Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1536017
33 S U M M E R Q 2 I S S U E F E A T U R E I thought it was an interesting twist on the traditional "Star Wars" action sequence, and it was an enormous kick to cut some- thing so complicated and, at the same time, just a lot of fun. Eisen: For me, it's Episode 6. Bryce Dallas Howard directed that episode. As an actor, she focused on getting good perfor- mances, so we shot a lot of footage with the kids. There's one particular section of the episode where the kids have split up, and now KB and Wim are together. KB has had a bit of a physical setback, so Wim needs to help her. At the same time, Fern and Neel are climbing this giant ladder trying to find their ship. So it's intercutting these two storylines happening at the same time. The episode is strong on character development, and we realized it was get- ting too long, so to cut that down with all the performance options was extremely challenging. But it was ultimately very satisfying to have boiled it down, to take minutes out of these conversations and yet keep the essential emotional parts. One thing that really helped is a trick Bryce has: She does silent takes. She'll have the actors go through the entire performance without uttering a word, just miming it without moving their mouths, which really helps when you're trying to cut a scene down because you have something to cut away to. Naranjo: For me, it's Episode 7, where a Jod is betraying the kids and pulls a lightsaber on them. It's just heartbreaking. Working on the show, these kids start young, fresh, and excited, and as the show progresses, they become amazing actors. I got to watch the dailies and feel their emo- tion and heartbreak. I was like an audience member watching their takes. It made it fun to cut and put it all together. Hopefully, it will make people cry. ■ This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Kristin Marguerite Doidge is a writer based in Los Angeles. She is the author of "Nora Ephron: A Biography" and the forthcoming "Becoming Greta Gerwig." P H OT O : P H OT O F E S T P H OT O : L U C A S F I L M EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE: "Skeleton Crew" is the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga exemplified by earlier efforts like "The Empire Strikes Back," above. I, ROBOT: M-33 (voiced by Nick Frost) in "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew." PHOTO: Lucasfilm.