MEDIA & REVIEWS

“George Lucas is revered as a great storyteller, but his greatest story unfolded off-screen. Rubin spins this untold tale with historical perspective, exhaustive scholarship, and wit. This book is not just for the many fans of Lucas' films, but also for anyone who wants to understand what the recent rapid evolution of technology means for our culture, and the human story of how we got here.”
Steve Silberman
Contributing Editor, Wired

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"Brilliant.. a detailed glimpse under the hood of Lucas' digital skunkworks."
Thomas Dolby
Musician & Technology Entrepreneur

"This is a remarkably comprehensive, highly readable compendium about the origins of digital cinema, its technological underpinnings and many of the people who helped create it. It is a compelling introduction to a revolution in visual communication and story telling."
Andries van Dam
Chairman, Computer Science Dept, Brown University
Co-Founder, Siggraph

“Rubin has produced a completely engrossing and personal history detailing not just the revolution of digital filmmaking but how Hollywood itself was changed by Lucas and a handful of his closest allies. Filled with personal anecdotes and fascinating accounts, Droidmaker is a must read for the fan and filmmaker alike."
Vicky Jenson
Director, Shrek, Shark Tale

“The ultimate insider guide to the making of cinema's greatest saga…”
Dan Dubno
Producer & Technologist, CBS News

"Wow. An incredible saga of Lucas, Star Wars, and how it changed filmmaking (and computers) forever. I loved Rubin’s ability to interweave a story about business, technology and movies—three of my favorite things!"
Reed Hastings
CEO & Co-Founder, Netflix

“Rubin is the perfect historian and biographer for Lucas' Computer Division. He was there, he was influenced first hand, and spent the next twenty years successfully preaching the word of digital video to professionals and consumers."
Kate Sanford
Editor, Sex and the City

"...There are many books on Lucas, but none quite like this one: the combination of Rubin's insider information and research gives readers a view of how movies came to incorporate digital advances. Complete with photos, it is a facinating book that any fan of Star Wars, Lucas or technology will enjoy. The accessible language is a big plus. Highly recommended."
Library Journal
November, 2005

“...The book also looks at how movies are really made, so it’s even more captivating to those who are interested in the actual process of filmmaking. The book covers a lot of technical discussions, but Rubin’s writing style is accessible rather than dry. The greatest thing about the book is, after the last decade of people taking shots at George Lucas and his second STAR WARS trilogy, it felt like a lot of the Lucasfilm mystique was lost. This book is well-timed to remind everyone just how important Lucas and his company are, the commercial products aside. By finally opening up a bit and revealing some secrets to the world, Lucas has managed to regain some of his mystique that long seemed lost."
Chris Ryall
One Hand Clapping, Sept. 11, 2005

"...Rubin's book is incredibly detailed, discursive and eye-opening, making Lucas' shadow loom large over contemporary media, whether you liked the STAR WARS prequels or not. The author involves Francis Ford Coppola, Akira Kurosawa, Steven Spielberg, Michael Crichton, Atari, Sun Microsystems, AOL, Pixar and more while occupying a middle ground between the Lucas-sanctioned hagiography of Marcus Hearn's The Cinema of George Lucas and the no-holds barred approach of Dale Pollock's Skywalking... 4.5 stars out of 5" (J.R.)
Cinefantastique
November/December, 2005

"...Ultimately, Rubin, a former Lucasfilm insider, describes the wide range of Lucas' influence in a way that may offer something for every kind of reader and ``Star Wars'' fan.... [Rubin] provided the ambitious thread for his book -- a history of the division that also ``would span the history of filmmaking and the history of technology.'' As overwhelming as that sounds, however, it's delivered largely in bite-sized sections, making it easy to get through at whatever pace is convenient.
Mike Antonucci, San Jose Mercury News
Oct 28, 2005

"...a fascinating read... and very well researched - a must for any fan of gaming history."
Ross Miller, Joystiq
Dec 9, 2005

"When first looking at Michael Rubin's droidMaker, you can't help but be nervous that another 400 pages have been wasted on the special effects magic behind Star Wars. Thankfully, that's not the case - far from it. DroidMaker really captures the 20-year technology journey that runs through Lucasfilm for a period and ends with Pixar Animation Studios. In short, it's the tale of relentless technophiles, visionary patrons and a film revolution.

...What you won't find is a mushy tribute to Star Wars and the "magic" behind it. The Star Wars characters, stories and myths have little role in this book. Rather, it's a well researched account of how Pixar came to be. The book gives the engineers their due and allows them to steal the limelight for a moment from Lucas and Jobs. It may read a bit drier than the typical, sensationalized business profiles, but that's part of droidMaker's charm. There should be more books like this. The engineers deserve a bit of glory now and then. If you know someone who is both a hardware and a Star Wars geek, then you've found your present.."
Ashlee Vance, The Registar (UK)
Dec 20, 2005