Answers to fan’s questions

5 misconceptions about Yoda

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:39:42 -0500

swbookzone.com asked “What are the top five misconceptions about Yoda that you hear?”
Nick replies:
1. There were 4 versions of Yoda built for The Empire Strikes Back not one.
2. There were SIX people who operated Yoda over The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, not just Frank Oz. Frank took the lead and gave Yoda his sensitivity but the others operated eyes, eye lids, ears, feet and right hand.
3. Yoda was NOT built by Jim Henson. Jim was not directly involved and Frank came in for fittings and to operate. Wendy Midner was a muppeteer who joined our crew as a liason, fabricated Yoda's body in a way similar to Miss Piggy and ensured that what we built would be acceptable to Frank. But intrinsically we were an independent group separate from the Henson organization.

How I became “that Yoda Guy”

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:11:01 -0500

swbookzone.com asked “When and how did you pick up the nickname YodaGuy?”
Nick replies: When I was first in the Caribbean I had an art gallery in a hotel. I didn't talk about my involvement is STAR WARS. It didn't seem relevant in that environment.
After a couple of years I had proved that I could make a modest living that way and expanded to a second gallery in the duty free area by the cruise ship dock. On the ships they have lectures telling passengers about the highlights to be found in each island. One day one of the lecturers was in my gallery. He was a movie buff and recognized me from articles in Fangoria about KRULL and other movies I made. We were talking and STAR WARS came up. He he became very eager to include me in the onboard lecture program for ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE LINES

The next trilogy...

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 20:33:06 -0500

dcshvdow76: asked “I know u get this a lot, but will the final 3 chapters ever get released ”
Nick replies: There is so much talk about Star Wars floating around the net that is nothing more than rumors started by fan suppositions, then repeated and embellished by other fans. This stuff is usually based upon a half truth, spread by an established but non official source and often... what is said makes very little sense.
THESE ARE FACTS...
When we made the first Star Wars movie there was no mention of any saga. Clearly George Lucas had that possibility in mind. But it wasn’t something he shared with the crew. The movie we were making was called “Star Wars”. There was no mention of “A New Hope” or “Episode IV”. That was a surprise to the crew that we discovered at the preview.

the ill fated Nogard

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:52:52 -0500

Darth_Icarus: asked “was there any project you did for SW that just couldn't be completed that you would like to go back & complete now??”
Nick replies: I have written periodically about NOGARD, a creature I was developing for the swamps of Degobah that was sacrificed due to work pressures. It started as a test for one of out trainees David Barclay. As I was the senior tech left in the workshop when filming started, it was part of my job to keep the trainees busy between jobs. So one day when he wasn’t otherwise occupied, I gave Dave the rough outline of a swamp creature I envisaged and a bag of clay and he started modeling. The shoulders were heavy set and predatory, The feet were webbed for swimming. It was reminiscent of a reptile... yet distinctly different. And I always imagined it with glowing eyes. I was working on the radio controlled Yoda at the time and Dave modeled up the figure on a nearby bench as I added comments and instructions.

Jim Henson & Yoda

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:50:31 -0500

ed2you: asked “Closely work with Jim Henson did or did not at all in creation of YODA?”
Nick replies: It’s a common misconception that Yoda was built by Jim Henson and the Muppets. Jim’s organization was approached to operate Yoda because what we (the Make-up Department) were doing on ESB, building semi mechanical puppets, was politically incorrect. A union agreement gave the building and operation of puppets to the Props Department and the building of mechanisms to Special Effects. We didn’t want the revolutionary puppet we were building to be passed to another department so by bringing in the Muppets we avoided that.
Jim gave the Job to Frank Oz but was never personally involved with Yoda. Frank discussed what would be acceptable to him and a muppet builder named Wendy Midner joined our team. Her input was very significant.

Yoda’a expression...

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:43:52 -0500

ollyvale asked “Yoda's face is very physically expressive. Did you consciously copy any expressions from people you know?”
Nick replies: I have written about this on various pages. Yoda was modeled by Stuart Freeborn, not me, and the influences were diverse. You should read the pages below...
✓ Concieving Yoda
✓ Making of Yoda Pt1
✓ Tribute to Stu Freeborn

how I came to the entertainment industry.

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:38:17 -0500

DocDraconis: asked “What's the story of how you came to work in the entertainment industry?”
Nick replies: My bio touches on this. It really starts when I was a small child. Infants first learn their values and interests from family members and other people that they come in contact with. My father, Len Maley, was a singer and actor, a very gentle, sympathetic personality that everyone loved and I idolized him. After the Second World War he had trained at the Old Vic School which was the most prestigious drama school in England at that time. It was akin to the National Theater. Although he never achieved fame, he worked pretty regularly and so I grew up in the theater surrounded by actors and showgirls and technicians.

those new Yodas...

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:35:29 -0500

anotherdean: wrote “I've got to ask... what did you make of the CGI Yoda in the prequel films?”
Kradath: asked “were you happy of how yoda looked and behaved in the final movie”
Nick replies: I’m asked questions like this often by visitors to Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit. I corresponded with George Lucas’ office prior to them starting on THE PHANTOM MENACE. Firstly I suggested Nick Dudman for the job of making the creatures for the new trilogy. He had been one of the trainees on ESB and I reminded them that he had been directly involved in constructing the prototype Yoda and knew exactly how that was constructed. I thought he did a GREAT job on FIFTH ELEMENT and had a crew in the right place at the right time. At the same time, I also lobbied them to keep Yoda as a puppet rather than making him digital.

Favorite Star Wars moment

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:31:51 -0500

GarlicYoda: asked “What has been your favourite moment at working on Star Wars?”
Nick replies: On ESB our egos were flying high and there were several crazy moments that I will alway remember fondly. But there was one special moment that can not be surpassed.
As I tell the story of how and why 4 versions of Yoda were built for EMPIRE STRIKES BACK you will learn that the initial, (prototype), Yoda puppet that was being operated by Jim Henson developed problems that held up shooting. I had made the molds and skins for that but nothing more.
Because I had successfully worked on two other versions I was asked if I could produce a back-up puppet. They needed something in just a few days and I worked day and night for 60 hours to produce the best puppet that I could in the shortest possible time.

First impressions of Star Wars

Sat, 8 Aug 2009 13:04:22 -0500

Kradath asked, “What was your first thought about the whole Star Wars idea and did you expect it to become ever that big?”
Nick replies: I often say to fans that in the light of modern culture it is hard to recall that “the star wars” was just another movie until it became STAR WARS.
My first thought? “I’m so glad to be working.” Remember that we were all freelance workers, unemployed for months, working for weeks. I would have been thrilled whatever it was.
My second thought, “I’m so glad to be working with Stu (Freeborn) on an Effects Make-up movie.” I had worked with Stu before. But he hadn’t trusted me on a creature effects crew. I was nervous he would decide I wasn’t up to the job and fire me before I could prove otherwise.