Rebels Recon

S01E07: Inside "Empire Day"

In Rebels Recon #1.07, StarWars.com talks with the creators of the Star Wars Rebels episode "Empire Day," examines the animation process, and shows a special preview of “Gathering Forces.” "Empire Day" finds Ezra troubled during Jedi training. He is unable to let go of a deep anger reinforced by the holiday – which is also his birthday. The Ghost crew bombs a TIE prototype at an Imperial parade, and a long lost friend named Tseebo may know what happened to his parents. But the Inquisitor and the Empire are closing in… At the Art and Science of Lucasfilm panel in partnership with the San Francisco Film Society Education, Keith Kellogg, animation supervisor, discussed the process of bringing characters to full animated life. First, they create a full skeleton and create real joints. Animators pull on these joints to move the characters; this is tested by manipulating different body parts, facial features, walking, and running. In this week’s deep dive, Lucasfilm’s Andi Gutierrez talks to executive producer Dave Filoni about how the average citizen feels about Empire Day. “One thing I know,” he says, “is that at the end of the Clone Wars, the Empire was a celebrated thing. But over time, it becomes clear that the Empire is representing fear.” Pablo Hidalgo of the Story Group adds that many in attendance at the Lothal parade were there because they had to be. As for the parade, it was an interesting look into life under the Empire, and one that was carefully considered. “It was a challenging scene to do,” Filoni says. “…I don’t think our rebel crew would’ve wanted to actually hurt any of the bystanders there. But they are trying to just display that the Empire doesn’t have as much control as they would like everyone to believe.”