George Lucas's Devotion

George Lucas's devotion to timeless storytelling and cutting-edge innovation has resulted in some of the most successful and beloved films of all time.

Lucas's films celebrate the boundless potential of the individual to overcome any limitations - something he firmly believes. This theme is strong in the early movies that marked the start of his professional career. In 1971, using San Francisco production studio American Zoetrope and long-time friend Francis Ford Coppola as executive producer, Lucas transformed an award-winning student film into his first feature, THX 1138.

Lucas's second feature film, the low-budget American Graffiti (1973), became the most successful film of its time, and garnered the Golden Globe, the New York Film Critics' and National Society of Film Critics' awards. Pushing the boundaries of storytelling into new directions, American Graffiti was the first film of its kind to tell multiple stories through interweaving narratives backed by a soundtrack of contemporary music.

It was Lucas's third film, 1977's Star Wars that changed everything. A deceptively simple morality tale of good versus evil told across a fantastic landscape of exotic planets and bizarre creatures, Star Wars became an international phenomenon, despite the fact that few saw its potential during production. Refusing to accept the limitations of filmmaking at the time, Lucas created his own visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, to deliver the more than 300 shots required to make his vision a reality. Star Wars broke all box office records, set new standards for sophistication in film visuals and sound, garnered eight Academy Awards, and inspired a generation of young people to follow their imagination and dreams. The success of Star Wars allowed Lucas to remain independent and continue operating in Marin County, California.

Lucas has been storywriter and executive producer of a series of box-office hits beginning in the 1980s, starting with the continuation of the Star Wars saga, The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Return of the Jedi in 1983. In 1981, he created the classic adventurer Indiana Jones, and co-wrote and executive-produced the successful series consisting of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), a trilogy that won eight Academy Awards. Later, the television series, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles won 12 Emmy Awards.

In 1987, Lucas served as executive producer for Disneyland's launch of Star Tours, an innovative attraction based on the Star Wars films that now entertains crowds in all four Disney theme parks worldwide.

Lucas executive-produced two very different films in 1988. The adventure-fantasy film Willow was based on Lucas's original story and directed by Ron Howard. Tucker: The Man And His Dream was directed by Francis Coppola. Each film received three Academy Award nominations. Later films have included 1994's Radioland Murders, Special Editions of the classic Star Wars Trilogy in 1997, and the first two prequels to the Star Wars saga. Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, was the top box office hit of 1999. Three years later, Episode II Attack of the Clones, was the first major live-action movie to be shot entirely digitally.