Welcome to my first Blog...My name is Don Bies, and I looked after R2-D2 and C-3P0 for the prequels. I made some models along the way, too.

Not sure if any of you are that interested in anything I'd have to say, but I'll try it for a bit...perhaps the novelty will wear off in time--we'll see what that span of time is together.

My first story is one that was originally told to the R2 builders club over at www.astromech.net. Because I know they (and many fans) care about continuity, I thought I'd explain with a firsthand account of the creative process of the big "G"...

It was our second day on set in Sydney for Episode 2. The G-man had just arrived the day before, and filming was to begin in about a week, so he's touring the sets.

I was asked by one of the art directors to show how well R2 will now plug into the data ports on Padme's ship. Justin Dix, part of my ace crew, (and director/writer of "Bounty Trail" and HUGE Star Wars fan) joins me on set. We set up the little droid, Mr. G and Rick McCallum walk in and R2 performs his part flawlessly (naturally, the cameras weren't rolling...but that's another blog). "Great" says the understated flannelled one. Rick reminds him about the droid for the new Jedi Starfighter.

GEORGE
"Oh yeah, we need a droid for Obi-Wan's ship."

I had read the script--so I knew the details...I proudly remark:

DON
"No problem...That's R4, right?"

GEORGE
"Yeah."

Now, someone, somewhere, years ago, took it upon themselves to actually create an official naming convention for all the astromech droids one sees the films. Beside R2, we have seen R1, R3, R4 and R5 series robots before. Fully aware of this tidbit of Lucasfilm lore, I replied:

DON
"Well, R4 is the head that's shaped like a lampshade."

In retrospect, perhaps not the most awe-inspiring description.

GEORGE
"Oh no, I don't want that one."

DON
(Trying to salvage astromech integrity) "You know what would be cool--I have one of the clear domes, you know the one where you can see inside..."

(This is the R3 series for the un-initiated.)

GEORGE
(unimpressed) "No...can't we just take an R2 head and paint it?"

At this point, I hear the voices of millions of R2 fans cry out...but the set-up line is just TOO good. I've waited a long time to say this...:

DON
"Well George, YOU can do anything YOU want..."

Of course, he is oblivious to my comment, and forges ahead.

GEORGE
"Yeah, just take an R2 head and paint it."

DON
(Dutifully) "What color?"

GEORGE
"Let's see...the ship is red, so paint it red."

I try to interject some verisimilitude...

DON
"Paint the blue parts red? THAT would look like the red R2 toy packaged with the Queen's ship from Ep1."

Thankfully:

GEORGE
"No, whatever is silver paint red and paint the blue parts silver."

DON
"Okay."
(To Justin)
"You get that?"

George and Rick leave.

And that's how R4-P17 came to be. Thought it was more planned out, didn't you?


EPILOGUE:

Several weeks later, before we shot any R4 scenes, Howard Roffman, VP of Lucasfilm Licensing, visited the set. With the best interests of R2 fans in mind, I take him aside.

DON
"You know there is this droid R4-something, right?"

HOWARD
"Yes, on Obi-Wan's ship."

DON
"You know it's just an R2 head painted red, right?"

HOWARD
"Really?"

DON
"You know there's this whole naming convention to the astromechs, right?"

HOWARD
"Oh, yes."

DON
"Can't you get George to call it something else, like one we haven't seen--like R6?"

Howard chuckles and walks away.

I guess I'll try and brush up on my Jedi mind tricks.