http://www.comingsoon.net

Producer Rick McCallum updated Star Wars Magazine (issue 42) about Star Wars: Episode III.

"We're really moving now," he says, "I just did a round-the-world trip. I finalized the deal at the studio in Sydney. We met some new crewmembers who will be joining us, including a new set decorator, Richard Rogers. Peter Russell, our Art Director, has already started, but the main bulk of the team will begin in January."

The magazine says that the concept designers are hard at work designing the worlds of "Episode III" and the images should be leaping into action as you're reading this. "We've got our animatics artists starting to work soon... They'll start working on the first of the action sequences for Episode III. Then the pedal will be to the metal all the way through to the time we start shooting."

All of the work, however, is proceeding without a finished script, but that doesn't stop the veteran producer. "Obviously, I would give anything in the world to have the script. But I don't have it. That's the reality I have to work under. That's the challenge for all of us - not to lose our minds before we get it."

The article goes on to say that Costume Designer Trisha Biggar has been hard at work with Concept Designer Ian McCaig at creating costumes for the next prequel. The costume department began work in mid-November in Sydney, Australia. "We'll probably make another 1,200 costumes, so it's a serious operation," says McCallum. "George has approved about 10 of them". Lucas only consults on those costumes designated for the principal characters.

Designer Gavin Bocquet has another big task to face. He recently visited Skywalker Ranch to confer with McCallum and the other filmmakers, and now he's off to work on two new vehicles at Elstree Studios. McCallum says that Bocquet has "lots of planets and vehicles" to work on. "Remember, everything has to be designed in a Star Wars world".
i want Darth Vader!