Season 2 of "Light & Magic" Shines at Star Wars Celebration Japan

At Star Wars Celebration Japan, fans were treated to an inspiring and often emotional look behind the scenes of Light & Magic Season 2. The panel, moderated by Star Wars actor and superfan Sam Witwer, celebrated the legacy and evolution of Industrial Light & Magic through the lens of its next documentary installment.

The panel included:

Season 2 director Joe Johnston and executive producer Ron Howard opened the panel via video messages. Johnston, one of the original “crazy kids" at ILM, reflected on the company’s culture of pushing boundaries. Howard described how the new season would chart ILM’s transition into the digital era, with stories from The Phantom Menace, Twister, War of the Worlds, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Lynwen Brennan described ILM employees as “rebels" who thrive on the impossible. “They like not to be told no," she said, calling it a core trait that dates back to George Lucas himself. Janet Lewin echoed that spirit, explaining how ILM producers operate in “the gray," balancing confidence with the unpredictability of trailblazing work.

A recurring theme was the unprecedented scope of Episode I. Lewin marveled at the jump from hundreds of shots to thousands, while John Knoll recalled the avalanche of new challenges: from digital cloth simulations to crowd systems and rigid body dynamics - all pioneered for the first time.

Doug Chiang shared a personal story of how he applied for The Phantom Menace without even realizing he was being tapped as lead designer. Despite being the head of ILM’s art department, he had to submit a portfolio like everyone else. George Lucas’s directive to “forget what you think Star Wars design is" left him both inspired and terrified.

Ahmed Best discussed pioneering motion capture for Jar Jar Binks. He credited George Lucas’ trust and collaboration as pivotal, saying, “There was really no straight path to The Phantom Menace." He revealed that Buster Keaton and Jackie Chan influenced Jar Jar’s physicality, and told a charming story about a baffling line (“Boom the gas then crashin' the bosses heyblibber") and how George Lucas challenged him to find its meaning himself, refusing to explain what any of it meant.

Rob Coleman described pitching the idea of a fully CG Yoda - verbal and non-verbal - to George Lucas, based on his own analysis of Frank Oz’s original performance. Despite asking not to be filmed, a documentary crew captured the moment, and Coleman expressed gratitude for preserving that “time capsule" from a groundbreaking era in animation.

Ahmed Best and Rob Coleman recounted how they collaborated on the now-iconic Yoda vs. Dooku duel in Attack of the Clones. Inspired by anime and Hong Kong cinema, the choreography was partly shaped in Best’s dressing room with scenes from Swordsman II and others. When Coleman pitched it to Lucas, the vision came to life almost exactly as imagined.

John Knoll highlighted a major breakthrough on The Phantom Menace: Paul Huston’s use of camera mapping for the podrace terrain, blending miniature photography with CG to deliver a seamless experience. Doug Chiang emphasized that Lucas didn’t ask them to work within technological limitations; instead, he urged them to “design purely," trusting that the team would find a way.

In closing, the ILM leaders emphasized that the company continues to seek out passionate, collaborative, and innovative talent. Lynwen Brennan noted that many ILM legends - like John Knoll - applied multiple times before being hired, and stressed that potential often outweighs credentials.

The panel offered fans an intimate, often humorous, and deeply human look into how ILM’s second golden age unfolded, with challenges, camaraderie, and visionary leadership. With Season 2 of Light & Magic, audiences can expect not only a technical deep dive but a celebration of the people behind the pixels. “We were created to do the impossible," Lynwen Brennan said, “and we continually do the impossible."

Season 2 of Light & Magic is now streaming on Disney+.

Stay tuned right here to Laughing Place for more news coming out of Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan, including at our live blog!