Interviews -
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Cellblock 1138 - 1997-1999 - 2000 - 2002 - 2003+

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Interview with Warren Duxbury - Cast and Crew

TheForce.net's Joshua Griffin got a chance to interview one of the guys behind the scenes of Star Wars Episode II. It was a chance in a million, to work behind and in front of the cameras in Attack of the Clones. Meet Warren Warren Duxbury, creature department and creature actor:

Tell us about your Star Wars history. When did you first see the films, how old, etc.
I actually saw The Empire Strikes Back at my local cinema when I was 10 and had to settle for a crappy video rental of Star Wars as my first introduction to the movie that started it all. You can imagine my excitement when I finally got the chance to see all three in a back-to-back showing of the trilogy about six months after Return Of The Jedi was released.

And this inspired you to get into fan films?
Star Wars actually inspired me in many ways,however, it was the main reason why I chose to study Film and Television at College and enter that industry. The Fan Film involvement was simply an outlet for myself and other industry workers to try and imagine what it would have been like to work on a Star Wars film ...and it was a lot of fun.

What do you do in real life?
I work for Fox's Broadcast Centre in Sydney Australia and have built a whole range of Muppet-style puppets for a locally produced kids show.

Did your fan films have any relationship on working on Episode II?
No... none at all. I was approached by the Episode II Creature Department because of my involvement in Puppet Building. The Dark Redemption was never mentioned during the interview.

What were your responsibilities on set?
I was put in charge of various Creatures, as were others in the Department. I had to give them Background Direction whilst George Lucas was directing his Actors. It was a very surreal feeling to be telling a person in costume what actions they should be doing, while George is only a meter away saying, "Now Ewan... I need you to jump from this yellow speeder and run through the crowd in that direction".

What was one of the lighter moments during filming?
Some of the larger scenes on the Coruscant Streets required various Creatures to really appear like they had a purpose for being there... whether it be "heading off to work" or "buying spaceship parts from a street vendor" we had a lot of fun working out who was meant to be doing what.

Tell us about your cameo.
I was lucky enough to play two characters. One made it into the film... while the other became an action figure. I played the Quarren Senator's Aide and can be clearly seen clapping after the Supreme Chancellor is given Emergency Powers in the Senate. More was shot involving that character so hopefully the DVD will include those scenes. The other character was a Paccithip (I think that is the right spelling) Space Miner who has a bit of a tussle and acknowledgment from Obi-Wan as he enters Dex's Diner. To my surprise, when I saw Episode II, this was replaced by a digital aerial shot and digital characters were used instead ...but I was scanned in that costume by the new 3D Laser Toy Scanning Technique and was released as the Action Figure Ketwol. Unfortunately they allude to the Episode IV Cantina Scene on the packaging and not the Episode II deleted scene.

What was your biggest accomplishment on Episode II?
We got word that the skeletal C-3PO (as he appeared in Episode I) was required on set early the next morning in a scene where a key character places Threepio's coverings over his wire frame thus "completing" him. Working closely with Don Bies, into the early hours of the morning, we downsized the puppets hands by two thirds so that it was in proportion to the coverings that were to be added, as the hands were way too big. We were mentally and physically exhausted when we finally wheeled the newly manicured "See-through-pio" to the Lars garage set at three in the morning ready for the shoot. It was a little sad for me to see Threepio already covered when Anakin and Padme arrived at the Lars homestead in the finished film.

Are you in line to help in Episode III as well?
I hope so... but who knows.

What did they tell you about Episode III so far? Is the crew in the dark?
I have only heard the rumors about secret scenes shot in Tunisia for Episode III. I am afraid that I know nothing at all about the next one.

Where can we expect to see you in the future?
Hopefully Ketwol will get a break and team up with Watto to represent Tatooine in the Senate in Episode III and I would gladly jump back into the outfit. It's about time those outer rim territories had some say in the political arena! Or I may just get to puppeteer Salacious Crumb's father.

Thanks so much Warren - this has been exciting!
Thanks, Josh.