Design Director and Art Director
What would you do if asked to be an Art Director on a project whose I/P on which you had a total crush? Say yes, of course. I got up close and personal with "the fastest hunk of junk" in the galaxy. Saying yes gave me the chance to go to China and personally paint the full-sized samples of the Millennium Falcon, the very one many of you have taken pictures of in the parks. I also went to New York state to paint the first article of the Falcon's corridor leading you to the cockpit. Who knows, maybe you've walked the actual corridor? In the photo of the corridor, you see what I painted and, to the left, the monitor I designed. Those with a sharp eye will see it's the mock-up, a color copy on a woodblock shape.
With complications of the queue and story, which did not include the iconic chess room, I had the opportunity to redo the queue layout and preshow with the show set architect, resulting in the story and visit to the chess room seen today. I still pinch myself when I think about it.
Unfortunately, due to project conflicts, I did not get to follow the project through the opening, but everything I was allowed to create, ended up in the attraction.
Strap yourselves in; we’re going to light speed!