movies of our generation. It certainly inspired me to dream of worlds beyond the here and now.

Q. Do you have any specific memories of watching Star Wars for the first time?

A. Not really…but what I do remember is how much I wanted to buy the toys, the action figures and the space vehicles! We didn’t have a lot of money while growing up, so there wasn’t much I could afford to buy. So I only had a few of the actual main figures. But I remember trying to save up every bit of money I could so that I could buy just one more character to play with. All I know is that I kept thinking, “I need more toys!”

A. No, no. I got over that phase and moved on toward thinking more about the stories themselves, how they were constructed, the imaginary worlds that comprised Star Wars, the characters, that sort of thing.

A. It’s certainly fulfills one of my dreams, to work on a project like Star Wars that is so thoroughly established it has become a part of our culture. Here’s one of the biggest phenomena of our generation and I get to add my own voice to it! I get to be a part of it, to share in its ongoing creation. That’s an awesome assignment and I’m really honored to be a contributor to its legacy.

A. Oh, yeah, absolutely. At first I thought it really might be more fun for someone else to do it, and then I could just sit back and watch the show! Because an animated Star Wars is such a cool idea. But then I thought, “what if they make it wrong?” Then I would be really upset, and I’d be left with nothing to do but complain, “well, WE should have made it!” So, because I’m a rather aggressive person, I reasoned that I’d better take the challenge myself.

What I should add, though, is that once we accepted the project, literally everyone who was to work on it found themselves extremely hesitant to take the first steps. Paul Rudish, the art director for the show, with whom I’ve worked for years on Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack, is the type of guy who can draw anything, anytime and anywhere without hesitation—he’s amazing. But on the first week of Star Wars: Clone Wars? Complete brain freeze at the drawing board! Absolutely nothing would come forth. He couldn’t draw, couldn’t come up with a palate, anything. And he knows Star Wars better than anyone on the team—could normally draw R2-D2 free-hand in total perspective with all the mechanical gadgets…now nothing! We finally had to take our minds off the enormity of it all and just approach this thing like any other project. At last, once we relaxed, it all began to flow naturally.

A. I think Han Solo and Chewbacca are my favorites. As pirates, they were the true rebels among the cast of characters. And Han Solo had such a cool charisma about him. He was the bad-boy character, but he still helped out when everyone needed him. I was such a “good kid” when I was young, I think I wanted to secretly break out and be more like Han.

A. Nothing definite, but hopefully, yes. The relationship between us so far has been very good. His name and the company name have become such leading brands in entertainment industry. So to have their support for this project really helps bring animation into the spotlight, which isn’t always an easy thing to do.

Q. What animation processes are you using with this project? Is there CGI (computer generated imaging) involved, or 3D?

A. Most of the visual elements in Star Wars: Clone Wars have been created through traditional cel animation at this point. However, we have added CGI elements to the production, including computer-generated spaceships that help create the action and excitement of the dog-fights in space that are so much a part of the Star Wars appeal.

A. One of the signature elements to Star Wars is the unique sound Lucasfilm created for the motion picture series. We were extremely fortunate to have Skywalker Sound create the sound effects and background elements for Star Wars: Clone Wars as well. I was amazed that when the tapes came back to us from Skywalker the whole show suddenly seemed “legitimate.” I mean it had the same recognizable sounds as any one of the feature films. We simply couldn’t have reproduced this sound on our own. Every single sound effect in Clone Wars comes directly from the library comprised of the first five movies. And the best part is that we have several new individual sounds in our production that came from mixing two or more different sounds used in the films. And as for the music, we’ve been able to use the classic, Oscar-winning John Williams compositions that Star Wars fans expect to hear. Again, this familiar music just makes Star Wars: Clone Wars completely “legitimate.”

Q. Because Lucasfilm had admired the original work, is the team now working on Star Wars: Clone Wars the same team that produced Samurai Jack?

A. Yes, the same production team is in place on both projects, but the look of the two shows is definitely individual, distinct from the other. Samurai Jack is a far more stylized, design-driven show, while Star Wars: Clone Wars is much more realistic.

Q. Speaking of realism, how did you go about creating the realistic animated versions of the characters within Clone Wars? Did you try to copy to face and bodies of the live-action characters in the films?

A. This actually presented our first stumbling block. Originally, Paul Rudish kept drawing the actors (or caricatures of them) who portrayed the roles in the motion pictures. But this didn’t come out right—they didn’t look like the essence of the character they were supposed to be. So we started experimenting and determined that our own versions of the characters, ones that merely resembled the actors who played them onscreen, and it worked better in the long-run. They still have qualities that reflect the actors who originally portrayed them, but there are also elements which are drawn from our thoughts about the character.

Q. The voices of the animated characters sound very much like the actors who portrayed them in the movies. Are they the same?

A. That actually was a big concern of mine, that the voices sound authentic. No, the actors in the animated series are amazingly talented voice-artists who were able to create readings that are incredibly close to their live-action counterparts. And they were such good actors, too, which made the recordings a wonderful experience overall. Only Anthony Daniels, the original C-3PO, supplies the voice for both the live-action and animated versions of his character.

Q. Would you say this was the most challenging aspect to the project? Or was it something else?

A. I think casting voice talent was one of the big challenges upfront, but then we rather quickly settled that issue and moved forward. To me, the biggest challenge was to create that unique Star Wars “feel” for the series. There is something quite singular about Star Wars that makes it very extraordinary. There are a ton of science-fiction films and TV series that have been produced over the years, but none of them feel like a true Star Wars property. So what is it that makes something feel like Star Wars? As I analyzed the question, I realized that there were many answers one could name: the triangular space ships slowly moving into the picture above frame, the sound of the vehicle engines, the particular art direction used for both internal and external sets, the unique space creatures that appear throughout each film, the sense of duty and honor to the Jedi traditions, etc. After all of this research, I finally reached a place where I could watch what we produced and confidently say, “THIS is Star Wars.”

Q. How many times did you watch the Star Wars films in order to get ready for this project?

A. I didn’t go back to watch them at all. Actually, I did go back to the second move, The Empire Strikes Back, to study a little bit of how the robots moved, but otherwise not at all. We all wanted to, but the project came up so fast and we were moving so quickly on it, we just didn’t have time to sit down for eight hours to review the films.

A. Yes. Star Wars is frankly so embedded in us, we really didn’t have to go back to the films. We all had seen the films so many times before and we each had particular moments within each film that have stayed with us. There really wasn’t a need to go back again to review what we already knew by heart. I speak primarily about myself, too, because since I would be responsible for putting it all together, I already knew what key elements we had to have.

Q. Was there a particular moment as a child that you remember most from Star Wars?

A. I particularly remember the light-saber fights, the distinct sound of them gliding through the air and the movements the actors used as they fought with them. And I remember the X-Wing Fighters coming into formation and opening up for battle. Those moments will be with me forever.

Q. If you were commissioned right now for your next dream project, what would that project be?

A. It would definitely be to create and direct a 2D theatrical feature film. I think I’m ready for that now.

Q. Do you know what happens next for the Star Wars characters in Episode Three of Star Wars?

A. Well, we all know where they end up generally by Episode IV (the original Star Wars film), but I haven’t been briefed about what will actually occur in the next theatrical film.

Anyway, I hope to have my review, which with this press information as a companion should prepare all you “Star
Wars” and animation fans out there for what is sure to be on heck of Cartoon Network event. Stay tuned.

© Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera (Materials Used With Permission And Are The Intellectual Property Of Cartoon Network And Lucasfilm And Their Affiliates And Parent Companies. No Reproduction On Or Offline Is Permitted Without The Express Permission Of Cartoon Network And Lucasfilm.) All Other Rights Are Reserved.