[read previous entries first]

This morning we start with a shot of Anakin walking along the landing platform at Mustafar. All appears to go well until Mr Lucas says to me "Put your hood up as you walk... and ACTION!". That all sounds fine until... they start the fans blowing! Huge industrial strength fans!! (And I thought I was a big fan.) That hood is not easy to get up at the best of times, as you pull it up thinking you're going to look like a cool Jedi, and end up wondering who switched the lights off as you turn into a Jawa.

But I manage it in the first take! (Just.) I then overhear George talking to Hayden about the 'hood action' and George says to him, looking at me, "See, even he couldn't get it up". It's an innocent enough direction, but 'from a certain point of view' it sounds like he's being naughty. 'How wuude.' He then jokes that Hayden should 'do it like him', as I did manage to... get it up...

That out of the way, it's Hayden's turn but unfortunately "it's not as easy as it looks" (his words not mine). By this I assume he means I made it look easy. I'm flattered! After about 8 takes (I'm serious), he manages to get it up correctly, to a round of relieved applause. "That was one of my proudest Star Wars moments actually!", Hayden says, and it sounds like he meant it. Mine too then!

Next it's on to a shot of The Skywalkers (aw) sharing a tender moment. 'Move closer' we're told by George Lucas... until we're pretty uncomfortably close! But hey, it's our job so we do as we should. That's me and Chantelle (Natalie/Debbie's stand-in) I should add, not Natalie her lovely self. Actually no, what the heck, I'll pretend it was Natalie. Then the real Hayden and Natalie arrive to take over and it's onwards again! Only another 20 shots to do today. Yay!

There's another quick scene where Threepio and Padmé sit in the cockpit of her skiff, using the same seat props that were actually used on Episode II. I am dragged back onto set (as if!) to proudly stand in for C3PO yet again, where he sits in the driver's seat. I believe this is a first for Threepio so I'm very proud for him!

I/he sits looking forward with his arms up at imaginary steering paddles. In a way this makes me feel that I have been involved more in Episode II... from a certain point of view! I missed out on appearing on, or working in it, as the bulk was filmed in Oz, yet here I am sitting on its set being filmed. Hmmm...

Anyway, Anthony comes on to do the real thing and it's hello to Realpio once more. This could actually be the last every scene ever that he films as Threepio, after 30 years of being in all 6 films. There's a possibility he'll be back in the UK in January so who knows. His reaction in this scene however is priceless, so a fitting way to end.

He lands the ship and a worried Padmé leaves in a hurry, to which he looks around and finds her co-pilot seat empty when a moment before he was sure she was there. He then does a double-take behind him in classic Threepio style. You'll see it in the movie I'm sure. As OB1's stand-in, Richard Hurdle, points out to me, "It's brilliant, you know exactly what he's thinking -- 'oh! where's she gone!?!' don't you". A great mime actor!

OMG...

Now I get to recreate one of the classic poses from a Star Wars movie. The 'Darth Vader Choke'. (Of the remote variety). The scene is described in the call sheet as 'Anakin uses the force to choke Padmé - she falls out of frame'. This is set to become one of the classic scenes from the whole saga. Hayden does a run-through and I take note, then we swap positions as I step onto the mark, hand raised, index and middle finger forming the right of the grip, thumb forming the left. (That's the official way to do it, I now know. No wonder it hasn't worked all these years.)

In the Jedi Gown this feels so dark.

I stare menacingly at Padmé's stand-in and she pretends to choke.

A-w-e-s-o-m-e.

To say nothing else significant happened would be a severe understatement as I'M WORKING ON A STAR WARS MOVIE! I have to keep reminding myself I'm here, and how surreal and amazing it feels. Every now and then it becomes 'normal' due to humanoid nature, and you forget, until something so cool happens that you've dreamed of being involved in your whole life, that you just have to wake up again. I hope I am helping to take you along for the ride and share the feeling with you.

George Lucas coming up and talking to me with directions is becoming a bit boring now Hayden and I seem to be becoming really relaxed around each other -- I am sure it is a bit weird for an actor to see someone else doing his role, looking the same, but he's now greeting me with a friendly 'Hey' regularly and seems very down to earth. Maybe tomorrow I'll get to shake Darth's 'gloved robotic' hand. Ooooohhhh.

Well I have to get home from another long but stunning day, as I have a lot of work to do on my own Christmas virtual celebrity shopping website, so I kiss this virtual world goodbye... until tomorrow!

[For images and another viewpoint on this day Hyperspace members can read Pablo Hildago's excellent set diary also]