EW: So pitch meetings with studios aren’t something you’re used to.

RC: No, not at all. It is a little bit of a shock after working for George for the last seven years, counting my time at ILM. The guy snaps his fingers and it gets done. It was just a matter of pleasing him. I feel so fortunate to have had that experience and now I feel prepared to walk into anything. I know what’s important about design ideas. I’m confident in the work and it’s either appropriate or not. Presenting it is just not a problem anymore.

Just like when Ralph McQuarrie did those paintings for the first Star Wars, it is the pitch art that gets people excited. There was no such thing as an Art Of… book before Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie. It’s how George got the first movie sold.

EW: You’ve had a long collaboration with your fellow design co-supervisor, Erik Tiemens. Can you envision working with him in the future?

RC: I’ve moved down to L.A., and Erik is still up at ILM and I don’t think he’ll move. I’m originally from L.A. and my trip to northern California was kind of a detour that was supposed to be about six months on a freelance gig. But we’re already working on the same projects and if they get green lit that relationship will get bigger. I would love to continue my relationship with ILM. They do the best work and I know how things operate there.

Church’s tools on Episode III included Corel Painter 6 and napkins and pens. A view of an Alderaan balcony is seen above.

EW: Do you have aspirations to become a director yourself someday?

RC: Of course. That’s the long-term plan. But right now it’s just cool to be able to draw stuff and show it to people on its own merit, vs. it having to take it to film. That’s what I enjoy most. I do like working with really talented directors who push me further. I find that I work a lot harder and come up with better ideas when I have limitations, and when I have somebody I really want to please. If you can impress George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, that’s as rewarding as it gets.

Ellen Wolff is a southern California-based writer whose articles have appeared in publications such as Daily Variety, Millimeter, Animation Magazine, Video Systems and the website CreativePlanet.com. Her areas of special interest are computer animation and digital visual effects.