It really is sort of a family affair and it really warms my heart that these guys came up with some good story ideas. I think these guys are such incredibly multi-talented people and it's great working with them. Other employees have come up with story ideas, too.
You said both series have things in common--similar goals. Could you be more specific?
Each half hour will be many things. Each show will have humor in it and every show will have a moral. We don't want to ram values at anyone; but, there will be learning of basic common morals through entertainment.
Like Aesop's fables?
Yes, and like fairy tales. Fairy tales are stories that have been passed on throughout the ages from generation to generation. People can watch or listen to them over and over and over again and never tire of them. We're working to create that quality, of a story's timelessness, in both series. I hope our stories will live in children's minds after they've finished watching the shows.
Pulling together the right stories and the right people is what I call a thirteen-week experiment in finding the right chemistry. Of course, it's lasted much longer than thirteen weeks. We started this at a meeting with George in May of 1984. That was lucky because we've had time to get things right. Other series often get their series confirmed by the networks in April and have to be on-the-air in September of the same year.
Since you mentioned the meeting with George, could you tell us what his role has been in developing the two shows?
George told us what we wants the shows to be. What his hopes for them are. But, he hasn't written stories for it or had a day-to-day involvement in the project. As work progresses and we get rough-cuts, we screen and go over them together. And, as I said, there were specific assignments on things like acting, animation, writing that came from George. They are the standards he set.
Something people don't seem to realize is that while indeed George Lucas is the driving force behind the Star Wars Universe, there are so many people involved with so many talents and abilities; and a lot of those same people are working on this new project. They're people who are proud to be here.
That reminds me of a really nice thing that happened in the Orient. The people who are working on our series are giving it special quality and they're working so very hard because it's for George Lucas. They love him and his films and they're very proud to be working on these shows. That's why what you'll see is better than other Saturday morning television. It's not only that we pay more for it, but because they really care. It's important to them that these shows are showcasing their work. They want to use them to say, 'This is the best we can do. We're doing our best because you're the best.' And, that's such a great feeling. It's nice to know people still feel that way.
How is it different creating a series for a TV network from a feature film? Are there concerns about content? Children's television is an issue these days.
Well, the network has standards and practices, which come from concern for the children viewing the programs. For instance, nobody ever gets killed on Saturday morning network television. You can get stunned. But, if someone is stunned and knocked down, you have to show them moaning. That's because the network feels it would be very traumatic for the kids if the character doesn't recover immediately. That's for heroes. For bad guys you can have them done in by their own evil deeds. But again, no blood. They can disappear. No human or droid with human characteristics can get killed. R2-D2 is considered a human droid, a humanoid, in that he has a personality. So, he becomes a role model for the children. The network feels it would be very traumatic for our viewers if he were to be electrocuted or something. There are limits. This is a different medium and you work within the medium.
By the time the September 7th premiere date arrives you will have put about a year and a half into these two shows. If there's something your viewers could get out of the shows, what would you like it to be?
Entertainment. Good entertainment. And, we want children to learn things through good entertainment. I hope that, as I've said, there will be something children can take with them after the shows are over. That they'll play "Ewoks" or "Droids," sing the songs. I hope this will be a cultural phenomenon on televisions the way Star Wars was in movie theaters. That would make me ecstatic. And, it would make George very happy as well.
