Read This: An oral history of Industrial Light & Magic
As immense a pop cultural touchstone as Star Wars is, George Lucas’ greatest legacy is probably the founding of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), one of the most enduring and influential special effects houses in the history of film. On the occasion of ILM’s 40th anniversary, Wired has compiled a fascinating oral history of the landmark company, from its Wild West origins to its monolithic present.
What it reveals is a picture of an organization that prides itself on creativity and sweat, but also a sense of play and endless ambition. For example, model makers Steve Gawley and Lorne Peterson explain the culture of ILM that existed when working on the first Star Wars film:
GAWLEY: Sometimes in the afternoon we’d duck out with our bag lunch and three golf clubs. In an hour we could knock out six or seven holes, but we ran in between.
PETERSON: We also got an oxygen tank. I’d think, “God, it doesn’t seem to do anything, just kind of smells different.” But after, people in the hallway would ask me, “What are you smiling about all the time?”