Galactic Gathering - Festival of the Force

Guests

1. Jake Lunt Davies

   A creature concept designer on many Star Wars movies and shows. Among others he designed the Luggabeast, BB-8, Rey’s speeder, D-0, the Porgs, and B2EMO from Andor.

2. JAKe Detonator

   A graphic artist and designer who has worked for Lucasfilm Ltd. Creating original artwork for both Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. He has three Star Wars books – How to Speak Wookiee, How to Speak Droid with R2-D2, and How to Speak Astromech with BB-8.

3. Tahra Zafar

   Tahra is an internationally acclaimed designer and creator of costumes, creatures, and extraordinary creations for film, TV, theatre, music and events. Feature films include: Star Wars VII – The Force Awakens, Annihilation, X-Men First Class, Kick Ass, Hellboy 2, The Fifth Element, Lost in Space. For the Jim Henson Creature Shop, on films including Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

4. Bob Brechin

   Chief Designer at Palitoy Ltd. He is probably most famous for designing the toy ‘Action Man’ which had a gripping hand that was based on Bob’s own hand. Bob was Lead Designer at Palitoy from 1967 to 1984, which included the 1977 licence to create the full range of toys for a brand new movie franchise… Star Wars.

1. Astronaut – narrated by Ewan McGregor

   The exploration of Space is the greatest endeavour that humankind has ever undertaken. What does it take to be part of this incredible journey? What does it take to become an astronaut?

   Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer Space, from floating around the International Space Station to manoeuvring through microscopic regions of the human body.

2. Designing a Galaxy Far, Far Away

   Join a live panel of our special guests Jake Lunt Davis, JAKe Detonator and Tahra Zafar, as they work with the audience to develop a brief for a brand new character to be created over the weekend. Learn more about their craft, understand how the process works, and get involved in this brand new challenge (we will meet the character on Sunday afternoon in the Making a Galaxy Far, Far Away session. 

3. The Science of Star Wars

   Join our Discovery team for a presenter led science show looking at the science of Star Wars.

4. The History of Palitoy – a Leicestershire Star Wars Story

   Meet Bob Brechin, Palitoy’s Lead Designer from 1967 to 1984.  When Star Wars was released in 1977 the manufacturing licence went to a company called Palitoy; based in Coalville in Leicestershire. In 1978 Palitoy employed about a thousand people. By November of that year, annual sales had topped £20 million (over £88 million today).

5. How to Draw Star Wars

   Artist JAKe Detonator has created some of the best Star Wars art for Lucasfilm, Disney and the ever-popular books such as How to Speak Wookie, and How to Speak Droid. He also appeared at the Celebration IV and Celebration Europe art shows, and he tells me that his artwork has been seen on all kinds of merchandise, including pants! JAKe will show you how to draw your very own simple characters.

6. We Are Stars – narrated by Andy Serkis

   We Are Stars is narrated by Andy Serkis, who is known as the voice of Gollum in The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit films. In We Are Stars, he provides the voice of the Time Master – a Victorian gent with his very own time tent that will whisk audiences back in time 13.8 billion years. We Are Stars enables families, adults and children the opportunity to explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, and our explosive origins.

7. Rebels Reunion – 10th Anniversary Panel

   Thanks to some very kind offers of support from the voice actors from the hit Star Wars animated series of Rebels, we will be putting your questions to them in advance to host a panel that will celebrate 10 years of "an animated series following the Ghost crew at the beginnings of the Rebellion, as the Empire spreads tyranny through the galaxy". If you book for this session you will be emailed in advance to submit questions (we cannot guarantee they will be included). 

8. We Are Astronomers – narrated by David Tennant

   Do you know what an astronomer does?

   Today’s astronomer is not the lone observer of past centuries. We Are Astronomers reveals the global collaboration, technology and dedication required to answer the unresolved questions of the Universe. We Are Astronomers, narrated by David Tennant, is an exciting 360° fulldome digital planetarium show with input from UK astronomers.

9. Making a Galaxy Far Far Away

   Join a live panel of our special guests Jake Lunt Davis, JAKe Detonator and Tahra Zafar, as they present a brand new character created over the weekend. Learn more about their craft, understand how the process works, and get involved in this brand new challenge.