STAR WARS fans may get an animated fix as Cartoon Network starts airing in the U.S. STAR WARS: CLONE WARS, an epic micro-series consisting of 20 animated, three-minute shorts, beginning Nov. 7, 2003 at 8:00 pm.
Genndy Tartakovsky, a huge STAR WARS fan in his own right (and creator of SAMURAI JACK and DEXTERS LABORATORY) led the Cartoon Network Studio team in Burbank, California, to continue the saga where the live action-feature film STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES left off at the beginning of the Clone Wars, an epic civil war that pits the old Republic against a vast separatist movement led by the forces of evil.
As CLONE WARS unfolds, the valiant Jedi Knights lead the Republics Clone Army against both familiar and new adversaries across the galaxy. Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi are among the favorite characters appearing in new animated forms in the first 10 chapters. Kit Fisto, a Jedi who leads a special aquatic unit of Clone Troopers, leads an amphibious assault on the water planet of Mon Calamari. Count Dooku, the leader of the Separatist movement, appears, joined by a fierce female warrior trained in the ways of the Sith.
Originally scheduled to be one-minute shorts, Tartakovsky got the blessing from George Lucas and Lucasfilm to tell these animated sagas in three minutes. A fan of SAMURAI JACK, Lucas entrusted his important franchise to Tartakovsky to translate it into animation with his visual style shared with art director Paul Rudish.
The series is produced with traditional cel animation with some CGI computer-generated spaceships and moves using Maya and Power Animator. Rough Draft Studios in Korea handled the 3D animation and composit as well as the overseas traditional work.
Scott Wills shared art direction with Rudish, Dave Dunnet was background supervisor, Michel Gagne did ERX design, Todd Frederiksen handled vehicle design while Andy Suriano and Lynne Naylor-Reccardi did model design. Brian Miller was supervising producer and Jennifer Pehlprey was director of production. Paul Douglas edited the shorts with Jim Heam, dialogue editor. Bryan Andrews and Mark Andrews were storyboard artists. Collette Bennett Sunderman was the casting director for the voice sessions recorded at Cartoon Network Studio.
The first 10 chapters will air from Nov. 7-20, just prior to new episodes of Cartoon Network series. The next 10 episodes will debut in spring 2004. Following is the schedule for STAR WARS: CLONE WARS:
* November 7: Chapter One * November 10: Chapter Two * November 11: Chapter Three * November 12: Chapter Four * November 13: Chapter Five * November 14: Chapter Six * November 17: Chapter Seven * November 18: Chapter Eight * November 19: Chapter Nine * November 20: Chapter Ten
On November 21, all 10 chapters will be telecast in order, interspersed throughout that evenings programming, during Fridays, CNs new primetime franchise airing Friday evenings from 7:00 to midnight each week.
