Rejected Innovation

Posted on | March 1, 2012 | No Comments

Dream and dream big I always say when it comes to innovation.

And even if your ideas don’t see the light of day they may actually inspire and lead to other things.

Or there is the possibility they will become the lesson on what not to do.

Here is an example of both when it comes to Star Wars Episode One sale items.

Here are some great rejected ideas!

Jason Geyer tells his story and I have to say it just makes you want to go and design for your passion.

Of course you feel for him when he talks about what didn’t happen.

All told, we cranked out well over 100 concepts that were taken to final art, and easily 300 that didn’t make it that far. No part of Star Wars was too small to think about, no character too minor. I’ve never had a situation before or since where someone said to take your favorite subject and do whatever you want with it. Nothing was too crazy or expensive to try. We even tried to make a bigJabba the Hutt beanbag chair; one prototype was made and it sat in our conference room for many years. Now Gus Lopez owns it. Anyway, I’m not sure I’ve ever had more fun bouncing ideas back and forth where the conversations usually involved talking about how Darth Vader’s mouth had that cow-catcher looking mesh piece that really looked like it could be the door on a gumball machine. Or wondering it it was possible to build a real kid sized Land Speeder? Or thinking, wouldn’t it be cool to have a giant plush Wampa standing in your living room?

Do what you love and do it with 200% passion no matter the outcome is the take home here.

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