To many at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the ILM Model Shop was hallowed ground. This unique assemblage of creative minds turned out countless marvels for iconic films. The Model Shop’s legacy continues today at ILM, as former model makers have taken on diverse roles, sharing their experience and knowledge with the rest of the company.
At Star Wars Celebration 2019 in Chicago, a panel of Model Shop crew members – all but one still active at ILM – gathered to share stories and wisdom from across the years.
Lorne Peterson – the only retired member of the panel – was hired at ILM the year it was founded in 1975. Over the years, he possessed an ingenious ability to adapt everyday items into unique tools. The Academy Award winner’s career spanned over three decades.
“It was a building full of confidence,” remembered Peterson. “People had skills in so many different varieties of areas. If you had a problem with chemistry there was someone who had a degree in the subject, or anything like that.”