Posted on Fri, Oct. 28, 2005 - San Jose Mercury News



LUCAS WITH THE LID OFF

STAR WARS | BOOK REVIEW
By Mike Antonucci
Mercury News

In Michael Rubin's new ``Droidmaker: George Lucas and the Digital Revolution,'' you get more than 500 pages of technology, film and human information that swings between simple anecdotes and uber-geekish history.
Ultimately, Rubin, a former Lucasfilm insider, describes the wide range of Lucas' influence in a way that may offer something for every kind of reader and ``Star Wars'' fan.
If you don't like the parts about the technical challenge of moving from film to video -- which involved the ``elegant'' use of a new algorithm! -- you might like the section on the unwritten rules of conduct at Lucasfilm, which featured ``No chatting it up with George.''
Rubin, who lives in Santa Cruz, went to work for the Lucasfilm Computer Division in 1985, and that provided the ambitious thread for his book -- a history of the division that also ``would span the history of filmmaking and the history of technology.''
As overwhelming as that sounds, however, it's delivered largely in bite-sized sections, making it easy to get through at whatever pace is convenient. It's from Triad Publishing ($35).

Contact Mike Antonucci at mantonucci@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5690.