Droidmaker

Many have a sense that Lucas was a technology pioneer, but exactly what did he do and why did he do it? The remarkable tools we have on every computer began as revolutionary notions in the late ’60s, from radicals like Lucas and his friend Francis Coppola. In the years following PARC’s important and famous research in personal computing, Lucasfilm (concurrent with making Empire Strikes Back) was quietly establishing its own research in picture editing, digital audio, computer graphics and eventually, videogames.

Author Michael Rubin will explore the connection between Lucas and some of the most advanced research in entertainment media done in one place and time — the human story behind the filmmakers and the computers, and the first films to blur the boundaries.

Presenter(s)

Michael Rubin is a writer, educator, and entrepreneur. In 1985 he joined Lucasfilm's Droid Works to introduce new technology to filmmakers. Since then he has edited feature films and television shows in Hollywood and published a number of books on digital filmmaking for professionals as well as consumers, including Nonlinear: A Field Guide to Digital Video and Film Editing, The Little Digital Video Book and iLife '05: Apple Training Series. He has lectured internationally, from Montreux to Beijing, and consulted for Sony and Apple on "video literacy." Rubin is also co-founder and CEO of Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge. He lives in Santa Cruz, California.

His latest book, Droidmaker, was released three weeks ago, and Michael has been traveling around the US speaking to film schools, technology companies, and computer science departments about Lucasfilm's role in modern media.