George Lucas...

….is one of the most widely known directors in the world. Lucas started to gain prominence in the 1970s, with releases such as THX 1138, American Graffiti, and the ever-so-popular Star Wars trilogies. American Graffiti was Lucas’ first big success. It was released in 1973 and included up-and-coming actors, such as Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, and Lucas’ most recognizable talent: Harrison Ford. The film was made for under $1 million, yet it grossed over $50 million! Among its other accolades, American Graffiti was nominated for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Director. This was Lucas’ big break.

After the success of American Graffiti, Lucas began working on a space-fantasy story, called Star Wars. Initially, Lucas had trouble pitching the idea to major studios, but eventually, Star Wars was released in the summer of 1977. Filled with dynamic characters, fantastical landscapes, and groundbreaking special effects, Star Wars was an instant success! If American Graffiti didn’t get Lucas recognized, Star Wars definitely did, grossing over $500 million.

Since then, Lucas has released other episodes in his Star Wars saga, including The Empire Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. Lucas also set-up two companies, his special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and also Skywalker Sound.

Taking the initiative to control all aspects of his films, Lucas began working on a new adventure series called Indiana Jones. Lucas calls upon Harrison Ford to star as Indiana Jones, who appears in all four installments of the series, including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade, and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

After working on Jurassic Park with Steven Spielberg,a recent collaborator of Lucas’, Lucas was convinced that technology had finally caught up on the original concepts of Star Wars. Hence, he began working on the prequels to the original Star Wars trilogy.

After bouncing between Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and some other smaller projects, Lucas sold Lucasfilm Ltd. to the Walt Disney Company in late 2012 for millions.

After selling to Disney, Lucas announced his retirement from big-screen releases to focus more on independent films.

   

   

From creating a multi-million-dollar franchise to discovering technological advancements in special effects, Lucas has made his mark on American film history. Utilizing his basic independent filmmaking tools, Lucas was able to create imaginative worlds of complex and captivating characters in various exotic landscapes. Not only is he a director, but he is also a writer and producer, allowing himself to take control of all creative aspects of his imagination. ILM has advanced special effects over the past 30 years, providing visual effects for over 300 feature films. Companies also under Lucasfilm Ltd. include LucasArts, Lucasfilm Animation, Lucas Licensing, and more.

George Lucas has revolutionized the film industry. Although he is currently retired, all of the Lucasfilm companies have set the standard for visual effects and are heavily involved in the entertainment industry. Without George Lucas, independent filmmakers would not be allowed to create vivid stories from their imagination and have total control from from pre-production through post-production.

"George Lucas." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 15 2013, 08:55 http://www.biography.com/people/george-lucas-9388168.