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//Star Wars Begins\\: HD Version Now on Vimeo

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 (Edited)

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-STAR WARS BEGINS-
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Film Details
Video: PAL 16:9 MPEG2 SL DVD (I may do a DL DVD later)
DVD Release has 'v2.0' during logo sequence and several additions and corrections

(Also released early as a H.264  to contributors)
Audio: AC3 Audio
Duration: 2hrs 18mins (Main Feature)

DVD Special Features
Restored Music Sequences
Concept Crawl
Trailer

<img src="http://c0013618.cdn1.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/x2_43fa31d" width="640" height="539" />


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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> </span>

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">PRESS RELEASE: Star Wars Begins – 12th March 2011</span>

Filmmaker Jamie Benning has finally finished his trilogy of documentary-commentaries.  This final chapter concentrates on the first Star Wars film. Like his two previous documentaries, Building Empire (2006) and Returning to Jedi (2007)Star Wars Begins is an unofficial look at the creation of the classic movie and features deleted scenes, alternate takes and different angles, bloopers, original on set audio recordings and a huge amount of commentary from cast and crew, culled from every corner of the galaxy.

What’s interesting about the format is that Benning’s documentary is feature-length, and follows the flow of the original movie itself with the deleted scenes added where they would have been, with interviews placed over the top of the action they’re describing. The overall effect is much more engrossing than a DVD commentary track and the wealth of material contained makes it well worth sitting through the entire runtime of 2hrs 18mins.

If you’ve never seen the deleted scenes of Jabba the Hutt or Biggs Darklighter on Tatooine, or heard David Prowse saying Vader’s dialogue, then you will get a real kick out of this. Many reviews and comments have centered on the fact that it’s like watching your favorite movie but from an entirely different perspective.

Benning has obviously invested rather a lot of time and effort into creating this film, and the other two parts of his own trilogy. Lets hope that on the forthcoming Blu-Ray box set LFL will go into as much detail and exude as much love for the subject matter as these films do.

All of Jamie Benning’s Star Wars ‘filmumentaries’ are unofficial. They are all completely non-profit making exercises and are made with respect to copyright and with a genuine affection for the films.

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Media Reviews</span>

“It’s nearly two and a half hours of nerd paradise.” Mike Hale, New York Times.

“This is a quality product.” Francine Stock, BBC Radio 4, The Film Programme.

“Quite simply, if you're a Star Wars fan of any kind, this thing is an absolute blast to watch…Readers immediately fell in love with 'Star Wars Begins' after we covered it…”  Erik Davis, AOL/Moviefone.com/Cinematical

“Jamie Benning has created a series of Star Wars documentaries that have taken the Internet by storm. With even die-hard Jedis declaring they learnt more from his docs than from 30 years of fandom.”  TotalFilm.com

“…One ambitious fan, has taken it upon himself to create individual, extensive and two-hour-plus documentaries for each film.” Buzzlegoose.com

I don't know how the documentary included with the Star Wars Blu Ray release can top this one.” Swtorstrategies.com

“I haven’t been this impressed by a fan made documentary in…well…ever… he’s crafted a truly amazing doc on the making of Star Wars.”  Steve Weintraub, Collider.com

As Vader would say, ‘Impressive, most impressive’”. Nathan Barry, WiredGeekDad, Wired.com

“I feel like I have failed as a nerd for never having heard of this before… it's unbelievable, and it's unbelievably interesting”. Rob BrickenToplessRobot.com

“Frickin Awesome.” Sci-Guys.com

“This ain't no crummy youtube mashup, this is some serious work.” Agentorange, QuietEarth.com

 “It acts as a very appetising starter to the main course of Blu-Ray releases out in September” Scott Weller, Star Wars Aficionado Blog

 

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<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span>

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Background and further detail</span>

Inspired by a love of the film 'Star Wars' and the idea that audio commentaries could be expanded, Jambe Davdar set out to make what he calls "the ultimate audio/visual commentary". He started the project in February 2007 and finished, nearly four years later, in late January 2011. It was initially released to in late Jan 2011 those who contributed to the project and finally to everyone else in <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Feb 2011</span>.

Software Used
Final Cut Pro 5.0, DVD Studio Pro 3, A.Pack, Photoshop CS, Cinematize, MPEG Streamclip, Compressor

Project Details
Star Wars Begins is an unofficial commentary to Star Wars, offering an insight into the development and creation of film. The documentary/filmumentary combines video from the movie itself with seen and unseen behind the scenes footage, rare audio from the cast and crew, alternate angles, bloopers, reconstructed scenes, text facts and more to give an in-depth look at the process which brought the film to the big screen.

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</span><span style="line-height: 14px;">FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: What did you use to create the project?</span>
A: I used a dual 2GHz G5 Powermac with Final Cut Pro 5, DVD Studio Pro 3, A.Pack, Photoshop CS and Cinematize.

<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: What inspired you to create this project?</span>
A: Firstly a love of the film, but I always thought that audio commentaries could be expanded somewhat to make them Audio and Visual commentaries. And of course Deleted Magic was a big catalyst as were my previous two projects, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi.

<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: How long did it take to make from start to finish?</span>
A: I started in 2007 and finished in January 2011.

<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: What sources did you use?</span>
A: Too many to mention, but there is a condensed list on this page.

<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: How can I get a copy?</span>
A: I am unable to send copies out. My advice is to ask a fellow forum member or download it from a torrent (I am sure someone has uploaded it by now)

<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: Can I send you some money on Paypal to get a copy?</span>
A: Absolutely not! These projects are NOT for sale.

<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: Are there plans for a NTSC version?</span>
A: The NTSC version has been released.

<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: How can I watch a PAL disc in an NTSC country?</span> (see above)
A: Get yourself a new cheapy DVD player, most of them play PAL discs these days. The disc is also region free so your computer's DVD player should play it just fine. 
 
<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: Where can I get a DVD cover for this project?</span>
A: Check the forums thread for some great covers designed by members of this very forum in the coming weeks.

<span style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Q: Are there plans for a sequel/prequel?</span>
A: The trilogy is complete. I will not be doing the same for the prequel films.</span>


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Rough Timeline
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28/02/07 - Imported and transcoded first 26 chapters of Star Wars.
01/03/07 - Integrated (edited in) all video from 'Empire of Dreams' that is relevant to the first 26 chapters of Star Wars. Things are taking shape!
23/03/07 - Integrating WSWRTW and The Making of Star Wars footage. Also begun looking at the Jabba scene , this thing is harder than it looks!
watch this space...
07/08/07 - Title of 'Star Wars Begins' announced.
22/11/07 - 'Star Wars Begins' Trailer released on YouTube
27/11/07 - Wondering if I should call it "Establishing Star Wars".
19/12/07 - Sneak Peak released for Christmas 2007!
11/09/07 - Part 3 Preliminary version is now on youtube
16/03/09 - Parts 4,5,6 now on youtube.  Continuing to work on the project...
01/03/10 - Hard drive failure.  Massive loss of data. 80% of FCP timeline media lost.
19/04/10 - Drive sent away for hopeful recovery. 
2010 > - Drive recovered at cost of £700+. Donations from lovely people cover 1/7th of cost.. Amazing.
18/01/2011 - Reaching final stages. Begun DVD creation process.
Late Jan 2011 - Released as a download for QC Team and those who donated. 
Early Feb 2011 - Released to the 'masses'.
Feb 2011- Interviewed by TotalFilm.com, Wired.com and FHM Australia
March 2011 - Interviewed by BBC Radio 4!!

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----------------------OLDER POSTS----------------------------- 
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This project will be be distinctly different from 'Deleted Magic' continuing in the vein of both 'Building Empire' and 'Returning to Jedi'. In completing my trilogy I will take viewers deep into the making of the first 'Star Wars' film with behind the scenes footage, interviews from the cast and crew, alternate takes, on set audio, rare facts and much more.

I currenlty have the following video resources:

Star Wars 2006 OT DVD, From Star Wars To Jedi, Classic Creature
1997 & 2004 SE, The Making of Star Wars (looking forward to seeing any better transfers), When Star Wars Ruled the World, Deleted Magic*, THX Soundtrack! (anyone fancy doing an NTSC to PAL transcode for me?!)
BBC Omnibus - Flying Solo
BBC Omnibus - A long time ago...
Laserdisc Supplementals
Behind the Masks
The Stars of Star Wars
Unauthorised Story of Star Wars
Rareties 1, 2, 3
From the Film Vaults*
The Holiday Special
Star Wars Forgotten Scenes*
Star Wars Unsung Heros (my copy is partly corrupt, please contact me if you have this, thanks)
Feel the Force
EditDroid Special Features
Peter Cushing Interview
Alec Guiness interview - Parkinson
Widescreen Star Wars Bootleg
Machine Men BBC4
Feel the Force
Sculpting a Galaxy DVD
Time & Again
Magic and the Mystery (UK Version)
PBS’s George Lucas: Heroes, Myths and Magic
Magic Magic CD-ROM/DVD
Behind the Magic
The Making of the SE
Paramount Jabba Footage
Interviews with Star Wars Stars 1998 (youtube)
WTVJ Montage - Star Wars Interviews (youtube)
GMTV Interviews 1997 (youtube)
"THE MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW" (1977) (youtube)
The making of Star Wars Computer Graphics (youtube)
AFI youtube videos
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>

Books/Magazines
The Art of Star Wars
From Concept to Screen to Collectible
Lucasfilm Archives
Star Wars, The Annotated Screenplays
Star Wars Aficionado
Star Wars Insider - Lost Cut Article 
Star Wars Chronicles
Star Wars Portfolio
Starlog Magazine
Photoplay Magazine
The Illustrated Star Wars Universe
Sculpting A Galaxy
The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film

Web Resources 
Starwarz.com
T-Bones Star Wars Universe
Originaltrilogy.com
Theforce.net
Rebelscum.com
Youtube.com
Vimeo.com

*= No material will be sourced from this DVD. For research purposes only.

If you have any other resources be they video, audio or in print, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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Posted before project started
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Well, I guess it was inevitable. I am going to do a Star Wars project to complete my trilogy. I don't want to step on the toes of Deleted Magic's creator, so this project will continue the concepts and themes of both 'Building Empire' and 'Returning to Jedi'. I will try to source the best and rarest material and intergrate it into a feature length commentary.

I will not be starting it for a few months (I really need a break after 'Returning to Jedi'), but I need some inspiration to start me off - a title.

I would love to hear your suggestions.

Thanks
JD

Creator of Star Wars Begins, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi
Follow me on twitter @jamieSWB. Please support me at - http://www.patreon.com/jamiebenning/

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OMG This is amazing news!!! I thought you'd be sick of it all after the last couple of years

Enjoy your rest, and get your life back, you've certainly earned it (a thousand times over).
You work far too hard but we love you for it.



P.S. As for a title "STARTING WARS" perhaps?


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Fantastic news. The circle is nearing completion..........

Here are a few names to kick things off.

The Star Wars

The Star Wars Story

Star Wars - A Long Time Ago......

Re-Making Magic

4 - 5 - 3 - 1 - 6 - 2

Discuss…

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Dude you never let up. Fantastic to hear its in the pipe line though. I can re-jig my cover set that i made for Returning To Jedi to incorperate this (in time).

Erm, howz 'bout An Insight To Hope?
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Hoping Anew? Egh, maybe not.

Ron Moses

Avoid infestation. Rotate.

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In no particular order

(A) Hope Revealed
(A) Hope Revisited
Inside Hope
Jambe's Hope, j/k
Hope Reexamined
A New Look
The Hope Inside(r)
An Inside(r's) Hope
Hope Retold
(A/The) Story of Hope

I hope you take a much needed break before you get started on this.
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Finding A New Hope

Finding the Hope

Finding the Hope: in a galaxy far, far away

I am not to good at coming up with titles, but I tried.


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Thanks for all those over night suggestions. I have never really called Star Wars 'A New Hope'. It has not really sat right with me. To me it's just 'Star Wars'. Which of course makes naming this project all the more difficult.

Inside Star Wars
Looking Back at Star Wars
Starting Star Wars
Star Wars Declared
Deleted Magic
Star Wars Retrospective
Making Star Wars
Filming Star Wars
Returning to Star Wars
Star Wars - A behind the scenes sort of thing, quite like 'Building Empire' and 'Returning to Jedi' but about the first film which is really called a New Hope.

I think that last one has a certain ring to it. Perhaps in it's acronym form - SWABTSSOTQLBEARTJBATFFWIRCANH.

Damn, I am sure I/we can come up with something.

JD

Creator of Star Wars Begins, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi
Follow me on twitter @jamieSWB. Please support me at - http://www.patreon.com/jamiebenning/

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It's hard to come up with a name that is based on either 'Star Wars' or 'A New Hope' in the same vein as 'Building Empire' & 'Returning to Jedi'. :/

In a couple of months when you start on this you're welcome to my Bantha Tracks PDFs (missing 8 of the 35) and whatever other material I can find for you.

To contact me outside the forum, for trades and such my email address is my OT.com username @gmail.com

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Originally posted by: Jambe Davdar
Thanks for all those over night suggestions. I have never really called Star Wars 'A New Hope'. It has not really sat right with me. To me it's just 'Star Wars'. Which of course makes naming this project all the more difficult.



Preparing the Star War

Forging Star Wars

Star Wars Formation

Um, yeah that's what I thought might be good.... Mabye "Preparing for the Star Wars"?


http://twister111.tumblr.com
Previous Signature preservation link

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The Wars Revealed

FINISHED:
The Sith Revealed - A Scrapbook
Episode III The Video Game - The Movie
24: The Missing Day
Star Wars - The Interactive Board Game DVD
Battlefront - Journal of the 501st
The Clones Revealed

email me for details daveytod AT btinternet DOT com

 

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Alderaan Graffiti
Joseph Campbell: The Movie

The Star Wars: Filming the Adventures of Luke Skywalker
A Galaxy Far, Far Away: The Making of Star Wars
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WOOHOO! I'm so excited to hear that you're going to do this, Jambe! YES!!!!

I had actually been thinking of "Hoping Anew" for a while now, but I was beaten to it. Ah, well. Other ideas of mine (no guarantees on how well they'll work, of course) include "The Adventuring Starkiller" (based off of one of the original titles, "Adventures of the Starkiller: Episode 1 - The Star Wars") and simply "Skywalking" (or, in that same vein, "Starkilling" -- but I personally like "Skywalking" better ).

If I think of some more I really like, I'll make sure to post them.

Take care,
Sojourn

P.S. I do believe this is the first time I've ever posted something that includes some all-caps-ness. But for you, Jambe . . . well, you deserve it.
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Skywalking is really good. Nice, Sojourn. (Hopefully that makes up for me taking your Hoping Anew idea.)

Hey, how about Journal of the Wills? Wills instead of Whills because of the strength of will it took to get the movie made, and so forth? And it's kinda like a journal...? No, maybe that sucks too. Say, would Triumph of the Whills be distasteful? Probably.

Never mind. Go with Skywalking.

Ron Moses


p.s. what the hell is a whill, anyway?

Avoid infestation. Rotate.

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I think the title should match your other 2 titles. I feel there should be nothing about "a new hope" in the title since it's not the original title. Although I think Skywalking is a very cool name it doesn't fit the other titles. The title should contain "Star Wars" as Building Empire contains "Empire" and Returning to Jedi contains "Jedi" (and "return").

Skywalking
Building Empire
Returning to Jedi

Maybe...
Creating Star Wars
Building Empire
Returning to Jedi

But maybe that's a bit boring.
Fez: I am so excited about Star Whores.
Hyde: Fezzy, man, it's Star Wars.
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My suggestion is "Assembling Star Wars".

It works...

Say it a couple times. Let it roll off your tongue. Haha...


--InfoDroid

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I have plenty of ideas for this after watching deleted magic and seeing what was skipped over.

-TATOOINE SUNSET with original composed track as alternate from the bonus track on the special edition 2 cd set.
- hopefully the restored mono mix will be ready by the time you do this so you can use the line ocpmovie did'nt "blast it wedge where are you!"
- the original sound mixes used not the 2004 and possibly as much of the 2006 original star wars trilogy release or better color correction than deleted magic.
- the comic books of the movie and the pictures from star wars insider on the lost cut.

one of the things i really did'nt like about deleted magic was how it was'nt covering the entire movie, I mean with the released deleted scenes it could have been longer than the theatrical cut not shorter.

you have all three original 1977 sound mixes to work with.

use more radio drama stuff if possible and use the story of star wars album.

world war II dogfight footage used as temp effects for "the Star wars" and how about the temp track music as in Holst the planets mars theme and Erich Wolfgang Korngold stuff as well as MIklos Rosza Ben Hur.

Ralph McQuarrie production artwork and commentary from laserdisc supplement.

david west reynolds commentary from a documentary?

-American Cinematographer JULY 1977

- Bantha tracks issues 1-4

-the making of star wars (coming out sometime this year)

-star wars storyboards

- Lucas a&e biography as well as the directors episode .

-the star wars album official collector's edition ballantine books

Clips form some of the materials that insipred star wars ? like Flash gordon serials and comics buck rogers comics and serials tarzan etc. Errol Flynn films. The mark of Zorro. republic serials. stagecoach form john wayne and jonh ford.

- books to research while you have to sort out what is true and false:

-Empire Building
-Skywalking
- the creative impulse
-The cinema of George Lucas
-Mythmaker

websites:

starwarz.com starkiller page for early script drafts as well as reading Laurent Bouzereau's annotated screenplays.

star wars origins ( some of the info there is correct some speculation and some intirely false)

Things True of that site as far as I know : dune by frank herbert true influence on star wars as well as the lensman novels by e.e. doc smith, and the martian novels of edgar rice burroughs but especially a princess of mars, The gods of mars, and the warlord of mars as well as thuvia maid of mars and john carter of mars. Lensman novels Triplanetary, galactic patrol and gray lensman. Foundation trilogy and I robot as well as empire trilogy by Isaac Asimov.

the planet Korrel is taken from either the second or third foundation novel. Korrel/ Correlia. as well as imperial center also known as trantor/ had abbadon from revenge of the jedi/ coruscant.

one of the things that is entirely overlooked is that mr. lucas was a fan of the original star trek series that was on television when he was a graduate student at USC. His favorite episode was the Corbomite maneuver.

His favorite science fiction film also was forbidden planet. J.R.R. Tolkien and Joseph campbell's influences on the star wars movies cannot be underestimated. The Hero with a thousand faces, the masks of god 4 volume set, the flight of the wild gander and the inner reaches of outer space all by campbell. the hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and the silmarillion by Tolkien. although the silmarillion also came out in early 1977 before star wars release. Aldaron Lord of forests/the planet Alderaan
Yavanna queen of the Valar/ the planet Yavin.

George lucas visited Frank frazetta at his studio and wanted him to do a poster for star wars release. there is a picture in the book frank frazetta testament. Frazetta declined but the first tom Jung poster was a direct swipe of the painting frank did for the science fiction book club edition of a princess of mars.

the swing across scene in star wars is a direct swipe from a panel in alex Raymond's flash gordon sunday strips, as well as obi wan vs. vader and later luke versus vader ripping off directly his pages of flash gordon fighing ming sword to sword. He also used the e.c. comics weird science and weird fantasy by his second favorite artist al willaimson as well as williamson's own flash gordon comics work for king features.

For a title I suggest: STAR WARS: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS....

ONCE UPON A GALAXY: THE STAR WARS

the making of a galaxy From the adventures of LUKE SKYWALKER

A NEW HOPE for Filmaking: the making of star wars

making STAR WARS

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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Jambe,

How about:

Star Wars: A Long Time Ago

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

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Originally posted by: adywan
Good to hear you're planning a new project. Here's my suggestion:

"Creating Hope"

I'll see what else i can come up with but this just popped into my head while reading this thread.


I like Adywan's suggestion of "Creating Hope". It sounds good and would match the other tittles.


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Originally posted by: skyjedi2005
long post omitted


Man, you are describing a 6 hour movie. One of the problems OCP had was he was trying to put in as much stuff as he could while still making the project watchable. Many of the ideas had to be cut as they are interesting facts, there was no way to make them watchable as footage. He was more concerned with the actual filming of the movie, so things like poster art and influences from other films took a back seat. Plus, he did use pictures from the lost cut as well as the "blast it, Wedge" line. Maybe you should go back and watch it again.
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Actually, I think one of you guys should give it a go!

I find all this fan expectation too much to bear.

JD

Creator of Star Wars Begins, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi
Follow me on twitter @jamieSWB. Please support me at - http://www.patreon.com/jamiebenning/

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haha...well you will go and open your mouth mate

FINISHED:
The Sith Revealed - A Scrapbook
Episode III The Video Game - The Movie
24: The Missing Day
Star Wars - The Interactive Board Game DVD
Battlefront - Journal of the 501st
The Clones Revealed

email me for details daveytod AT btinternet DOT com

 

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This is a bit tricky. Some more:

Invading Star Wars
Waking Star Wars
Producing Star Wars
Spotlight-Star Wars
or how about Dreaming Star Wars