Title: Mythmaking: Behind the Scenes of Attack of the Clones
Author: Judy Duncan
ISBN 10: 0345456246
ISBN 13: 978-0345456243
Publisher: Del Rey
Copyright: 2002
Reviewed by LadyAeryn
Like its Episode I counterpart - and the bulk of behind-the-scenes Star Wars coffee table-lit - Mythmaking: Behind the Scenes of Attack of the Clones focuses mostly on the technical aspects of production of the prequel trilogy's middle installment, not the evolution of the myth behind the story (as this book's title might otherwise imply). But taken as it was intended, as a behind-the-scenes companion to the film, Mythmaking continues in that niche more than adequately. This is not surprising given that its author, Jody Duncan, is also one of the two authors behind the excellent The Making of Episode I: The Phantom Menace book, and the companion books of several other blockbuster films.
Mythmaking picks up right where its predecessor left off, the summer immediately following the release of The Phantom Menace. It follows much the same formula as The Making of Episode I, exploring Clones' production from Lucas' initial Skywalker Ranch story planning sessions and the search for a teenage Anakin Skywalker, to the final completed special effects shots at Industrial Light and Magic. The bulk of this book - unlike Episode I's - does not follow the film's production in precise chronological order. Rather, it's divided into sections focusing on the film's primary locations: Coruscant, Naboo, Kamino, and so on, with a final chapter devoted to the film's post-production. Each section takes the reader through the work gone into completing the scenes on each world - initial concept artwork, set/costume/creature design, location shooting, early compositing of special effects, even final in-studio editing of scenes such as Anakin and Padmé's love pledge. Interspersed throughout the book - not necessarily related to the section they appear in - are sidebar "notes from the set," a page focusing on a specific day of production, each of which offers an interesting snapshot of a day on the set (or wherever they happen to be shooting that day).
There're plenty of insights and candid (sometimes very candid) anecdotes on all areas of production from Lucas as well as cast and crew, and as always the entire process is lavishly illustrated with numerous still and promotional photos, behind-the-scenes shots, animatics, and concept artwork - perhaps even more lavishly than its Episode I counterpart. This may put Mythmaking at a slight disadvantage to the Episode I making-of in terms of the amount of detail in the text, but only slight. In either case, Mythmaking is still a worthy complement to its predecessor, and a must-have for any Star Wars behind-the-scenes nut's collection.
The book is still easily available through online booksellers such as Amazon.
