Star Wars day 3, Denmark, 28th & 29th May 2010

 Before I start about those two days, I want to give a shot out to actors Gerald Home, Toby Philpott and Alan Flyng. Thank you for a great time in your company and for telling your part in a great movie – Star Wars (SW hence forward).

Note: there may be a few things I don’t get right, but it’s been two weeks and I didn’t take notes while the sessions went on, so mostly is on what I remember and any fault is on my side. P.s. You can click on the picture and it will show a little bit bigger. Still copyrights...

Friday after work I went straight to the place where the SW day were taking place, about ½ hour with regular train from Copenhagen. Well arrived I looked around as I had been asked to come and help, but pretty much everything had been taken care of and people were setting up their tables of SW things you could by on Saturday. So I took a few pictures of Superman in the light while waiting out time for the question and answer session which was held this Friday evening. I got to join for dinner with those who was there and got to sit with Toby – read down about Toby. Not that many had taken the opportunity to meet these 3 actors at this session where there was a great opportunity to ask and talk with these actors. Even I didn’t know that much about them like real SW fans would. But they sure told lots of good stories and experiences from their time on the set of SW and how it was to be acting then and now.

Gerald Home started out telling about how it had been, acting as / with 2 different characters as well what was important for him in the time after SW. What I did notice through my camera while he talked, was how great he was a doing impression with his face. One moment he would look thoughtful the next he would do his pose as done in SW and put a giant smile all over. He showed a photo of how big the “head” he had worn was compared to a real mans head – a man stand next to it – and even showed some scripts where his lines were drawn over and told how the lines could be changed from one day to another. As he neared the end of his talk time, he did point out there was one thing he was surprised the hardcore SW fans hadn’t noticed in the few scenes where he was in and asked the fans in the crowd if they had an idea of explanation of what happened – it was a scene about 1 hour and 45/46 min into SW where a person in the background moves too fast when the scene changes back and forth… don’t think anyone came up with a reasonable explanations but I’m sure lots when back home went to look it up…

 Above: Gerald Home

 Up next was Toby Philpott, Jabba The Hut’s left arm. This was one thing I was a bit surprised over to hear. I had an idea there had been people moving Jabba the Hut, but to find out how complex and how many they actually had been to steer and move Jabba around, was quite interesting to hear about. Toby had travel around as an artist and learned to joggle a lot before he was casted to be part of Jabba the Hut. And that was a benefit for him it would show very fast as you have to be quite moveable when using your arm in awkward position and an very small screen to see what you were doing, with no idea at first how it looked towards the others.

He told of how the people inside Jabba the Hut had asked the director to say “Jabba, move your left or right arm” instead of asking them by their names. This made them think as a unit instead of one person – they were about 5 people moving and controlling Jabba. One of the back draws with this life size Jabba the Hut, was it would be really hot inside the “belly” but they all took it in stride and made a good time of it, instead.

 Above: Toby

Next up was Alan Flyng, who had several smaller parts in SW. But the one that stands out is a scene where he looks up to say a line to Darth Vader. Two reasons why those stands clear to me, is because how he ended up doing this scene in the first place. Alan was actually on his way to an appointment on another movie, when a crewmember standing outside for a smoke thinking over what to do with this scene, as the actor they had used first, couldn’t get his lines right and they were running out of time. When the crewmember saw Alan whom he knew well, called him over and both asked as well pulled him inside to do this scene, which he did with flying colors.

But when he did this scene and looks up at Darth Vader – Alan said you can actually see this in the movie – he has a surprised look on his face, because next to Darth Vader another good friend of Alan was standing there and they both were surprised

 Above: Alan Flyng

Time had flown by and not that many questions were asked in this session, I did however get one of my question answered. I asked how it was for them to see people dressed up as character from SW to which they replied, they enjoyed it, but not to the limit where the fans would go over the line. Like another experience Gerald had at a SW convention, where a fan had dressed up as a guard and literally stood behind him for 12 hours, with bleeding feet in the end. They don’t like that. It’s ok to dress up and have a good time, like another scene where a dressed up trooper firmly and in his role, denied a small boy to take his “weapon” and the next thing that happens, is a another dressed up Darth Vader (think it was a little older boy too) tell this trooper to carry on or something to which the trooper salutes and walks away. Those are funny moments.

The session was over and those who had attended had the chance to buy a signed photo and they def used the time afterwards to talk with the actors as there wasn’t that many people there. But I think that was great because the fans got to talk and interact with the guest actors in a way they wouldn’t be able to, the next day. This would be the advance of the SW day being small.

 Above: Alan w/ SW fans

Saturday was the day it was Star Wars day and the doors opened at 10am till 5pm. We all hoped for good weather which held, but it was a bit windy and not as hot as the previous year. Those dressed up as Darth Vader and troopers like were quite happy about this as the uniform and helmet are quite heavy and warm to wear on a summer day. From the morning there were lots of people – family with their children - standing in the line waiting to get inside.

They used the floor and 1^st floor of the house where it took place. On the floor the 3 actors would sit and do their signing as well talking with the fans / guest. In another bigger room which was the biggest one, there were the bigger stands of SW stuff you could by. On first floor were few other stands as well room full of Lego SW scenes. On the same floor there was also a stand where you could by SW clothes and such. So there were lots of options to get SW stuff back home.

 Above: SW Lego

Around midday a parade with Darth Vader and Alan Flyng as Henrico the 8^th walked down the main street where a marked took place. This had a huge crowd of people walking with them all the way. On the way back to the house, Alan spooks two ladies and share a good laugh with them.

 Above: Alan spooks two ladies while on parade walk

There was a contest for best dressed SW child, where both a costume shop and Alan would pick out the best dressed kid. Two children won a SW Lego prize with a big smile. I’m sure there will be more dressed up kids next year they looked like they had a blast.

 Above: Alan picks a winner for best dress kid

Before it was too late and the troopers would start undressing back to “civil” I heard one of the actors express a wish that he would like a photo with those who was there dressed up as SW characters. So I started a round asking those attending to get into this area where you could get a photo with Darth Vader, 20 minutes later. It didn’t take that long to gather them and the small room was full of the dressed up people and the 3 actors came and got the pictures taken.

Once again I was amazed how patient they were as the troopers were from smaller groups and wanted to have their picture taken in the “groups” they belonged to. But they took it all in stride and made fun every now and then. Someone remember a bigger fan next year, it got hot in there with so many people in the small room. 

 Above: small group w/ the actors

After this is slowed down a lot more than last year which I think has more to do with the weather and it was end of the month. The dealers started packing down around 4.30pm ish as there hardly was that many people left.

I was tired only having had 5 hours sleep the two previous nights and I was going out to dinner with the group after the house had been cleared for all things. What I hadn’t realized was that the 3 actors would join the group for dinner this evening too. It was a blast. I sat with some from Holland I think they were and some from Sweden. It was around 2 am before I would be back in my bed and I slept in long on Sunday.

 Above: small group without actors

Once again I learned it was good to do the group pictures and were glad another woman helped getting people to stand where they were to stand.