George Lucas is a legendary director whose devotion to timeless storytelling and cutting-edge innovation has resulted in some of the most successful and beloved films of all time.
His films celebrate the boundless potential of the individual to overcome any limitations — something he firmly believes. This theme is strong in the early movies that marked the start of his professional career. In 1971, with San Francisco-based American Zoetrope and long-time friend Francis Ford Coppola as executive
Lucas' second feature film, the low-budget "American Graffiti" (1973), became the most successful film of its time and garnered the Golden Globe, the New York Film Critics' and National Society of Film Critics' awards. Pushing the boundaries of storytelling, "American Graffiti" was the first film of its kind to tell multiple stories through interweaving narratives backed by a soundtrack of contemporary music.
It was Lucas' third film, 1977's "Star Wars," that changed everything. A deceptively simple morality tale of good versus evil told across a fantastic landscape of exotic planets and bizarre creatures, "Star Wars" became an international phenomenon, despite the fact that few saw its potential during production. Refusing to accept the limitations of filmmaking at the time, Lucas created his own visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, to deliver the hundreds of shots needed to make his vision a reality. "Star Wars" broke all box-office records, set new standards for sophistication in film visuals and sound, garnered eight Academy Awards, and inspired a generation of young people to follow their imagination and dreams. The success of "Star Wars" allowed Lucas to remain independent and continue operating in Marin County, California. Lucas has been the storywriter and executive producer of a series of box-office hits, beginning with the continuation of the "Star Wars" saga: "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980 and "Return of the Jedi" in 1983. In 1981, he created the classic adventurer Indiana Jones, and co-wrote and executive-produced the successful series consisting of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984), "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008). A television series about the hero's early adventures, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" won 12 Emmy Awards.
In 1987, Lucas joined forces with The Walt Disney Company for Disneyland's launch of Star Tours, an innovative attraction based on the "Star Wars" films. The classic attraction entertains guests in four Disney theme parks worldwide — and is currently being re-imagined for a new generation of fans.
Lucas has also served as executive producer on such widely varied films as "Willow," which was based on his original story and directed by Ron Howard; and "Tucker: The Man and His Dream," directed by Francis Coppola. Each received three Academy Award nominations. As executive producer, Lucas's films also include Akira Kurosawa's "Kagemusha" (1980), "Mishima" (1985), "Latino" (1985), "Howard the Duck" (1986), "Labyrinth" (1986), as well as 1994's "Radioland Murders."
Lucas returned to directing in 1999 with the first of three new episodes of the "Star Wars" saga: "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace," the year's biggest box-office hit, which was also the first major live-action film to be projected digitally. Three years later, "Episode II – Attack of the Clones" broke new ground as the first major movie shot using entirely digital media. In 2005, "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith," the final movie in the epic saga, was the top-grossing film worldwide.
In May 2008, Lucas released "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," for which he wrote the story and served as executive producer.
In addition, he is executive producing "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," the first project from Lucasfilm Animation. Set between Episodes II and III of the live-action saga, "The Clone Wars" brings "Star Wars" to TV in weekly installments. With the success of "The Clone Wars," Lucas is currently working on developing another "Star Wars" animated series, playfully and irreverently exploring the lighter side of his own "galaxy far, far away." He is also executive producing "Red Tails," a fictional story inspired by the historic and heroic exploits of America's first all black aerial combat unit.
As Lucas has continued making movies, his Lucasfilm Ltd. has grown into one of the world's leading entertainment companies.
Industrial Light & Magic continues forging new paths. Since its inception, it has won 15 Academy Awards and has created visual effects for some of the most popular movies ever made. ILM long ago reached the limits of standard photochemical visual effects, and has become a trailblazer in the world of digital imagery, beginning with the world's first computer-generated character in a live-action movie, created for 1985's "Young Sherlock Holmes." ILM has never stopped breaking ground, delivering such memorable movie creations as the awe-inspiring dinosaurs of "Jurassic Park"; the fantasy worlds of the "Harry Potter" films; the Oscar-winning band of marauding pirates in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies; the strange new worlds of the "Star Trek" reboot; the high-tech armor of the "Iron Man" films; and the massive, robotic combatants of the "Transformers" series.
Skywalker Sound, meanwhile, has applied its own brand of perfection and devotion to the crafting of a film's soundtrack and post-production editing. Lucasfilm post-production innovations, including the SoundDroid and the EditDroid, pioneered non-linear video editing and became the basis of the standard editing platforms used in film and television today. Together, Skywalker Sound, ILM and Lucasfilm have been nominated for more than 100 Academy Awards and received more than 40 Oscars and special achievement awards.
Lucasfilm also includes LucasArts, one of the entertainment industry's most exciting and fast-growing videogame companies. Founded in 1982, LucasArts is a leading publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software for video game consoles and PCs, and enjoys a growth rate unrivaled in the industry. LucasArts has produced such recent chart-topping titles as "LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy," "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed," "Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings" and "Star Wars The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes."
Lucas Licensing manages the creation of toys, apparel, books and merchandise that bring the "Star Wars" adventure into the home. Its partnerships with some of the world's leading companies have made "Star Wars" into the biggest film-licensing franchise of all time.
Lucas has also taken a leadership role in applying his technical and storytelling expertise to the classroom, engaging students through interactive multimedia environments. He is chairman of the board of the George Lucas Educational Foundation and also serves on the board of the Film Foundation and is a member of the USC School of Cinematic Arts Advisory Board.
Over the years, Lucas has received some of the entertainment industry's highest honors, including the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society. He has also received the nation's highest award for technological achievement, the National Medal of Technology, presented by the President of the United States for 30 years of innovation at Industrial Light & Magic.
His films celebrate the boundless potential of the individual to overcome any limitations — something he firmly believes. This theme is strong in the early movies that marked the start of his professional career. In 1971, with San Francisco-based American Zoetrope and long-time friend Francis Ford Coppola as executive
George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones George Lucas a promo shot for Star Wars: The Clone Wars George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith George Lucas Pictures
producer, Lucas transformed an award-winning student film into his first feature, "THX-1138."Lucas' second feature film, the low-budget "American Graffiti" (1973), became the most successful film of its time and garnered the Golden Globe, the New York Film Critics' and National Society of Film Critics' awards. Pushing the boundaries of storytelling, "American Graffiti" was the first film of its kind to tell multiple stories through interweaving narratives backed by a soundtrack of contemporary music.
It was Lucas' third film, 1977's "Star Wars," that changed everything. A deceptively simple morality tale of good versus evil told across a fantastic landscape of exotic planets and bizarre creatures, "Star Wars" became an international phenomenon, despite the fact that few saw its potential during production. Refusing to accept the limitations of filmmaking at the time, Lucas created his own visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, to deliver the hundreds of shots needed to make his vision a reality. "Star Wars" broke all box-office records, set new standards for sophistication in film visuals and sound, garnered eight Academy Awards, and inspired a generation of young people to follow their imagination and dreams. The success of "Star Wars" allowed Lucas to remain independent and continue operating in Marin County, California. Lucas has been the storywriter and executive producer of a series of box-office hits, beginning with the continuation of the "Star Wars" saga: "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980 and "Return of the Jedi" in 1983. In 1981, he created the classic adventurer Indiana Jones, and co-wrote and executive-produced the successful series consisting of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984), "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008). A television series about the hero's early adventures, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" won 12 Emmy Awards.
In 1987, Lucas joined forces with The Walt Disney Company for Disneyland's launch of Star Tours, an innovative attraction based on the "Star Wars" films. The classic attraction entertains guests in four Disney theme parks worldwide — and is currently being re-imagined for a new generation of fans.
Lucas has also served as executive producer on such widely varied films as "Willow," which was based on his original story and directed by Ron Howard; and "Tucker: The Man and His Dream," directed by Francis Coppola. Each received three Academy Award nominations. As executive producer, Lucas's films also include Akira Kurosawa's "Kagemusha" (1980), "Mishima" (1985), "Latino" (1985), "Howard the Duck" (1986), "Labyrinth" (1986), as well as 1994's "Radioland Murders."
Lucas returned to directing in 1999 with the first of three new episodes of the "Star Wars" saga: "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace," the year's biggest box-office hit, which was also the first major live-action film to be projected digitally. Three years later, "Episode II – Attack of the Clones" broke new ground as the first major movie shot using entirely digital media. In 2005, "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith," the final movie in the epic saga, was the top-grossing film worldwide.
In May 2008, Lucas released "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," for which he wrote the story and served as executive producer.
In addition, he is executive producing "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," the first project from Lucasfilm Animation. Set between Episodes II and III of the live-action saga, "The Clone Wars" brings "Star Wars" to TV in weekly installments. With the success of "The Clone Wars," Lucas is currently working on developing another "Star Wars" animated series, playfully and irreverently exploring the lighter side of his own "galaxy far, far away." He is also executive producing "Red Tails," a fictional story inspired by the historic and heroic exploits of America's first all black aerial combat unit.
As Lucas has continued making movies, his Lucasfilm Ltd. has grown into one of the world's leading entertainment companies.
Industrial Light & Magic continues forging new paths. Since its inception, it has won 15 Academy Awards and has created visual effects for some of the most popular movies ever made. ILM long ago reached the limits of standard photochemical visual effects, and has become a trailblazer in the world of digital imagery, beginning with the world's first computer-generated character in a live-action movie, created for 1985's "Young Sherlock Holmes." ILM has never stopped breaking ground, delivering such memorable movie creations as the awe-inspiring dinosaurs of "Jurassic Park"; the fantasy worlds of the "Harry Potter" films; the Oscar-winning band of marauding pirates in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies; the strange new worlds of the "Star Trek" reboot; the high-tech armor of the "Iron Man" films; and the massive, robotic combatants of the "Transformers" series.
Skywalker Sound, meanwhile, has applied its own brand of perfection and devotion to the crafting of a film's soundtrack and post-production editing. Lucasfilm post-production innovations, including the SoundDroid and the EditDroid, pioneered non-linear video editing and became the basis of the standard editing platforms used in film and television today. Together, Skywalker Sound, ILM and Lucasfilm have been nominated for more than 100 Academy Awards and received more than 40 Oscars and special achievement awards.
Lucasfilm also includes LucasArts, one of the entertainment industry's most exciting and fast-growing videogame companies. Founded in 1982, LucasArts is a leading publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software for video game consoles and PCs, and enjoys a growth rate unrivaled in the industry. LucasArts has produced such recent chart-topping titles as "LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy," "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed," "Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings" and "Star Wars The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes."
Lucas Licensing manages the creation of toys, apparel, books and merchandise that bring the "Star Wars" adventure into the home. Its partnerships with some of the world's leading companies have made "Star Wars" into the biggest film-licensing franchise of all time.
Lucas has also taken a leadership role in applying his technical and storytelling expertise to the classroom, engaging students through interactive multimedia environments. He is chairman of the board of the George Lucas Educational Foundation and also serves on the board of the Film Foundation and is a member of the USC School of Cinematic Arts Advisory Board.
Over the years, Lucas has received some of the entertainment industry's highest honors, including the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society. He has also received the nation's highest award for technological achievement, the National Medal of Technology, presented by the President of the United States for 30 years of innovation at Industrial Light & Magic.
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George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones George Lucas a promo shot for Star Wars: The Clone Wars George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith George Lucas the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith George Lucas Pictures
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