George Lucas tells film students to not “get enamored with technology”

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

In what may strike some as being funny in the most literal sense of the word, George Lucas encouraged film students at USC to not become reliant on technology when it comes to filmmaking. Yes, the man who famously founded a special effects company that has innovated film technology for decades (Industrial Light & Magic) cautioned the future directors and filmmakers.

On the occassion of endowing three chairs of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Lucas made a speech where he spoke on the importance of the fundamentals.

“Don’t forget the basics. Don’t get enamored with new technology, because it’s not new. Just the medium we’re working in is new, but that doesn’t change anything. The art of what we do is exactly the same. It’s beyond technology. It’s the art of movies.”

Yes, George Lucas is the same man who created the STAR WARS prequels that were overly reliant on CGI and other special effects that flew in the face of the practical effects that made the original trilogy so endearing. But, at the heart of every STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES movie is a love of not only the history of film but of the cultural impact of what movies represent. It could also be that now in his retirement from directing, Lucas has found a respect for the medium that he could only achieve after being away from it.

I hold no ill will against George Lucas. Hell, I am one of the few who actually liked the prequels, so I am not reading into his words as saying CGI and other technology should not be used in the magic of making movies, but he is saying that we should not, for example, be striving to make a 3D movie at the expense of telling a good story. The important aspect of making a film is the craftsmanship rather than the bells and whistles.

What do you think of Lucas’ comments?