LucasFilm, maker of the Star Wars movies, announced on May 13 that it would establish an animation unit--in Point Richmond. You may have missed that announcement; West County Times never ran it, though it did run in the Kansas City Star, Reuters, Ireland Online, The Age in Australia among others.
Staff in the Point numbers just 12 right now, far fewer than the 400 or 500 "Pixarians"--according to one staff member's estimate--when they all moved to Emeryville in 2000. But a LucasFilm spokesperson, Jeanne Cole, says her company expects to grow.
Pixarians thought that Lucas would fill their old space almost as soon as they moved out. One of them told me, "[Pixar people] graffitied the place for them."
The Plunge video will finally go on the air this month after months spent securing broadcast rights for the music it contains.
The film itself was ready for broadcast months ago. Director Sari Armington says she got it from the original 40 minutes to 28 with a little "nip and tuck."
Mark the days: "The Plunge: Time Laps Through History" will be broadcast on KQED TV, Channel 9 on June 17 at 7:30 p.m. and June 21 at 3 p.m. Save the Plunge stalwart Elle Straus calls it "truly a masterpiece."
Remember that the original version--now referred to as the "director's cut"--is still available for a $20 donation. To get one for yourself, call Ellie Straus at 510-235-0738 or check the Plunge web page.