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July 12, 2020 By Jason DeBord

Jack Warford, Star Wars Starship Model Photographer for Merchandising/Promotion in 1977 & Rare Filming and Prototype Images

This article is by its nature self-promotion for Julien’s Auctions (where I serve as COO), but I believe it is consistent with my past articles sharing news and insights about Star Wars with followers, so I’m making an exception in this case, as I am in a unique position to share new information about Star Wars. I wanted to put a spotlight not so much on our lots in an upcoming auction, but on Jack Warford and his story behind some of the iconic photography of original model starships from the original Star Wars in 1977. All of this background was completely unknown to me prior to working on bringing some prints and original photos to auction this year. [Read more…]

December 11, 2017 By Jason DeBord

Nice Denver Post Piece on Colin Cantwell, “He Kept His Star Wars Legacy a Secret… for Decades”

The Denver Post published a nice piece by John Wenzel about Colin Cantwell last week, going over his contributions to Star Wars: A New Hope and other accomplishments. You can check it out on their official website: “He kept his Star Wars legacy a secret in Boulder for decades. At 85, the sci-fi pioneer is ready to step out.“ [Read more…]

July 20, 2015 By Jason DeBord

Official Pix Offers First Autograph & Signing/Sketch/Artwork Opportunity With Colin Cantwell, “Star Wars: A New Hope” Prototype Model Builder

Official Pix is offering their first signing opportunity to get autographs and personalized sketches from Colin Cantwell. At 82 years old today, Colin Cantwell famously made the first prototype models for the first Star Wars films for George Lucas back in 1974/1975; the first realizations for the X-Wing Fighter, the Y-Wing Fighter, the Tie Fighter, the Star Destroyer, the Death Star, the Landspeeder, the Sandcrawler, and the Millennium Falcon, as well as the T-16 Skyhopper that Mark Hamill is seen using in the final cut of the film. Prior to building these prototype models, Colin created original full color artwork as well as sketches based on his discussions with George Lucas in 1974, and was one of the very first artists to work on Star Wars. I worked with Mr. Cantwell in 2014, helping him to bring some rare memorabilia to auction with Julien’s Auctions as well as recording a number of video interview with him about his work in and out of the film and television industries (see all Original Prop Blog articles about Colin Cantwell here: LINK). [Read more…]

July 15, 2015 By Jason DeBord

San Diego Comic-Con 2015: Travel/Hotel/Resort/Ferry Travel Advice for Staying on Coronado Island for Comic Con (#SDCC)

I have been going to San Diego Comic Con (AKA Comic-Con International) since 1987, when I was 14 years old, but have until this year always stayed in Downtown San Diego apart from one time I stayed at Humphrey’s By The Bay on Shelter Island. Planning my travel and accommodations for 2015 was actually the first time that not only did I not get my first choice with the Travel Planners “lottery” style system for reservations and special rates for booking rooms, I did not get any room with them at all. As registered press, it has always been convenient for me to stay at the adjacent San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina, which is where I’ve stayed in the previous four years. With not a lot of options, I ended up booking a room at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort on Coronado Island (see my review here). While I was disappointed with the service of the hotel, and the distance to Ferry Landing (which offers a short five minute boat ride directly from Coronado Island to the Convention Center), I did find that not only is staying on Coronado feasible, but there are some significant benefits as well. So I thought I would share my findings with those who might consider staying on Coronado in future years. [Read more…]

July 15, 2015 By Jason DeBord

San Diego Comic-Con 2015: Photography Journal & Photos of The Convention, Cosplay, Exhibit Hall (#SDCC)

This is part of my ongoing coverage of San Diego Comic-Con 2015. As in past years, this is a photo journal showcasing photographs of the exhibit hall, around the convention center and the Gaslamp District, and some of the popular cosplay participants. Images are from Wednesday (Preview Night), Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. [Read more…]

December 10, 2014 By Jason DeBord

The Colin Cantwell Collection: The Julien’s Auctions Experience, New “Star Wars” Discoveries, Meeting Fans, etc.

So I was very busy last week with activities and events related to Colin Cantwell, who I helped to consign his memorabilia collection to Julien’s Auctions. I attended the VIP preview last Wednesday night, organized a meet and greet Friday, and was present to watch the auction unfold first thing Saturday morning. I thought I would share some thoughts about this experience, as well as some photos I took last week. And, as I expected, with the rare memorabilia becoming public (including the never before seen concept artwork and my interviews with Mr. Cantwell over the summer), so new information came as a result of work from other fans (all exclusively from Star Wars). Colin Cantwell famously made the first prototype models for George Lucas back in 1974/1975; the first realizations for the X-Wing Fighter, the Y-Wing Fighter, the Tie Fighter, the Star Destroyer, the Death Star, the Landspeeder, the Sandcrawler, and the Millennium Falcon, as well as the T-16 Skyhopper. [Read more…]

December 1, 2014 By Jason DeBord

Meet Colin Cantwell – Creator of X-Wing, Tie Fighter, Death Star Prototype Models & Artwork for Star Wars and More – At Julien’s Auctions on Friday, December 5th

Colin Cantwell, who has an incredible career in science and the arts, will be doing an exclusive meet and greet at Julien’s Auctions on Friday, December 5th from 1:30 to 3:00. Colin Cantwell famously made the first prototype models for George Lucas back in 1974/1975; the first realizations for the X-Wing Fighter, the Y-Wing Fighter, the Tie Fighter, the Star Destroyer, the Death Star, the Landspeeder, the Sandcrawler, and the Millennium Falcon, as well as the T-16 Skyhopper. His original, never before seen concept artwork from 1974/1975 will be up for auction at Julien’s Auctions on Saturday, December 6th at 10 AM, as well as other artifacts from his work on 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Omnimax/IMAX, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and WarGames, as well as the mission plans from his work with NASA and CBS on the Apollo XI moon landing mission in 1969. At 82 years old, this is Mr. Cantwell’s first meet and greet and autograph signing, so a very rare opportunity to meet a legend in classic science fiction film and television. [Read more…]

November 13, 2014 By Jason DeBord

EXCLUSIVE: Video Interview with Colin Cantwell on ’74/’75 Star Wars Prototypes & Never Publicly Shown Concept Art, The Apollo XI Moon Landing with NASA & CBS, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, WarGames and More

Colin Cantwell is a dreamer. However, he’s is one of those rare individuals who is not content to merely dream, but to imagine how to make dreams a reality, and takes action to make things happen. And if the tool or method that he requires does not exist, he will invent it. He is about thinking up possibilities that others would find… impossible. He is also quite modest, regardless of his incredible accomplishments across a broad spectrum of disciplines. He seems to be entirely self-motivated and has an internal engine driving him to achieve the results that bring his dreams to life. My other observation, through my conversations with him at his home in Colorado some months ago, is that he is not only brilliant, but he is unrestrained by the divisions and categorizations that frame the lives of most of the rest of us. Like the great Leonardo da Vinci, Colin Cantwell is gifted with a great diversity of talents, as a scientist, inventor, artist, special and computer effects wizard, architect, engineer, and I’m sure a number of other abilities. In my opinion, he is one of our great national treasures that “we” didn’t know about. He played a significant role in Star Wars: A New Hope, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Omnimax/IMAX, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and WarGames, working with some of our greatest film auteurs like George Lucas, Stanley Kubrick, and Steven Spielberg. He worked with NASA and CBS on the Apollo XI moon landing mission. He even won over “the greatest architect of all-time”, Frank Lloyd Wright. And at 82 years of age, he continues to work on his life achievements; with his concept of Cosmic Biodesics, only now is the rest of the world catching up to his ideas. [Read more…]