Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Before "Star Wars" became a pop culture phenomenon, George Lucas was an anthropology major who knew nothing about making movies. Lucas highlights his unconventional career, tracing his journey from making avant-garde student "tone poems" at USC to directing his experimental debut, "THX 1138." He breaks down how his background in social science inspired the teenage cruising film "American Graffiti," the repetitive studio rejections he faced while shopping around a space fantasy called "Star Wars," and how he was forced to build groundbreaking special effects technology from scratch just to bring his vision to life.
THIRTEEN presents "Hollywood's Best Film Directors." Discover the journeys of leading Hollywood directors, from their early influences and first films to the blockbuster projects that made their reputations. Through behind-the-scenes insights, they reveal the challenges of filmmaking, from developing scripts and securing funding to casting talent and working with major stars and share the secrets behind great movies.
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#GeorgeLucas #StarWars #AmericanGraffiti #Filmmaking #BehindTheScenes #CinemaHistory #Directing #MovieHistory #SpecialEffects #THIRTEEN #WNET #PBS #Hollywood #Film #THX1138 #LucasFilm #Yoda #Jedi #TheForce
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THIRTEEN is one of America’s most respected and innovative public media providers. Part of The WNET Group, THIRTEEN is a unique cultural and educational institution that harnesses the power of television and electronic media to inform, enlighten, entertain and inspire. The flagship public television station of the New York City tri-state area and the most-watched public television channel in the nation, THIRTEEN reaches millions of people with programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites people of all ages to have fun while learning.
Before "Star Wars" became a pop culture phenomenon, George Lucas was an anthropology major who knew nothing about making movies. Lucas highlights his unconventional career, tracing his journey from making avant-garde student "tone poems" at USC to directing his experimental debut, "THX 1138." He breaks down how his background in social science inspired the teenage cruising film "American Graffiti," the repetitive studio rejections he faced while shopping around a space fantasy called "Star Wars," and how he was forced to build groundbreaking special effects technology from scratch just to bring his vision to life.
THIRTEEN presents "Hollywood's Best Film Directors." Discover the journeys of leading Hollywood directors, from their early influences and first films to the blockbuster projects that made their reputations. Through behind-the-scenes insights, they reveal the challenges of filmmaking, from developing scripts and securing funding to casting talent and working with major stars and share the secrets behind great movies.
Subscribe to THIRTEEN newsletters to stay informed: thirteen.org/email-preferences/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=description&utm_id=description
#GeorgeLucas #StarWars #AmericanGraffiti #Filmmaking #BehindTheScenes #CinemaHistory #Directing #MovieHistory #SpecialEffects #THIRTEEN #WNET #PBS #Hollywood #Film #THX1138 #LucasFilm #Yoda #Jedi #TheForce
Please SUBSCRIBE if you enjoyed: youtube.com/@ThirteenWNET?sub_confirmation=1
For full episodes, check out thirteen.org
Facebook: facebook.com/thirteenwnet
Instagram: instagram.com/thirteenwnet
TikTok: tiktok.com/@thirteenwnet
-----------------
THIRTEEN is one of America’s most respected and innovative public media providers. Part of The WNET Group, THIRTEEN is a unique cultural and educational institution that harnesses the power of television and electronic media to inform, enlighten, entertain and inspire. The flagship public television station of the New York City tri-state area and the most-watched public television channel in the nation, THIRTEEN reaches millions of people with programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites people of all ages to have fun while learning.
