Editor’s column
Editor-in-Chief: Alyona Varivonchik SL-10010 Russian Outpost CO Legion PR Liaison: Brian Troyan TB-8968 LPRO, Midwest Garrison CO Design and layout: Kir Tikhomirov Idea: Joey Eguia TK-2126 Outpost Bolivia CO Contributors: Scott Allen SL-9854 Marco Granadino SL-4534 Adam Lochowicz TX-3409 Martino Marchetti TX-8629 Steve Sansweet Brian Troyan TB-8968 Matthew Watts SL-8724 Artists: Jared Nomak Cover photo: Marco Granadino SL-4534 Taken by Marian Jorge N2 (2) 2013, May Published 14.05.2013
1 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
Dear reader! If you are reading this, then you must be curious enough to look through the second issue of The EMPIRE monthly webmagazine. A little bit more than a month has passed since the first issue — we hope that you will forgive us for that small delay. We have worked hard on making the magazine better and involving more people into it. We added some new sections and articles as well as new “advertisements” designed by our friend Jared Nomak. We have reached out to people like Matthew Watts SL8724, Leader of the Sith lord Detachment, to give you a more detailed look into the Legion’s work. Adam Lochowicz TX3409, PR officer of Redback Garrison (Australia) was very kind to write a short article about their latest biggest event at Dream-
world theme park, joined by Brian Troyan and his report about C2E2. And, of course, we have Steve Sansweet as our special guest in this second issue. We also tried to pay more attention to the charity and good things being done by Legion members. We invited Scott Allen SL-9854, Legion Charity Officer, to share with us his thoughts about our larger mission. Martino TX8629 of the Dutch Garrison told us about
their fun, charitable project “Cycling to Celebration.” And we have also included the latest charity reports from the Legion’s Charity Blog at 501stlegioncharity.com Enjoy reading! See you in the next issue of the 501st Legion Russian Outpost web-magazine The EMPIRE monthly! Imperially yours, Editor-in-chief Alyona Varivonchik SL-10010
Contents LEGION COMMAND
Legion Charity Officer Scott Allen, SL-9854 The 501st Legion is known as “bad guys doing good”. We work for charity and the greatest award for us is a smile of a child. Scott Allen, Legion Charity Officer, explains why we do what we do.
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MISSION REPORT
Redback Garrison: Dreamworld 2013 Dreamworld theme park was taken by the Empire! Members of the Redback Garrison and other Australian Garrisons, with the help of the Rebel Legion and Mandalorian Mercs, invaded Dreamworld to organize a weekend of Star Wars fun! Midwest Garrison: Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo The 501st Legion’s Midwest Garrison invaded the C2E2 and helped to make it a great event! For three days, members of the MWG with help from Rebels, Mandos and guests from other Legion Garrisons, were working for charity and fun.
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INTERVIEW
TX-8629: Cycling to Celebration Two members of the Dutch Garrison, Martino TX-8629 and Daan TB-7021 have chosen the most unusual way to get to Celebration Europe II — by bicycle! Troopers will travel 250 kilometers and promote the charity fund “Stitching Opkikker”.
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DETACHMENT
Sith Lord Detachment Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Count Dooku and Darth Maul are crucial characters of the Star Wars saga. In the 501st Legion all of them are represented by the Sith Lord Detachment. We invited Matthew Watts SL-8724 to talk about the SLD and Darth Vader.
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SPECIAL GUEST
Steve Sansweet Fan Relations Advisor, Star Wars ambassador and a great fan himself, Steve Sansweet is well-known and respected among all Star Wars fans. We asked him a few questions about his work, his love of Star Wars and, of course, Rancho Obi-Wan.
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CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
Charity reports of the 501st units We have collected four latest charity reports from the official 501st charity blog 501stlegioncharity.com to let you know about good things that are being done by the Legion members all over the world.
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Find the F.I.S.D. at www.whitearmor.net
THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013 2
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
The 501st Chinese Garrison act as honor guard for Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy at the Beijing international film festival.
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
TROOPER OF THE MONTH: MARCH 2013
IN MEMORIAM: RICHARD LEPARMENTIER We pause and pay tribute at the passing of 501st Legion Honorary Member Richard LeParmentier, who will forever be known for his iconic portrayal of Admiral Motti in Star Wars: A New Hope, the first person to ever feel the Force at the hands of Darth Vader, and as a true friend to his many fans around the world. On April 15th, fate and its sorcerer's ways took him from us, all too soon. On behalf of all members of the 501st Legion, we extend our deepest condolences and sympathy to his friends and family at this tragic time. You will be missed, Richard. Buckets off, troopers.
Denis Flotat, TK-7333 of French Garrison! Denis conceived and executed a new patch and coin database for use by Legion members around the world. His selfless sacrifice of time and energy for the benefit of all of his 501st brothers and sisters embodies the spirit of volunteerism that makes the Legion great! Also being honored with nominations in March were Daan de Ruijter, TB-7021 of Dutch Garrison, who designed and laid out the garrison's entire trading card set; Patrick "Craygee" Sprague, TK-4594 of Garrison Tyranus, who has lent a helping hand in countless ways to fellow members and friends; and Bruce "Cyclops" Rennell, TK-51173 of Redback Garrison, who negotiated and secured the donation of a trailer to transport the garrison's props and sets! Every one of these troopers went above and beyond in their efforts to make the Legion and the world a better place, and every one of them deserves our congratulations for jobs well done! Keep up the fantastic work, troops!
DETACHMENT, SWEET DETACHMENT
FROM OUTPOST TO GARRISON
Several villainous Star Wars costumes have new homes in the Detachments of the 501st Legion. Mos Eisley spy Garindan, cantina con artists the Tonnika Sisters, Jabba the Hutt's Gamorrean Guards and his majordomo Bib Fortuna have been entrusted to the Krayt Clan Detachment. Meanwhile, the Expanded Universe Snow Scout and Episode III Galactic Marine have been transferred to the Blizzard Force Detachment, where they will both have a new home with their cold-weather brethren. If any of these costumes or characters have ever intrigued you, be sure to visit Krayt Clan or Blizzard Force to get the guidance you'll need to recreate their costumes!
The 501st Legion Hungarian Outpost have grown into the full Garrison, consisting of 28 members! The Outpost was born in 2006 and had a great boom of new recruits in 2010, when it came into the limelight by trooping a high-profile promotion for Adidas and attending numerous Hungarian anime and sci-fi conventions. We wish all the best for our brothers of the newlyformed Hungarian Garrison. Please pay a visit to their website www.rohamosztagos.hu And like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/501stHUG
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LEGION COMMAND
Legion Charity Officer Scott Allen, SL-9854
Copyright © Rob Greer Photography, All Rights Reserved
Seven years ago, I found a Darth Vader helmet, pulled from the molds used on the Empire Strikes Back available for sale and thought it would be a fun little collection piece to add to my sci-fi collectibles. I actually never gave any thought to the fact that there were differences between the “Vader's” from each episode. That's about as close to Star Wars fandom as I had ever been. Then, six years ago I found out about Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles, and it was there that I was introduced to an organization that I didn't know had existed previously. I have always been a fan of 7 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
Star Wars, but really had no idea what it was to be a fan-boy (or girl), until I met the members of the 501st Legion. My first impression, like many, was simply that of awe when I saw the costumes that these people wore. As realistic as I could possibly imagine, like images had walked off the movie screen and right into view. I was both inspired and excited as I watched them interact with the attendees of the celebration and couldn't help but stop several of them to take photos with these “real” Stormtroopers, Darth Vader and other characters.
A year later, I became a member of the 501st Legion with a full Empire Strikes Back Darth Vader costume and I have never looked back. Not only have I met some of the most professional people that I would ever want to know, but I have come to be a part of this group of people dedicated to the quality of costuming unlike any other. There was another aspect of the 501st Legion that soon became apparent to me and for which I have become heavily and personally involved: charity and fundraising. The success of the 501st Legion has been a two fold story, first because of the quality costumes and consummate professionalism of the members at large, and second because, as the group has caught the eye of many charities around the globe, we have become an unofficial charity and fundraising machine. Our members volunteer time out of their very busy lives to put on these costumes from the Star Wars universe and attend events to help support various organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Autism Speaks, the Make-A-Wish foundation, numerous Children’s Hospitals across the U.S. and the world, just to name a few. While we do appear from time to time in parades and other fun events, the Legion as a whole dedicates a greater amount of time to those less fortunate. “Trooping,” as we call it, for terminally ill children, to give them a glimmer of their childhood, bring a smile to an otherwise pained face, a moment of joy to parents who get to see the excitement we bring to their child. I've talked to members throughout the U.S., and many of the stories are similar to mine. They joined the 501st Legion because of a love of Star Wars, they stay because of the fulfillment that it brings when
LEGION COMMAND
we are raising money for charity by appearing in our costumes and bringing smiles to the faces of people young and old. Each of us has a different level of enjoyment and activity within our ranks, but I think we are all the same when it comes to the dedication of what the legion stands for and the good that we do. In the past four years that I have been a member of the 501st Legion, I have been honored to have been in a member of the charity team and for the past three years held the position of Legion Charity Officer. During that time, I have been tracking what we do for charity with the help of our Garrison Charity Reps throughout the world. Each of the last four years we have raised anywhere from $185,000 to $300,000 by dressing in our costumes and raising money for charity! This doesn't include the numerous other events that we participate in each year that help to raise well over $14 million for charities around the world. In 2012, our members trooped almost six million man-hours for charity related events alone! All on a volunteer basis, and all because we enjoy what we do. The 501st Legion isn't just a costuming club. It is a group of like minded individuals, parents, and families who enjoy the fandom of Star Wars, seek to achieve the highest quality in costuming, and want to bring a change for good to our communities and our world simply through the love of Star Wars. I am extremely proud of what we do as the Legion. I am always happy to assist our members with anything related to charity and fundraising that I can. I, for one, know that when someone says to me or another member, “Dressing up in costumes is silly,” I always reply, “Yeah, and this guy dressed in plastic armor helped raised $200,000 for charity this year, what have you done?” May the Force be with you, always!
Top: Darth Vader (Luke Armstrong) keeps two members of the UK Garrison on his wing at Official LEGOLAND Windsor's Star Wars Days. Luke has a serious heart condition and has already endured 18 heart operations. Bottom: Members of the Northern Darkness Garrison combined Free Comic Book Day with a blood drive, encouraging people to donate blood.
Scott Allen, SL-9854 Legion Charity Officer THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013 8
MISSION REPORT
Redback Garrison: Dreamworld 2013
Adam LOCHOWICZ TX-3409 On the weekend of May the 4th and 5th, in Queensland, Australia, on the sunny Gold Coast, our annual event for the Redback Garrison was once again a huge success. Now in it's fourth year, we are only getting bigger and better. Attending were over 120 characters from the 501st, Rebel Legion, Galactic Academy and for the first time the Mandalorian Mercs were invited. All Australian Garrisons were represented at this event and we hope that very soon troopers from around the world will become guests of the Redbacks at Dreamworld. This year we had three back drops for people to get photos on. The Death Star corridor, the 9 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
iconic Trash Compactor scene and an action figure card set up. We also hold mini events throughout the day. You can join in the Jedi Academy, where we teach lightsaber drills to aspiring padawans, watch the Sith vs Jedi lightsaber duel which is a shining light in the Dreamworld 2013 weekend. See some troopers feed a saltwater crocodile 5.2 meters long or see the Biker Scouts fly around on the MotoCoaster rollercoaster. Our daily midday parade is also a crowd pleaser as we march down the main street of Dreamworld. However this is just not just a gathering of troops for charity. It is a meeting of like minded people that are wanting to meet their fellow troopers and have a party at our mixers and BBQs.
So if you want to see how we do it here in Queensland Australia jump on to www.501st.com.au and sign up to join in the fun. It is a weekend you will never forget!
MISSION REPORT
Photos by Rebecca Burton THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013 10
MISSION REPORT
Midwest Garrison: Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo 2013
Brian TROYAN TB-8968 The 501st Legion’s Midwest Garrison invaded the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo for the fourth year in a row, from April 26th through the 28th, and helped to make it the biggest C2E2 ever! The troops of the MWG were joined there by reinforcements from no less than seven other units of the Legion — Wisconsin, Bloodfin, Great Lakes, Northern Darkness, Central, Star, and Mountain Garrisons — marking the widest participation by the Legion at C2E2 since the con launched in 2010. At the convention, the 501st also joined forces with the Rebel Legion’s Nar Shaddaa Base, the Mandalorian Mercs’ Nexu Clan, the Jedi Assembly, the Dark Empire, and Sandtroopers.com, to distribute information on vascu11 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
litis, and more than $750 was raised in donations to support the Vasculitis Foundation. The MWG presented a popular and successful Q&A panel and ran a Droid Hunt with more than $1000 in prizes from sponsors like DK and Del Rey Publishers, Sideshow Collectibles, and Hasbro Toys. But the biggest programming that the Legion contributed to the show was, by far, the Imperial Academy. The Academy is an interactive obstacle course, where kids take on the roles of stormtrooper cadets while Legion members act as their drill sergeants. After being issued accurate, child-sized helmets, the cadets test their accuracy with Nerf blasters and thermal detonators, hunt for the stolen Death Star plans in a trash compactor full of space garbage, and dodge Nerf darts being
fired at them by our members as they race to get the recovered plans across the finish line. We ran scores of cadets through the Academy over the course of the weekend, and each one walked away with an official certificate, a smile on their face, and the love of Star Wars in their heart. C2E2 is rapidly on its way to becoming the best pop culture convention in the Midwest, and the Legion will certainly be there again next year, as it gets bigger and better! Next page photos Top: Infamous bounty hunters at C2E2. Middle left: Daniel Logan with clones and Ahsoka. Middle right: Cyborg Maul confronts Kenobi, Padme and Rex. Bottom left: The crowd at the Droid Hunt drawing. Bottom right: Imperial Gunner and Dengar.
MISSION REPORT
THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013 12
INTERVIEW
Alyona VARIVONCHIK SL-10010 Two members of the Dutch Garrison, Martino TX-8629 and Daan TB7021 announced their project “Cycling to Celebration.” Martino and Daan will cycle from the city of Delft in South Holland to Celebration Europe II in Essen, Germany. What is more important, they hope to promote the Dutch charity fund “Stitching Opkikker”. We have reached out to Martino and asked him to answer few questions about this unusual undertaking. SL-10010: Martino, thanks for accepting my interview offer. "Cycling to Celebration" sounds like a great project! Could you please tell how did you came up with the idea? TX-8629: Last year I was in Orlando at Celebration VI, and during the last day the next Celebration was announced: Celebration Europe II, in Essen, Ger13 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
many. When I realized that Essen was only 250 km from where I live, I started thinking I could go there by bike. And after a few days, I thought, “Why not bike with my shadow scout costume?” A few months later, I informed the Dutch Garrison, and Daan decided to join me in this adventure! I have to say I am really happy we will cycle together, moreover Daan has a biker scout costume and I have a shadow scout costume: it’s the best costume combination possible! SL-10010: You two will be on bikes, but have you got any support team that will follow you and provide you with any help? TX-8629: There will be someone who will help us along the way. We will try to find accommodation at friends’ places for the nights. And one car will be available to help us in case we need assistance.
SL-10010: Have you already planned your route? How long will it take you to reach Essen? TX-8629: The route is decided. We will leave the 20th of July from Delft, the city where I live, and cycle to Breda (about 70 km). The second day we plan to arrive in Eindhoven, and the third in Venlo. Then Essen is our destination for the 4th day! So according to our plan we will arrive in Essen on Wednesday 24th, just in time for the beginning of CEII! SL-10010: You're doing this for a good cause, helping a Dutch charity fund, Stitching Opkikker. How exactly will you help them? Is it just advertisement or you will try to raise money during your trip? TX-8629: We would like to help Opkikker in two ways. First, we are preparing a patch for this event, and
INTERVIEW
we will sell the patch in the 501st and Rebel Legion forums, with an optional donation to Opkikker. Second, we will try to give more visibility to Opkikker with our ride! SL-10010: Do you do any training in order to keep yourself in good form? Have you modified your bikes or your costumes for the cycling trip? TX-8629: For this adventure training is essential! I am training on the weekends, cycling around the Netherlands. During the week is more difficult because I work, so I go to the gym three or four working days and cycle on the stationary bike. For the trip, we will not modify the bikes, but the costumes just a little bit. First we will cycle without pouches, because they touch the upper legs during pedaling. And we will ride without the scout helmet, but wearing a bicycle safety helmet: the scout helmet limits visibility and reduces the noises (approaching cars and so on), moreover it is not a real protection for the head. SL-10010: Thanks for your answers, Martino! It was really awesome. Looking forward to see you and Daan in Essen! TX-8629: Thank you, too! And may the Force be with You! See you in Essen! THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013 14
DETACHMENT
Sith Lord Detachment
Matthew Watts SL-8724, Sith Lord Detachment Leader Marco GRANADINO SL-4534 What do Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Darth Maul and Count Dooku have in common? All of them are characters that are covered by the Sith Lord Detachment of the 501st Legion. We have invited Matthew Watts, SL-8724 and Leader of the Sith Lord Detachment, to discuss the detachment itself and Darth Vader, the key character of the Star Wars saga. SL-4534: Thank you for sitting down with us to discuss costuming as a Sith Lord. SL-8724: It’s a pleasure. Thank you for asking me to participate. 15 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
SL-4534: How did the Sith Lord Detachment come into existence? SL-8724: The Sith Lord Detachment was founded in January 2005 by SL-432 and
Flagship Eclipse Detachment was formed to cover the Sith Lords from the Expanded Universe. The Sith Lord Detachment has steadily grown in numbers over the years and now has approximately 300 active Sith Lord costumers under its care. SL-4534: While the SLD does cover all of the movie Sith Lords, let's focus on Darth Vader. There are four versions of Vader, one for each of the films he appears in. What are the main differences between his costumes? SL-8724: The Revenge of the Sith Darth Vader costume is in pristine condition, and components like the helmet and chest armor are completely symmetrical (these components on the Original Trilogy Vader costumes were very asymmetrical and had a very “organic” feel to them). The A New Hope Darth Vader costume is best known for being very weathered and battle worn: a prime example of George Lucas’ “run down futuristic time period”. The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi Darth Vader costumes are very similar to each other, but are “bright, shiny, and new” compared to the A New Hope Darth Vader. The differences between those two are, as previously said, not as drastic and are basically limited to changes in the more intricate details of the costume.
Matthew Watts: “Darth Vader is one of the most iconic face characters in Star Wars. He is one of the few that the spotlight will always be on.” ten other Sith Lords. A year and a half later, the decision was made that the Sith Lord Detachment would cover simply the costumes of the “film canon” Sith Lords: Darth Vader, the Emperor, Count Dooku, and Darth Maul; as a result, The
SL-4534: Could you tell us a little about the evolution of Darth Vader's entries in the 501st's Costume Reference Library? SL-8724: The CRL entries have seen several revisions including three major revisions (the last of which is cur-
DETACHMENT
rently underway). In the beginning, they were like most other entries at the time – a basic visual guide to simply cover the main components. We then felt like they needed to be more descriptive and encompass more information, especially due to the intricacies of the costumes. A couple years ago, they were turned into actual standards for Garrison/ Outpost Membership Liaisons to use in the approval process, which included additional information for anyone building the costume to use in order to make their costume more accurate, as opposed to simply meeting the basic approval requirements for entrance into the Legion. This also included changing the guides to act more like a checklist of items for the various components, rather than like reading a novel. Now, during this latest and most audacious revision, they will be transformed into something never before seen: a definitive costume guide. The focus is largely clarification of said intricacies via usage of the Wiki format to its fullest potential: version comparisons and additional detail pages, with the additional focus of proportionality and the relationship between components and how they are worn on the costume. While everything needed for approval will still be contained to the main entry, any subtle or small part of a component will be able to be viewed and better understood in a supplemental page linked to said component. Essentially, we no longer want people to think, for example, “Well, what are these five silver switches they are talking about on Vader’s ESB chestbox”. Once completed, they’ll have to ability to view a page that shows all versions
of the chestboxes together, showing which versions didn’t have these switches, and which versions had them, how many they had, what each one looks like, and where specifically they’re placed. This is the goal that has been set for us to achieve with all of the Detachment’s costumes and their components. The information needs to be readily available to potential and existing members, as well as the officers who are tasked with approving those members’ costumes.
SL-4534: What are the most typical pitfalls that people fall into when building a Darth Vader costume? SL-8724: I would say that some of the more typical mistakes include: buying a Rubies Vader costume and thinking that very little has to be modified on it in order to have it approved (most generally end up scrapping the entire Rubies costume), buying something before reviewing the CRL or checking with the Detachment and solely
relying on the seller’s word that what they’re buying is 100% accurate, or not properly researching the components due to trying to build the costume quickly. And I would say that with the help of the Detachment, these mistakes are becoming less common than they once were. SL-4534: Why can't a licensed costume, like the Rubies Vader, be accepted by the Legion? SL-8724: Simply put, licensed costumes are not very accurate. Nor are they meant to be. They are meant to be elaborate Halloween/ party type costumes for an average fan to use among peers. And they do that job very well. From a business standpoint, it doesn’t make sense for a company to produce screen accurate, quality costumes – how many would they actually sell if they had screen accurate Vader costumes that cost five or six thousand dollars apiece? Not nearly enough for the whole process of mass producing such a costume to be worth the time, money, effort, and energy put into it. Now, how do we fit into that picture? We’re not your average Star Wars fan when it comes to costuming; otherwise, we wouldn’t be Lucasfilm’s preferred Imperial costuming group. So we need something a lot more elaborate. SL-4534: What is it about Darth Vader that makes it so important to maintain the highest level of screen accuracy for him? What makes him so special? SL-8724: Darth Vader is one of the most iconic face characters in Star Wars. He is one of the few that THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013 16
DETACHMENT
Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine are among the characters of the SLD Kevin Charmberlain SL-4035 and Scott J Piper SL-2153. Photo by Rebecca Burton
the spotlight will always be on. As such, it’s very important that we do everything we can to bring the character seen on screen to life. Therefore, we have taken great strides to motivate people to make their Vader costume the best that they possibly can. However, for basic approval into the Legion, we do recognize the fact that it is a very difficult and expensive costume, and that the parts (especially the more accurate parts) are simply not readily available. So we try to 17 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
work with individuals to ensure that they at least hit the basics of the Vader image in order for them to portray the character in a manner that is very believable to the public. SL-4534: What is the best advice you have for anyone who wants to become a 501st Legion-approved Darth Vader? SL-8724: Research the costume before starting to buy pieces. Have patience while building the costume. Understand that there is no such
thing as a “one stop Vader shop.” Avoid the Rubies Vader costume. Understand that there is no inexpensive path to take when building this costume since the parts are so unique and one size doesn’t fit all. So don’t “choose the quick and easy path,” and remember that the Sith Lord Detachment is here to help anyone on their quest to becoming Darth Vader. SL-4534: As the Detachment Leader, you're a Sith Lord yourself. What is your favorite part about “becoming” Darth Vader? SL-8724: It’s so much more than just the basic reactions of awe from the public simply because something that looks like Darth Vader is around them. When you really get into character and nail the moments Dave Prowse made as Vader and replicate the walk that he did on screen, you begin to feel like you actually are Darth Vader. Even though it’s a very subtle thing and they may not realize that they are, the public is in fact picking up on it. And when you feel like Darth Vader, those around you feel like you’re Darth Vader, and comments are made about how Darth Vader moves just as he did in the movies... It’s a very satisfying and rewarding feeling — in addition to the occasional “unlimited power” thing. That’s why I enjoy costuming as Darth Vader so much and will continue to for years to come. SL-4534: This has all been really informative, Matt. Thanks again for taking the time to talk about your Detachment and the Darth Vader costume. SL-8724: You’re perfectly welcome. The pleasure was all mine. If you ever have any more, you know where to find me. If you want to know more about Sith Lord Detachment and receive a guiding about building your own Darth Vader or Darth Maul, be sure to visit detachment website www.501stsithlords.com
SPECIAL GUEST
Steve Sansweet: A friend of all Star Wars fans
Alyona VARIVONCHIK SL-10010 Steve Sansweet doesn’t need any introduction. Having been the Head of Fan Relations in Lucasfilm for fifteen years, he now manages Rancho Obi-Wan, the biggest collection of Star Wars memorabilia in the world. Mr. Sansweet was very pleasant to answer our questions. SL-10010: Let's start our interview from the very beginning of your Star Wars career. By that time, as I know, you were a successful journalist, reporter and chief of the Wall Street Journal bureau. Why did you move your life and passion into Star Wars? What captured you in George Lucas’ saga? Steve Sansweet: Growing up, I loved science fiction—books, movies, toys, TV shows, and more. I started collecting older space toys about a year before Star Wars came out. The movie grabbed me the first time I saw
it; none of us had ever seen anything like it. On its surface, it’s a simple story of good versus evil, but the characters are subtly tied to ancient mythology, and that still resonates in us all. There was humor, drama, and — of course — amazing visuals. It almost immediately became part of popular culture throughout most of the world.
Steve Sansweet: I am a huge Star Wars fan, so naturally I related to other fans. That was the best part of my job: getting to meet and becoming friends with so many fans around the world. There’s never been anything corporate or phony about my love for the saga, and I think that comes across to others. SL-10010: Can you share with us some funny or interesting moment during your work in Lucasfilm? Steve Sansweet: There was rarely a dull moment during my 15 years as a fulltime Lucasfilm employee. I got the opportunity to be on the sets of all three prequels by leading groups of editors of our licensed fan magazines from around the world. I helped develop the first Star Wars Celebration, which almost was a disaster because of freak weather; but our fans proved to be great and loved it despite the problems. I even opened Celebration IV in 2007 dressed as an Ewok — quite a big Ewok! SL-10010: Your Star Wars collection is the envy of fans everywhere. How did you come to idea of collecting Star Wars stuff? Was it difficult to find so
Steve Sansweet: “Rancho Obi-Wan isn’t like a traditional museum. You don’t walk through by yourself. It’s more of an experience”. SL-10010: Being Lucasfilm Head of Fan Relations, you earned a great reputation and the love of fans. You managed to get into the heart of every fan all around the world. How did you feel yourself in that role? Is that because you yourself are a great fan of Star Wars?
many items? Is there anything you still haven't got in your collection and what you really want to have in it? Steve Sansweet: I have always been a collector. As a kid, it was baseball cards, or caps from soda bottles with pictures printTHE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013 18
SPECIAL GUEST
ed on the underside. And since I had already started collecting space toys, Star Wars became part of that. It fairly quick took over and became my main focus. I’m always looking for things, but these days I really don’t have any “holy grail”. SL-10010: How often do you have visitors in Rancho ObiWan? Are they all fans who know about it, or sometimes are they just people who have heard and visited Rancho by chance? Steve Sansweet: Rancho ObiWan isn’t like a traditional museum. You don’t walk through by yourself. It’s more of an experience, a two-to-three hour guided tour by me, filled with anecdotes about the items and behind-thescenes stories. We do one tour a day on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays for up to 12 people total. People have to book in advance (details are at www.ranchoobiwan.org) so at least one member of each group has some idea what to expect. We have had many visitors brought here as a birthday or other gift and who haven’t been told in advance—and that’s always fun. Even though there have been many photos and videos online, there is nothing like experiencing Rancho Obi-Wan in person. SL-10010: You have held auctions, at which you have been selling some parts of your collection for charity. How did you come to this idea? Why is charity important for you? Steve Sansweet: We are a charity ourselves, set up under U.S. law as a nonprofit corporation. All of the money we raise goes to maintain the collection, security, utilities, and things like that. So we give tours to other charities to auction off for their own fundraising as part of our mission. We also do community outreach to local schools and do free tours 19 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
Top: all visitors of Rancho Obi-Wan are guided by Steve himself Bottom: Steve and Captain Rex for classes; we talk about the creativity behind Star Wars and I hope to inspire at least some of the students into creative pursuits of any sort. SL-10010: When did you first hear about the 501st Legion? What was the most memorable example of your work with the Legion? Steve Sansweet: I heard about the 501st soon after it was born in 1997, and got to meet Albin Johnson at a convention. The
concept got me very excited, and Albin and I started talking about what we could together do — him with the new 501st and me with Lucasfilm executives — to make sure everyone understood the ground rules and what the Legion hoped to accomplish. Albin was great to work with, it didn’t take too much convincing at Lucasfilm… and the rest is history. By far my best experience with the 501st was recruiting mem-
SPECIAL GUEST
Art gallery at Rancho Obi-Wan bers from all over the world for the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, on New Year’s Day 2007. George Lucas wanted the 200 troopers we needed to be from all over the world, and it was my job to pick them from among nearly 800 members who were in videos that had been submitted. You can see a documentary about it all, “Star Warriors”, on the Bluray video set. SL-10010: Is there any possibility of seeing you and Rancho Obi -Wan at Celebration Europe? Steve Sansweet: Yes, I’m pleased to say that we will have a large Rancho Obi-Wan exhibit in Essen, Germany July 26 to 28 for Celebration Europe II. I’ll be there and am happy to sign books or even some of my new, official 501st trading cards that show me as TK-6590. SL-10010: After Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, Star Wars was given a new lease on life, and
we are all waiting for the new trilogy and newly-announced spin-offs. How do you see the future of Star Wars? Will it “live long and prosper?” Steve Sansweet: I am very excited by the prospect of more Star Wars movies, and I think the future of Star Wars is in very good hands. SL-10010: Have you got any great and interesting plans for the nearest future? Is there something you can tease us with? Steve Sansweet: My latest book, my sixteenth on Star Wars, is The Ultimate Action Figure Collection, and it came out at the end of 2012. There are a couple of new projects that I am exploring now, but they’re too early to talk about. We’re also always working on new ideas and plans for Rancho Obi-Wan. SL-10010: Do you have anything to say to 501st troopers and fans all around the world?
Steve Sansweet: Working with Star Wars fans has been — and remains — an amazing experience, because I am one too. And now I can say the same thing about the Legion since I am a full-fledged member of a fantastic organization. SL-10010: Thank you very much for your answers, Steve, it was a fascinating story! Looking forward to see you at Celebration Europe II! Rancho Obi-Wan is located in rural Sonoma County just west of Petaluma, California. To learn more about tours and answers to all of your questions, you can visit Rancho Obi-Wan’s official site at www.ranchoobiwan.org All photos provided by Steve Sansweet himself.
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CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
Legacy Comics Free comic book day — Skull Garrison 4 May 2013, Laredo (Texas, USA) Members of the Skull Garrison (United Mexican States) was invited to participate by Legacy Comics for 3 very important reasons. 1. Free comic book day 2. May the Fourth (Star Wars Day) 3. Raise funds for a leukemia patient: Sigifredo Ruiz Over 5000 Free Comics were given away, three artists gave autographs in the shop, a visit from the 501st Legion Skull Garrison, the store’s 5th anniversary, two birthdays, and several other surprises! Direct funds raised $1,200 Kansas City Corporate Challenge Kickoff — 70th Explorers Garrison 25 April 2013, Kansas City (Missouri, USA) The 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, and Mandalorian Mercs came out for the kick off for the Kansas City Corporate Games. The KCCC is the largest such games in the United States. The KCCC also supports Special Olympics, for which they have raised over $50,000 since they were adopted as their dedicated charity in Kansas and Missouri. Those in attendance included: Trenton Tobin (Tusken Raider), Bruce Cottingham (Republic Commando), Karissa Holmes (Photographer/Handler) and William Holmes (Boba Fett). Indirect Funds Raised: $50,000 BBBS Bowling For Kids Sake — Bloodfin Garrison 20 April 2013, Evansville (Indiana, USA) Members of Bloodfin Garrison of the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion Mos Espa Base added to the atmosphere of the event. Many teams were present and a few strikes were had! Bowling For Kids Sake is an annual event of the charity organization Big Brothers Big Sisters. Each year, half a million people across the United States come together to have fun and raise money to support Big Brothers Big Sisters. Indirect Funds Raised: $60,000 Walk Now for Autism Speaks at the Rose Bowl — Southern California Garrison 20 April 2013, Pasadena (California, USA) Walk Now for Autism Speaks is a fun-filled, family-friendly event and is our single most powerful force to fund vital research to battle Autism. The walk was held a the World-famous Rose Bowl in beautiful Pasadena, California. Members of the 501st not only helped raise funds, but also became part of a fun and supportive family-focused community, taking photos with children and their families. With over 40,000 people in attendance, the day raised $1,743,484 to support the cause. All members of the Southern California Garrison were proud to be able to participate. Indirect Funds Raised: $1,743,484 21 THE EMPIRE monthly 2/2013
THE EMPIRE monthly The official web-magazine of the 501st Legion Russian Outpost
The 501st Legion is an all-volunteer organization formed for the express purpose of bringing together costume enthusiasts under a collective identity within which to operate. The Legion seeks to promote interest in Star Wars through the building and wearing of quality costumes, and to facilitate the use of these costumes for Star Wars-related events as well as contributions to the local community through costumed charity and volunteer work. The Legion was founded in 1997 and now has more than 6,500 active members in more than 40 countries all over the world.
The 501st Legion is a worldwide Star Wars costuming organization comprised of and operated by Star Wars fans. While it is not sponsored by Lucasfilm Ltd., it is Lucasfilm's preferred Imperial costuming group. Star Wars, its characters, costumes, and all associated items are the intellectual property of Lucasfilm. Š2013 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™ All rights reserved. Used under authorization.
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