Prophets of Science Fiction (2011–2012): Season 1, Episode 8 - George Lucas - full transcript

WHAT BINDS THE UNIVERSE
TOGETHER? IT'S THE GREATEST MYSTERY.

THE FORCE. IS THE FORCE A REMARKABLE
PREDICTION OF GROUNDBREAKING

SCIENCE. THEY SAID THE UNIVERSE IS
MADE OUT OF ATOMS PERIOD, END OF

STORY. WE'RE NOW EATING OUR
WORDS. OR PROPHETS OF OUR MINDS

GREATEST POTENTIAL. THIS IS ONE STEP
TOWARDS RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.

"STAR WARS" GEORGE LUKAS CRAFTED A GALACTIC
MYTHOLOGY. HE TURNED IT INTO AN EXCITING

PLACE TO BE. TO REDEFINE THE BOUNDARIES
OF POSSIBILITY AND TO REASSESS THE

POTENTIAL OF HUMANITY ITSELF. TOMORROW BEGINS
A SPARK OF IMAGINATION AND FLASH OF INSIGHT

THAT DEMOLISHES YESTERDAY'S LIMITATIONS
AND INSPIRES TECHNOLOGIES TO CREATE NEW

WORLDS. I'M WRIGLEY SCOTT AND THESE
ARE THE PROPHETS OF SCIENCE FICTION.

INITIALLY, I THINK GEORGE WAS
AHEAD. HE WAS VERY ORIGINAL.



HE'S THE MAN, BECAUSE HE STUCK WITH THE PLAN
AS WELL. HE JUST STAYED WITH THE SCIENCE

FICTION STORY. WE KNOW WHAT FOLLOWED,
STILL. 1973, IN THE WAKE OF VIETNAM,

AMERICA'S DEMORALIZED BY
WATERGATE. IT IS A COUNTRY WITH LITTLE

FAITH IN HEROES. 29-YEAR-OLD FILMMAKER,
GEORGE LUCAS WORRIES THE FILMMAKERS OF

THIS ERA ARE LOSING THEIR OPTIMISM AND
IMAGINATION. BUT LUCAS HAS A PLAN, AN EPIC

FILLED WITH HOPE AND WONDER.
WAIT.

WHAT'S A WOKE? WHY ARE THEY IN
SPACE? IT'S AN IDEA THAT MAY BE TOO

FAR AHEAD OF ITS TIME. THE PRINCESS
HIDES A SECRET MESSAGE IN THE ROBOT.

AND HIS NAME IS OBIE 1 KEN
NOWBY. HE'S NOT THE GEORGE YOU'RE

LOOKING FOR. WE HAVE THIS
LIKE BREATHING THING, RIGHT?

THEN HE'S ALL PTU, P TURKS. USE THE FORCE,
LUKE. AND THEN THE PRINCESS GIVES THEM

ALL MEDALS. DOES IT HAVE TO BE IN
SPACE? HOLLYWOOD IS NOT READY FOR

"STAR WARS." THE MOVIES
WERE PRETTY GRITTY BACK THEN.

"FRENCH CONNECTION" WON
BEST PICTURE. VERY ADULT FILMS.



"THE EXORCIST." GRITTY ADULT FARE.
SO "STAR WARS" PROBABLY SEEMED

PRETTY OUT THERE TO FILM EXECUTIVES,
JUST NOT IN THE ZEITGEIST AT THE TIME.

YET TO CREATE ITS OWN DESPITE
GEIST. GEORGE LUCAS AND "STAR WARS"

CHANGED MY BRAIN AND NEVER
CAME OUT. "STAR WARS" INITIATED A

PARADIGM SHIFT NOT JUST IN MOVIE MAKING BUT
SOCIETY IN GENERAL. IT SHOWED BIG BUDGET SPECIAL

EFFECTS HAVE AN AUDIENCE. IT
EXPANDED OUR HORIZONS. IT INSPIRED US.

IT OPENED UP A WHOLE UNIVERSE FOR OUR
IMAGIIMAGINATION. THE "STAR WARS" SAGA BEGINS

WITH A PLEA FOR HELP. HELP ME,
YOU'RE MY ONLY HOPE. WHAT'S THIS?

HE HAS IN A GALAXY ADVENTURE WHEN THE DROID
DELIVERS A SUPER MESSAGE IN THE FORM OF A

HOLOGRAM. HELP ME OAKIE
NOWBY. YOU'RE MY ONLY HOPE.

THE GENIUS IS THE WAIT WASN'T PERFECT.
A, SHE FLICKERED AND THE MESSAGE

KEPT REPEATING. MY GOSH, THIS IS THE
WAY IT WOULD BE IF WE HAD HOLOGRAMS?

AN ICONIC SCENE WHERE PRINCESS
LEAH BEAMS OUT OF THE HOLOGRAM

AND CAN WE PERFECT THE TECHNOLOGY.
THE DOCTOR IS WORKING TO TRY

TO MAKE HOLOGRAMS USABLE IN EVERYDAY
LIFE. IT'S BASICALLY HERE TO CREATE

THE NEXT GENERATION OF VIRTUAL
REALITY. YOU'RE INTERESTED IN CREATING A

3D TELECONFERENCE EXISTENCE. WHAT
WE WANTED TO SHOW WAS A HUMAN FACE.

WE FIRST OF ALL HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO
DIGITIZE SOMEBODY IN 3D AS THEY'RE ACTUALLY

SPEAKING. WE SET UP A HIGH SPEED
VIDEO PROJECTOR WITH PATTERNS OF LIGHT

ON THE FACE TO GET 3D SHAPE. THEN
WE HAD A WEBCAM THAT GETS HER IMAGE.

IF YOU HAVE THE SHAPE OF SOMEBODY'S FACE THAT
THEY TALK AND WEBCAM IMAGE, THAT GIVES YOU

ESSENTIALLY A 3D MODEL OF THE
PERSON'S FACE WE CAN PUT ON THE

DISPLAY. WE'RE LOOKING
AT THE 3D DISPLAY.

IS THE A THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE OF
OUR FRIEND, CYNTHIA. WE'RE PLAYING IT BACK.

THIS CUTTING EDGE IMAGERY IS THE
BRAINCHILD OF A SIMPLE EXPERIMENT.

I GOT INTERESTED IN THINKING OF A WAY TO SHOOT
A TIME SLICE TECHNIQUE OF AN OBJECT, LIKE

MAYBE LIKE A SPLASH OF MILK. THAT WOULD BE COOL
TO FREEZE AND MOVE AROUND IT AS IT'S FROZEN.

USING A ROTATING MIRROR AND A CUP OF MILK, HE
SET OUT TO FREEZE TIME IN THREE DIMENSIONS.

I AIMED THE CAMERA DOWN ONTO THE SPINNING
MIRROR AND REFLECTED INTO A CYLINDRICAL

MIRROR. THE MILK WAS DOWN
HERE. I THREW A NUT INTO IT, MADE A

SPLASH AND THE HIGH SPEED VIDEO WHIPPED
AROUND THE VIEWPOINT OF THE MILK SPLASHING.

IF YOU REPLACE THAT CAMERA WITH A VIDEO PROJECTOR,
IT WOULD GENERATE VIEWS OF AN OBJECT ALL

DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AROUND IT IN
REALTIME, YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE.

TO PLAY BACK 3D HOL LO GRAPHIC IMAGES,
DEBIBIC AND HIS TEAM UTILIZE A PROJECTION

SYSTEM. ESSENTIALLY, A DISPLAY
SURFACE I'M HOLDING HERE,

TURNING AROUND 15 TIMES PER SECOND.
THAT WILL GIVE YOU 30 PASSES PER

SECOND OF THIS DISPLAY SURFACE SPINNING
AROUND. THAT'S EXACTLY THE RIGHT KIND OF

REFLECTION YOU WANT FOR THE VIDEO
PROJECTION IMAGES GOING ON TO IT.

DURING PLAYBACK, DUAL PROJECTORS WORK TOGETHER
BEAMING DUAL HOL LO GRAPHIC IMAGES ONTO

THE DISPLAY SURFACE. SPLIT THE
SUSPECT TER DOWN INTO THE MIDDLE.

THAT ALLOWS US TO SHOW THE HUMAN FACE ALMOST
IN FULL COLOR. YOU GET FLESH TONE, BLUE EYE,

THE WHITES OF THE EYE AND WHITE
TEETH. THE FACT THERE IS A FLOATING

AUTOSTEREOSCOPIC HOLOGRAM LIFE
LIKE IMAGE, JUST LIKE HER FACE

WAS REALLY THERE. THAT'S AWESOME.
HE AND HIS TEAM ARE PUZZLING

OUT A WAY TO PROJECT LIVE HOL LO GRAPHIC MESSAGES
INTO THIN AIR WITHOUT THE ROTATING SURFACE.

I'M STANDING IN THE LIGHT
STAGE. THE WAY IT WORKS, WE HAVE

CAMERAS THAT TAKE PICTURES OF PEOPLE FROM
DIFFERENT ANGLES. WE ALSO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL

OVER THE LIGHTING. EVENTUALLY THE HOLOGRAMS
WE SHOW WILL RESPOND TO LIGHT IN THE

ENVIRONMENT THE SAME WAY THE REAL
PERSON WOULD. IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE NOT JUST A

VIDEO SIGNAL FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE SHOWN
THREE-DIMENSIONALLY BUT IT MIGHT APPEAR TO BE AN IMAGE OF

THAT PERSON IN THE SAME LIGHTING YOU ARE IN
THAT SAME ROOM. BREAKTHROUGHS IN HOLOGRAPHIC

TECHNOLOGY POSE TO OVERALL OUR CONCEPT OF
CONCEPTS AND 3D TV. AS IT BECOMES CHEAPER AND

MORE READILY AVAILABLE, WE WILL HAVE
HOLOGRAPHIC TV IN YOUR LIVING ROOM.

THE IMAGE OF PRINCESS LEAH PLEADING FOR HELP
WAS NOTHING BUT TECHNOLOGY WE SEE IN "STAR

WARS." LUCAS BUILD HIS CONCEPT
FROM THE GROUND UP WORKING WITH

CONCEPT ARTISTS TO CREATE UNIQUELY SCI-FI
HIGH-TECH. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY THE LIGHT

SABRE. THE SOUND WAS AMAZING.
THE PRODUCTION WAS SO REAL

SOMEHOW. HE REALLY KNEW WHAT HE WAS
DOING AND THE AUTHENTICITY STILL HOLDS

UP. I LOVE HOW
TEXTURAL A WORLD IT WAS.

IT WAS A SCUZZY SCUFFED UP LIVED IN UNIVERSE
THAT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS PATCHED TOGETHER OUT OF A

BILLION DIFFERENT THINGS. SPACESHIPS LOOK
BEAT UP. THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL YOU

ARE A PART OF THE MOVIE AND YOU COULD TOUCH IT
AND OTHER MOVIES BEFORE THAT, THAT WAS NEVER THE

CASE. I THINK A LOT OF THAT CAME
FROM HIS OWN CHILDHOOD OF DEALING

WITH CARS. HIS FASHION WAS CARS.
HE WANTED TO BE A RACE DRIVER.

"STAR WARS," IN GEORGE'S MIND, WAS
A FUSION OF FLASH GORDON AND 2001.

PART OF THE VISCERAL APPEAL OF THE FILM IS THE
SPEED THAT PART OF GEORGE THAT WANTED TO BE A

RACER IS FULLY EXPRESSED IN ALL OF
HIS FILMS. 1961, DAYS BEFORE HIS HIGH

SCHOOL GRADUATION, GEORGE LUCAS CRUISES
THROUGH HIS HOMETOWN OF MODESTO, CALIFORNIA.

A SPEEDING JOYRIDER DESCENDS ON LUCAS'
CUSTOM HOTROD AND TAKES A RECKLESS CHANCE.

LUCAS CATCHS A GLIMPSE OF HIS MANGLED CAR
AND THEN NOTHING. 1961, TEENAGE HOTRODER,

GEORGE LUCAS, IS THROWN FROM HIS CAR IN A HIGH
SPEED COLLISION. HE EMERGES FROM A COMA AFTER TWO

DAYS. AND SPENDS
WEEKS IN INTENSIVE CARE.

THE CONFINED QUARTERS PRESENT
LUCAS WITH AN UNEXPECTED

OPPORTUNITY. A CHANCE TO SLOW
THINGS DOWN AND EXPAND HIS HORIZONS.

BEYOND THE FEROCIOUS VISION AND IMAGINATION OF
SOMETHING LIKE "STAR WARS," AT THE END OF THE

DAY, THERE IS A JOSEPH CAMPBELL HERO'S QUEST
UNDERNEATH IT ALL THAT RESONATES IN A VERY REAL

SORT OF WAY. LUCAS IS INTRIGUED BY
FAMED SCHOLAR, JOSEPH CAMPBELL, WHO

BELIEVES THAT THE HUMAN MIND IS GENETICALLY
DRAWN TO STORIES WITH CERTAIN UNIVERSAL THEMES.

COMMON THREADS THAT CONNECT THE MYTHOLOGY
OF DIVERSE CULTURES AROUND THE GLOBE.

CAMPBELL'S IDEAS WILL INSPIRE LUCAS TO BUILD
HIS SAGA ON A DUAL FOUNDATION, SCIENCE AND

MYTHS. WE'RE NOT ALWAYS SO CONNECTED
TO OUR ANCIENT MYTHS, LET'S SAY.

BUT GEORGE LUCAS IS A MAJOR INFLUENCE IN
THAT HE HAS GIVEN US A MODERN MYTHOLOGY.

HIS MYTHOLOGY INTRODUCES A MANY MISTY CALL
HIGHER POWER PERMEATING A HIGH-TECH UNIVERSE,

"THE FORCE." THES FOR?
THE FORCE IS WHAT GIVES THE

JEDI HIS POWERS. AN ENERGY
FIELD CREATED BY ALL LIVING THINGS.

IT SURROUNDS US AND PENETRATES
US AND BINDS THE GALAXIES TOGETHER.

WHEN THE MOVIE, "STAR WARS"
COMES OUT, WE BEGIN TO GROWN AND

MOAN AND SAY GIVE ME A BREAK. THEY
SAY THE UNIVERSE IS MADE OUT OF ATOMS.

WE'RE NOW EATING OUR WORDS. WHEN WE ANALYZED
GALAXIES LIKE OURS, WE REALIZED THEY WERE

SPINNING TOO FAST. BY
RIGHTS, THEY SHOULD FLY APART.

IN OTHER WORDS, SOMETHING WAS BINDING
THE GALAXY TOGETHER THAT IS INVISIBLE.

IT'S THE GREATEST MYSTERY IN
PHYSICS. DARK MATTER, DARK ENERGY, IN

OTHER WORDS, THE FORCE. AS ASTRO PHYSICISTS
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS, AN ELUSIVE MATERIAL

APPEARS IN THE EQUATIONS. WE NOW KNOW ONLY
4% OF THE UNIVERSE IS MADE OUT OF ATOMS.

96% IS MADE OUT OF, WELL, THE
FORCE, DARK ENERGY AND DARK MATTER.

DARK MATTER IS DIFFICULT TO DETECT
BECAUSE IT DOES NOT EMIT OR REFLECT LIGHT.

WE CAN ONLY INFER THE PRESENCE OF DARK MATTER
BY OBSERVING ITS EFFECTS ON THE PHYSICAL

UNIVERSE, SUCH AS GRAVITATION AND EXTORTION
OF SPACE TIME AROUND MASSIVE OBJECTS, LIKE

BLACK HOLES. IT'S IN THIS ROOM RIGHT
NOW. WE PHYSICISTS ARE CLUELESS AS TO

WHAT IT REALLY IS. THERE'S A SHELF FULL
OF NOBEL PRIZES WAITING FOR THE YOUNG

PERSON WHO CAN EXPLAIN WHAT IS IT THAT SURROUNDS
THE GALAXY, HOLDS IT TOGETHER, PERMEATES OUR

BODIES AND MAKES UP
96% OF THE UNIVERSE.

IN "STAR WARS," THE FORCE DOES FAR
MORE THAN PERMEATE THE UNIVERSE.

LUCAS' HEROES CHANNELS IT INTO
SUPER HUMAN ABILITIES CONTROLLED

BY WILL AND POWERED BY THOUGHT. THESE
AREN'T THE DROIDS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

THESE AREN'T THE DROIDS WE ARE
LOOKING FOR. HE CAN GO ABOUT HIS BUSINESS.

YOU CAN GO ABOUT YOUR
BUSINESS. MOVE ALONG.

MOVE ALONG. MOVE ALONG.
IS LUCAS' TAKE ON MIND POWER

JUST A SCI-FI FAIRYTALE? THIS MAN DOESN'T
THINK SO. BRIAN PAISLEY OF UC BERKELEY'S

HELEN WILLS NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE IS
WORKING TO GIVE OUR THOUGHTS A VOICE.

WE'RE STUDYING HOW THE BRAIN PROCESSES SPEECH
AND TRANSLATING BRAIN ACTIVITY INTO PREDICTIVE

SOUNDS. WE COLLABORATE WITH
BRAIN SURGEONS AND NEUROLOGISTS AND

THEIR JOB IS TO TREAT EPILEPSY IS DIFFERENT
PATIENTS. TO MONITOR BRAINS, SCIENCE IN

CERTAINTIED SENSORS WHICH RECORD
NEUROACTIVITY. IS THE AN EXAMPLE OF AN

ELECTROGRID THE SURGEON IMPLANTS.
HERE, YOU'RE SEEING THE SKULL OF

A PATIENT. AS THE CAMERA MOVES
INSIDE THE SKULL, YOU CAN SEE THE ACTUAL

ELECTRODE RAY THAT'S BEEN
IMPLANTED ON THE BRAIN'S SURFACE.

PAISLEY AND HIS TEAM ARE USING THE ELECTRODES
TO FOCUS ON THE BRAIN'S ACTIVITY WHEN IT

HEARS SOUND. WHEN YOU GENERATE SOUND
THAT GENERATES A SPECIFIC PATTERN OF

ACTIVITY IN THE CORTEX THAT PICKS UP
ELECTRORAIDS. THE BRAIN HAS DIFFERENT

FREQUENTS IN SOUND?
AND EACH FREQUENCY IS

TRANSMITTED TO A DIFFERENT PLACE IN THE BRAIN
AND IF WE LOOK AT THAT WE CAN TELL WHICH BRAIN

SITE IS BECOMING ACTIVE AND TELLS US
US WHICH SOUND FREQUENCY THE PERSON IS

LISTENING TO. I WILL SHOW YOU THE
ACTUAL WORD THE PATIENT IS LISTENING TO.

IN THIS CASE, YOU WILL HEAR THE WORD
WALDO. LET'S GO AHEAD AND PLAY THAT.

WALDO. AS THE SUBJECT PROCESSES
A WORD, THE IMPLANTED ELECTRODE

ARRAY CAPTURES THEIR BRAIN ACTIVITY
AND RELAYS THE DATA TO THE COMPUTER.

PAISLEY'S COMPUTER USES THE DATA
TO DECIPHER WHAT THE BRAIN HEARD.

WE WERE ACTIVE ENOUGH TO DECODE WORDS FROM
THE BRAIN ACTIVITY AND RISENTHY SIZE THE

SOUND AND MAKE A GUESS. IN THE MIDDLE IS THE
GUESS THAT WE PRODUCED, SO WE CAN COMPARE

OUR GETS TO THE ACTUAL SOUND. THAT GIVES US
A MEASURE HOW ACCURATE OUR PREDICTION IS.

THIS IS ONE STEP TOWARDS, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THOUGHT
RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY, IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY

DECODING SOUNDS THAT ARE RELATED TO
THOUGHTS. PAISLEY'S NEXT CHALLENGE WILL

EXPLORE THE UPPER LIMITS OF BRAINPOWER, BY
REMOVING SOUND FROM THE EQUATION AND ZEROING IN

ON INTERNALLY VERBALIZED
THOUGHTS. INTERNAL VERBALIZATION IS

SORT OF WHAT YOU HEAR IN YOUR MIND'S EAR,
FOR EXAMPLE, INTERNAL MONOLOGUE MOST OF US

HAVE. SOMETIMES, YOU CAN
ACTUALLY HEAR YOUR OWN VOICE.

THIS INTERNAL THOUGHT PROCESS SHARES KEY
SIMILARITIES WITH HOW WE PROCESS EXTERNAL SOUND.

SOME OF THE SAME BRAIN AREAS DO SEEM TO ACTIVATE
WHEN YOU'RE IMAGINING A SOUND VERSUS WHEN

YOU'RE ACTUALLY LISTENING TO A
SOUND. PAISLEY AND HIS TEAM ARE

WORKING TOWARDS A DAY WHEN WE CAN BROADCAST
THE WORDS OF OUR INNER MONOLOGUE TO THE WORLD

AROUND US USING NOTHING MORE THAN
A THOUGHT. ONE POTENTIAL AVOCATION OF

THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH WOULD BE A BRAIN IMPLANT
THAT COULD TRANSLATE THEIR INTENDED SPEECH

INTO EXTERNAL MESSAGES THAT COULD
ACTUALLY BE LISTENED TO BY OTHER PEOPLE.

LITERALLY HARNESSING BRAIN POWER
TO INTERACT WITH THE EXTERNAL

WORLD. BECAUSE OUR BRAIN IS
ELECTRICAL, IT ALSO RESPONSES TO

RADIO AND COMPUTERS CAN RECOGNIZE FREQUENCIES
FROM INDIVIDUAL WORDS OF THE BRAIN

AND THE QUESTION IS CAN WE USE RADIO,
ELECTROMAGNETIC SIGNALS TO CONTROL OBJECTS TO THE

OUTSIDE WORLD. THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE
FORCE. WITHIN A FEW YEARS, WE'LL SIMPLY

BE CONTROLLING OBJECTS WITH THE MIND, WALKING
INTO A ROOM, REARRANGING THINGS, BRINGING UP

MOVIES, TURNING DOWN THE VOLUME OF THE STEREO,
ALL OF THAT WITH THE POWER OF THE MIND.

MYSTERIES OF THE MIND ARE OBVIOUSLY
ONE SIDE OF GEORGE LUCAS' CREATION.

HOPE YOU REALIZE ANCIENT WEAPONS
ARE NO MATCH NOR A GOOD BLASTER.

THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE "STAR WARS"
MOVIE, IN MY VIEW, IS THE SHEER ADVENTURE AND EX

HUB ER RANCE OF THE STORIES. LUCAS EQUIPS
HIS REBEL FIGHTERS WITH A HIGH-TECH ARMATA

TO CRIPPLE AN EMPIRE. BEFORE
GEORGE TAKES SUMMER, 1961, SIDELINE

FORMULA 1 RACER GEORGE LUCAS REINVENTS
HIMSELF. AS A SPEEDWAY PHOTOGRAPHER.

A PATH THAT LEADS TO FILM SCHOOL AND
TO HIS ULTIMATE CALLING, STORYTELLER.

BUT LUCAS NEVER LOSES HIS FASCINATION
WITH SPEED. AND HE CHANNELS THIS PASSION

INTO THE HEART OF "STAR
WARS" PRODUCTIONS.

MY FAVORITE PART OF "STAR WARS" THAT I STILL
WATCH EVEN TODAY ARE THE DOGFIGHT SCENES AT

THE END OF THE MOVIE. I MEAN, IMAGINE
LASER BEAMS GOING BACK AND FORTH, STARSHIS

WHIZZING THROUGH ALL
SORTS OF OBSTACLES.

WHAT GEORGE HAD DONE BEFORE MAKING "STAR
WARS" IS SCREAM AGAIN AND AGAIN DOG FIGTSZ IN

WAR MOVIES ABOUT SPITFIRES AND HE HAD WORKED
OUT EXACTLY WHAT WAS REALLY EXCITING ON-SCREEN

WITH TERRESTRIAL AIRPLANES AND PUT THAT
INTO SPACE. THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THIS

ABILITY TO COMBINE EXISTING TECHNOLOGY WITH
THE LEAP OF IMAGINATION, WHICH PUTS YOU IN A

DIFFERENT PLACE. BUT EXISTING TECHNOLOGY
CAN'T ALWAYS KEEP PACE WITH LUCAS'

HIGH OCTANE IMAGINATION. GEORGE ALWAYS HAS
THE STORY FIRST AND FIGURES OUT HOW ARE WE

GOING TO DO THIS? THE PRESSURE OF
DELIVERING THE GOODS WILL DRIVE A SOLUTION.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE LEAPS INTO THE UNKNOWN AND
HOPE FATE HAS A TRAMPOLINE READY TO CATCH YOU.

LUCAS WAS AN INNOVATOR, INVENTOR.
IF TECHNOLOGY DIDN'T EXIST TO

BRING HIS VISIONS TO FILM LIFE, HE SEIZED THE
OPPORTUNITY HIMSELF TO CREATE TECHNOLOGIES

AND FILM MAKING ABILITY THAT DIDN'T EXIST
UNTIL HE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO DO THEM HIMSELF.

LUCAS FOUND AND EFFECTS COMPANY
TO SUPPORT HIS CREATIVE VISION.

DON'T YOU LIKE MAGIC CHANGED
EVERYTHING AND STILL CHANGES EVERYTHING.

LUCAS MANAGED TO SAY A GOOD STORY CAN BE TOLD
WELL WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES AVAILABLE

TO US TODAY AND WITH A SET OF IDEAS PEOPLE
THINK ARE FRINGE. THROUGHOUT PRODUCTION OF

"STAR WARS," ILM FORGES NEW FRONTIERS IN
FILM MAKING TECH, FROM REVOLUTIONARY MOTION

CONTROLLED CAMERAS, TO GAME CHANGING DIGITAL
EFFECTS, WITH AN INFLUENCE THAT QUICKLY

EXTENDS BEYOND THE SILVER
SCREEN. THOSE DOGFIGHT SCENES IN

OUTER SPACE ARE A STORY THAT
REALLY CAPTURES YOUR IMAGINATION.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PHYSICISTS
NEED. WE WANT TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE.

BUT WHERE DO WE GO PUSHING THE
ENVELOPE? THAT'S WHERE GEORGE LUCAS COMES

IN. HE INTRODUCED ENTIRE NEW WORLDS
TO US, WORLDS THAT WE PHYSICISTS

HAVE TO FILL IN, IN TERMS
OF THE TECHNOLOGY.

TARGETING COMPUTER. LUCAS EMPLOYEES
GROUNDBREAKING DIGITAL GRAPHICS

TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE OF A NATHAN
TECHNOLOGY. REBEL PILOTS LOOK ON TO THEIR

IMPERIAL FOES VIA TARGETING
COMPUTERS. TARGETING COMPUTERS ARE ABLE

TO TELL TO THE SMALLEST DETAIL WHAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE, HOW THINGS OPERATE, HOW THE SHIPS

NEED TO APPROACH. THERE'S THE
NAVIGATION ASPECT AND THERE'S ALSO THE

TECHNOLOGICAL INFORMATION. TODAY, THIS
TECHNOLOGY EXISTS IN THE REAL WORLD, AS HEADS UP

DISPLAY OR HUD. HEADS UP TECHNOLOGY
IS THE ABILITY TO SUPERIMPOSE

INFORMATION AND IMAGES ON TOP OF
REALITY. WE CAN DO THIS TODAY TO HELP JET

FIGHTER PILOTS, TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE
DRIVING A CAR. IN WINDSHIELD HUBS, SUSPECT

...SPECKTUAL LASERS PICK UP
TECHNOLOGY.

BUT THE TECHNOLOGY ISN'T AVAILABLE TO
LASERS. IT EXTENDS TO WEARABLE COMPUTERS

AND BEYOND. TODAY,
THEY'RE CREATING

CONTACT LENSES THAT HAVE ELECTRODES IN THEM
AND WE HOPE TO PUT LEDs INSIDE THE CONTACT

LENSES SO WE CAN ELUMINATE THE SCREEN, SIMPLY
BY BLINKING. WHEN YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY, YOUR

CONTACT LENS WILL ACTUALLY IDENTIFY WHO THIS
PERSON IS AND PRINT OUT THEIR BIOGRAPHY NEXT

TO THEIR IMAGE. YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY
WHO TO SUCK UP TO AT ANY COCKTAIL PARTY.

GEORGE LUCAS LONG ENVISIONED TECHNOLOGY
INTEGRATED WITH THE BODY AND MIND.

BUT EVEN IN THE "STAR WARS" UNIVERSE,
HIGH-TECH NEEDS A GUIDING HAND.

IN THE FINALE OF THE NEW HOPE, LUCAS FINALLY,
FACED WITH THE CHALLENGE OF, DO I TRUST

TECHNOLOGY OR DO I TRUST MY OWN
INNATE ABILITY TO TAP INTO THE FORCE?

USE THE FORCE, LUKE. LUKE SKYWALKER IS
TOLD BY THE SPIRIT OF OBI-WAN KENOBI TRUST

YOUR INSTINCTS. I BEGAN TO REALIZE,
YES, YES, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

THE COMPUTER IS NOT THAT SOPHISTICATED, IT
CANNOT GUESS. IT CANNOT MAKE THE INTUITIVE

SHOT. THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES
YOU HAVE TO LET GO.

GO WITH THE FORCE. LUKE STRIKES A
BALANCE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND INTUITION.

HE MAY NOT KNOW EVERYTHING YET, BUT IT IS
THAT FIRST STEP TOWARDS SELF-ACTIZATION FOR

LUKE.
LUCAS PLOTS HIS NEXT STEP

WITH A DARINGLY DARK SEQUEL THAT WILL CONFOUND
SCI-FI EXPECTATIONS, WHILE RAISING OUR

EXPECTATIONS FOR A FUTURE THAT HAS
FINALLY ARRIVED. IN 1977, GEORGE LUCAS

UNVEILED HIS VISION TO THE WORLD.
SUDDENLY, THE WORLD CHANGED.

SOMEBODY HAD JUST SAID ANYTHING
YOU IMAGINE CAN NOW BE PUT ON-SCREEN.

IT WAS THE MOMENT WHERE FILM SCIENCE FICTION
CAUGHT UP TO OUR IMAGINATION AND EXCEEDED IT.

I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THE
ANTICIPATION COOKING IN THAT ROOM, THE BIG

CHINESE. IT WAS JAMMED.
BY THE TIME I WAS FINISHED, I

THOUGHT, I'VE REALLY GOT TO CHANGE MY THOUGHTS
ABOUT WHAT WE CAN MAKE AND A MONTH LATER,

SOMEBODY SENT ME ARI. IT WAS FOR
FU US TO. ONE MONTH INTO A WORLDWIDE

CRAVE, GEORGE LUCAS RETURNS TO HOLLYWOOD TO
PRODUCE THE BIGGEST INDEPENDENT FILM IN HISTORY,

"THE "EMPIRE STRIKES BACK." HE WAS PROPOSING
MAKING A SECOND FILM FOR MORE MONEY, MUCH

BIGGER FILM IN
SCOPE AND AMBITION.

THE "EMPIRE STRIKES BACK," AMAZING STUDY IN
THAT IT DOES NOT MERELY RETELL THE STORY OF

THE FIRST ONE. AT THE END OF THE
"EMPIRE STRIKES BACK," THE GOOD GUYS

DON'T WIN. IT'S RIGHT IN
THE TITLE. NO SURPRISE.

LUKE SKYWALKER EXPLORES NEW CORNERS OF
HIS EVER EXPANDING UNIVERSE FOLLOWED BY HIS

FAITHFUL CO-PILOT.
R 2 D 2. DON'T WORRY.

WE'RE GOING. LUCAS' ROBOT NAVIGATOR
MAY NOW BE STEERING ITS WAY INTO

REALITY. IT SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN
MINDSET, TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO

MAKE ITS OWN DECISION TO NAVIGATE THROUGH
OBSTACLES AND EVENTUALLY MOVE FROM POINT A TO

POINT B. LIN'S LATEST GENERATION
AUTONOMOUS DUAL PLATFORM, RED

RAVEN ALLOWS IT TO SEE THE WORLD
AROUND IT. RED RAVEN ACTUALLY HAD TO

RELY ON TWO PARTICULAR CENTERS. ONE IS CALLED
LASER RANGE FINDER, DOWN HERE, ABOUT A FOOT

HIGH FROM THE GROUND AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE
A CAMERA UP HERE, WOULD BASICALLY TURN A

THREE-DIMENSIONAL SCENE INTO A TWO DIMENSIONAL
IMAGE. WE HAVE TO BASICALLY COMBINE THE

IMAGE ACQUIRED FROM CAMERA AND THE IMAGE THAT
IS CREATED BY THE, WHAT WE CALL INTEGRATE THEM

TOGETHER TO CREATE A HISTOGRAM. BY HISTOGRAM,
WE ARE ABLE TO BASICALLY DETERMINE WHAT IS

OPENING IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, TO ALLOW THE
VEHICLE TO MOVE ON. ALL THAT MANEUVERING IS ACTUALLY

DONE BY THE SOFTWARE THAT IS RUNNING BY THE
PLATFORM HERE. THE SENSOR SCREENS SOCIAL AND

MOTION DATA THROUGH THE SOFTWARE ALLOWING IT
TO NAVIGATE AROUND OBSTACLES AS THEY APPEAR.

YOU SEE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING TOWARDS ME AND
THE CENSURE SEEING ME IN THIS WAY AND SO IT

WOULD JUST MOVE AWAY. SCANNERS AND SOFTWARE
WHEEL RAVEN CLEAR OF OBJECTS AT CLOSE

RANGE BUT IT CAN ALSO CONNECT TO EXISTING
NAVIGATION NETWORKS TO REACH DISTANT NAVIGATIONS.

HERE IS A GPS RECEIVER. TOGETHER, WE WILL
BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE CURRENT GLOBAL

POSITION OF THE VEHICLE. THEN, FROM THERE,
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN THE NEW WEIGHT

BEARING TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE ON
THE CURRENT POSITION TO THE NEW LOCATION.

THIS AUTONOMOUS TECHNOLOGY HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO MAKE HACKING THROUGH RUSH HOUR

TRAFFIC ENJOYABLE. THEY REALLY
HAVE A GREAT INTEREST FROM THE CAR

MANUFACTURERS, FROM THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY,
BASICALLY. THEY BASICALLY WANTED TO

SEE... THEY WANTED TO TAKE THE OUTCOMES ON
THIS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSFER

THAT INTO THE ACTUAL VEHICLE OF THE
FUTURE. WE COULD SOON ENTER A FUTURE

WITH NO DRIVERS. ONLY PASSENGERS, WHILE
THE CAR ITSELF KEEPS AN EYE ON THE ROAD.

RELYING ON FLAWLESS COMPUTER VISION
TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ITS OCCUPANTS.

BASICALLY, YOU HAVE ALL THESE FUTURES
VERY DESIRABLE BY THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.

SO THEY'RE IN THE
PROCESS OF DEBUNKING THIS.

MANY CAR MANUFACTURERS INCLUDING US 1 AND EUROPEAN
MANUFACTURERS. IT'S GOING TO BE THERE ONE DAY.

WE'RE TURNING THE FICTION INTO REALITY VERY
VERY SOON. IN THE "EMPIRE STRIKES BACK,"

LUKE SKYWALKER IS ON HIS OWN HIGH-TECH JOURNEY,
ONE THAT DELIVERS HIM FACE TO FACE WITH

HIS NEMESIS, DARK VADER. THE DARK
ENCOUNTER WILL ALTER LUCAS' HERO FOREVER.

DON'T MAKE ME DESTROY YOU. ITS
AFTERMATH WILL CHANGE THE FACE OF RE

IN THE CLIMACTIC DUAL OF THE "EMPIRE STRIKES
BACK," LUKE SKYWALKER'S HAND IS SEVERED AND

REPLACED. LUCAS WAS ABLE VERY
QUICKLY TO SHOW THE SOPHISTICATION IN

THE TECHNOLOGY OF LUKE'S BIONIC HAND, FOR LACK
OF A BETTER WORD. YOU COULD TELL THAT THE ROBOTIC

HAND WOULD HAVE THE ACUITY AND DEXTERITY OF
A HUMAN HAND, AUGMENTED NOW BY THIS ROBOTIC

TECHNOLOGY. IN EMPIRE, GEORGE LUCAS
TAKES BIONIC LIMBS BEYOND THE REALM OF

CURRENT TECHNOLOGY. BUT AT LOMA LINDA
UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, MIKE DAVIDSON

REVEALS LUCAS' VISION FOR BIONICS MAY NOW BE
WITHIN REACH. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, MY MOTHER

SUFFERED A STROKE. SHE HAD A PARALYZED
ARM. IN MY MIND, I HAD THIS IDEA I

COULD BUILD SOME SORT OF ROBOTIC DEVICE
TO HELP HER. MICHAEL NOW WORKS WITH NECK

LEVEL PROSTHETICS, INCLUDING THE EYE LIMB BY
TOUCH BIONICS. THE EYE LIMB IS AS CLOSE AS

WE GOT THAT LUKE HAD. THE I-LIMB IS A
SIMULATED SKIN COVERING EQUIPPED WITH AN

ARRAY OF SURFACE SENSORS DESIGNED TO DETECT
SIGNALS FROM THE BRAIN TO THE MUSCLES.

EVERY TIME THE MUSCLE CONTRACTS,
IT GIVES OFF AN ELECTRICAL NOISE.

WE CAN CONVERT IT TO THE MUSCLE AND MYOELECTRIC
SIGNAL AND CONVERTING THE NOISE THAT'S

GENERATED WHEN MUSCLES CONTRACT AND CONVERTING
THOSE SIGNALS INTO MEANINGFUL MOVES IN THE

PROSTHESIS. COMMANDS SENT FROM
THE MUSCLES NOW ACTIVATE MUSCLE LS

IN THE BIONIC HAND. KIND OF LIKE THE
MUSCLE CONTROLS A SWITCH AND IT TELLS

THE DEVICE WHEN TO GO AND STOP. EARLIER
PROSTHETIC FEATURED CRUDE CLOSING MECHANISMS WHICH

LACKED SOPHISTICATION. THIS DEVICE
REPRESENTS A MYOELECTRIC HAND TO GRAB AN

ORANGE AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR A
MECHANICAL HAND TO GRAB IT WITHOUT CRASHING IT.

BUT THE INDEPENDENT MOTORS GUIDED BY REALTIME
SENSORS CONSTANTLY REGULATE THE FORCE

EXERTED BY THE HAND. THEY STALL OUT
BECAUSE IT SENSE THERE'S AN OBJECT THERE

AND THE OTHERS THAT HAVEN'T MET THE RESISTANCE
CONTINUE TO DO. WE'RE APPLYING THE SAME AMOUNT

OF FORCE, JUST DISTRIBUTING IT OVER A
GREATER AREA. THEN, YOU CAN HOLD IT THIS WAY

AND THAT'S MORE BIOLOGICAL AND
NATURAL. AND I-LIMB USER CAN OVERRIDE

THIS FEATURE WHEN THE SITUATION CALLED FOR
MORE PRESSURE. IF THE CLIENT CONTINUES TO

GIVE A SIGNAL, IT WILL PULSE AND ACTUALLY
GET TIGHTER. SO IF THE PATIENT WANTS TO PICK

SOMETHING UP THAT'STENSIVE, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO SLIP. THEY KNOW THEY CAN'T CRUSH IT.

THEN THEY CAN REALLY BEGIN TO BITE
DOWN ON IT AND HOLD EVEN TIGHTER.

Reporter: FOR SOME I-LIMB USERS, THE
BENEFITS EXTEND FAR BEYOND THE PRACTICAL.

ANY TIME SOMEBODY LOSES A LIMB, THERE'S STILL
KIND OF AN UNFORTUNATE STIGMA IN SOCIETY

WHERE WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO
REACT. WITH SOMETHING LIKE AN I-LIMB,

CONVERSATION PIECE, WE COULD TALK ABOUT
IT, SAY, THAT'S REALLY COOL, THAT'S NEAT.

NOT JUST THE DEVICE BY ITSELF. IT'S AN
EXTENSION OF WHO I AM. WITH HIS HERO WOUNDED AND

VILLAINS VICTORIOUS, GEORGE LUCAS DARES
TO CONCLUDE EMPIRE ON AN OMINOUS NOTE.

HIS 1983 SEGET, RETURN OVER THE JEDI REVISITS
LUKE SKYWALKER'S HOME PLANET, A TREACHEROUS

DESERT WORLD UNDER TWIN SUNS. AS GEORGE LUCAS'
TRILOGY COMES TO A CLOSE, THE FARM BOY HAS

GROWN INTO A MAN. AND REDEEMED
HIS FATHER. IT'S INTERESTING TO HAVE THE

ENTIRE ARC BE ABOUT THE FACT IT'S ACTUALLY A
HUMAN BEING UNDER THERE AND THERE WAS A SOUL

UNDER THERE. IT'S A GREAT THING TO
SEE OVER A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS PLAY OUT.

LUKE INVADER'S JOURNEY TAKES THE FATHER AND
SON FULL CIRCLE. BUT THE MAN BENEATH THE ARMOR

WAS ONCE A BOY. SOON, LUCAS WILL EXPLORE
THE UNLIMITED POSSIBILITY OF VADER'S

PAST. AND OUR FUTURE.
1993, GEORGE LUCAS AND

I-LIMB HAVE SPENT THE YEARS
SINCE THE RETURN OF THE JEDI

SPEARHEADING A TECHNOLOGICAL
REVOLUTION. LUCAS HAS FINALLY OBTAINED THIS

TOOLS OF UNLIMITED POSSIBILITY.
IT'S TIME TO RETURN TO "STAR WARS."

BY 1999, LUCAS HAS COMPLETED THE PHANTOM MENACE,
THE SEQUEL'S PADRE HAS A WORLDWIND LOOK AT A

TECHNOLOGY WHICH COULD PROPEL MANKIND
INTO THE FUTURE. EVERYONE, WHEN THEY WATCH

"STAR WARS" AND SEE THE SPEED OF ICE AND THE
POD RACERS, THEY SAY TO THEMSELVES, I WANT THAT.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS.
WE WILL HAVE THIS TECHNOLOGY.

FLYING CARS, LEVITATING BUSES AND
TRAINS THAT SOAR INTO THE HEAVENS.

AT THE CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK'S MARSHAK
SCIENCE BUILDING, PHYSIOLOGIST HAS AN EXPERIENCE

THAT COULD TURN BIG APPLE CAB
DRIVERS INTO PILOTS. THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL

CERAMIC HERE. HERE, WE
HAVE AN ORDINARY MAGNET.

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I POUR LIQUID
NITROGEN ON TO THIS SUPER CONDUCTING CERAMIC.

IT CREATES A SUPER MAGNETIC FIELD.
LET ME PLACE THE MAGNET ON TOP.

YOU CAN THEN LET THE TWO MAGNETIC
FIELDS REPEL EACH OTHER AND LOOK AT THAT!

THE MAGNET IS FLOATING RIGHT ON TOP OF THE
SUPER MAGNET. NOTICE THAT IF I TWEAK IT, IT

SPINS WITH NO FRICTION. WITH SUPER
CONDUCTIVITY ONLY OCCURRING AT VERY COLD

TEMPERATURES, SCIENTISTS MUST ACHIEVE THE
SAME RESULTS IN A MORE REASONABLE ENVIRONMENT

BEFORE LEVITATING VEHICLES CATCH UP WITH
LUCAS' IMAGINATION. WHAT WE PHYSICISTS ARE

WORKING ON, THE HOLY GRAIL OF LOW TEMPERATURE
PHYSICS IS TO CREATE ROOM TEMPERATURE SUPER

CONDUCTORS. ONCE WE HAVE THAT,
WATCH OUT, WE WILL HAVE ALL THE LEVITATING

THEATERS OF "STAR WARS." ROOM TEMPERATURE
SUPER CONDUCTORS COULD USHER IN A NEW

AGE OF PROGRESS. THE LAST 100
YEARS WAS THE AGE OF ELECTRICITY.

THE NEXT 100 YEARS COULD BE THE AGE OF
MAGNETISM. IMAGINE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF

YOUR CITY. YOUR CAR COULD BE LIKE THIS
TINY LITTLE MAGNET HERE FLOATING ON A

CUSHION OF MAGNETISM AND THIS COULD SOLVE THE
ENERGY CRISIS. MOST OF THE GASOLINE YOU PAY FOR

GOES TO OVERCOMING THE FRICTION OF
THE ROADS. IMAGINE NO FRICTION, YOU SIMPLY

BLOW ON YOUR LEVITATING CAR AND IT STARTS
TO TAKE OFF. THEN YOU STEER IT WITH TINY

LITTLE DUSTS OF CARBON DIOXIDE, GIVING YOU
THE PERFECT LEVITATING LAND CRUISER OR POD

RACER. IN 2005, GEORGE LUCAS CLOSES
HIS PREQUEL SAGA WITH REVENGE OF

THE CRISTS. BUT HIS SCI-FI UNIVERSE
CONTINUE S TO THRIVE WITH AN ON GOING

REVOLUTION IN ARTS, SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY. WE'LL ALWAYS OWE GEORGE LUCAS

FOR DRAWING PEOPLE TOWARD THIS NOTION
THAT THE FUTURE CAN BE AN ADVENTURE.

WHAT WE HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE WILL TAKE THIS
ADVENTURE. HE TURNED SPACE INTO A LIVING

BREATHING EXCITING SORT OF PLACE
TO BE. THAT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IF YOU

GO INTO A CLASSROOM, A LOT OF OUR YOUTH ARE
ENTREEINGED WITH THE IDEA OF GOING INTO SPACE.

WHY? A LOT OF IT HAS
TO DO WITH "STAR WARS."

THE THINGS I ADMIRE MOST ABOUT GEORGE
LUCAS, HE'S A RENEGADE, A ROGUE FILMMAKER.

HE BROKE ALL THE RULES. IF "STAR WARS" HAD
NEVER BEEN FILMED, PERHAPS A GENERATION OF

SCIENTISTS MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO
GO INTO SCIENCE. IN A 1977 INTERVIEW, GEORGE

LUCAS REVEALS HIS
GOAL FOR "STAR WARS".

I'M HOPING THAT IF THE FILM ACCOMPLISHES
ANYTHING, IT TAKES SOME 10-YEAR-OLD KID AND TURNS

HIM ON TO OUTER SPACE. I WOULD FEEL VERY
GOOD IF SOME DAY WHEN I'M 93 YEARS OLD, THEY

COLONIZE MARS AND THE LEADER OF THE FIRST COLONY
SAYS, I REALLY DID IT BECAUSE I WAS HOPING

THERE WOULD BE A
WOOKIEE UP HERE.

GEORGE LUCAS WAS KIND OF PURE,
CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIND A NEW WAY.

HE WAS A REBEL. HE CREATED A NEW
LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE FICTION AND

REINVIGORATED THE GENRE FOR A
NEW GENERATION.