Star Wars 75244 - Toys LEGO - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL Star Wars 75244 LEGO

1PB32 Design DirectorJens Kronvold FrederiksenModel DesignerCésar Carvalhosa Soares Graphic DesignerMadison O’Neil 75244_V39_Intro Page.indd 2 22/11/2018 11:51 PM LEGO® Star Wars began in 1999 with a team of the galaxy’s greatest design heroes. Today we are ten model designers and three graphic designers based in Billund, Denmark. Each of us was selected for our many years of LEGO model design experience, but also because we are all such big Star Wars fans. Over the years many of us have collaborated on a great many LEGO Star Wars projects, so it’s always a lot of fun for us to work together. But our younger designers bring an essential fresh take on a constantly evolving Star Wars universe. We want our LEGO Star Wars models to feel really exciting to own. We have to ask ourselves, how can we stimulate creativity with the building experience, and excite the imagination through playability? So these bigger models require a special attention to detail and accuracy, making them fun and exciting to develop, but also a huge challenge. With this model we really worked to get the full potential out of every brick. It’s great to look at, super accurate and packed with play features. Perfect for rebuilding some famous scenes from the movie or finding the ideal display spot to show off to friends! We hope that you have as much fun building it as we did designing it. Happy building! Jens Kronvold Frederiksen Design Director, LEGO® Star Wars

DESIGN TEAM 75244_V39_Intro Page.indd 3 22/11/2018 11:51 PM32 Design Director Jens Kronvold Frederiksen Model Designer César Carvalhosa Soares Graphic Designer Madison O’Neil 75244_V39_Intro Page.indd 2 22/11/2018 11:51 PM LEGO® Star Wars began in 1999 with a team of the galaxy’s greatest design heroes. Today we are ten model designers and three graphic designers based in Billund, Denmark. Each of us was selected for our many years of LEGO model design experience, but also because we are all such big Star Wars fans. Over the years many of us have collaborated on a great many LEGO Star Wars projects, so it’s always a lot of fun for us to work together. But our younger designers bring an essential fresh take on a constantly evolving Star Wars universe. We want our LEGO Star Wars models to feel really exciting to own. We have to ask ourselves, how can we stimulate creativity with the building experience, and excite the imagination through playability? So these bigger models require a special attention to detail and accuracy, making them fun and exciting to develop, but also a huge challenge. With this model we really worked to get the full potential out of every brick. It’s great to look at, super accurate and packed with play features. Perfect for rebuilding some famous scenes from the movie or finding the ideal display spot to show off to friends! We hope that you have as much fun building it as we did designing it. Happy building! Jens Kronvold Frederiksen Design Director, LEGO® Star Wars

ABOUT THE TANTIVE IV™

The Tantive IV ™, a CR90 corvette, was designed by the Corellian Engineering Corporation to safely commute entire diplomatic escorts across the galaxy. The standard CR90 had the capacity to reach up to 950 kph and was armed with six turbolaser turrets. Recognized as an ambassadorial craft, the CR90 proved to be the perfect vessel to help the Rebellion evade the eyes of the Empire. The most famous of all these craft was the war-ready Alderaan™ cruiser Tantive IV

is the very first ship we see in the Star Wars universe. How did it feel to be tasked with designing this build? And did you feel any pressure? A: I was thrilled! Not only is it the first ship you see but it also happens to be one of my favourites from the Star Wars universe, with such a cool shape and the massive 11 engines at the back. In LEGO

Star Wars we get to work with a wide range of models, from low price points to the higher ones, so when I was tasked with the designing of this build I didn’t feel any particular pressure. But of course, being a personal favourite of mine, it felt really special to be able to design it and recreate all the details and features that make this ship so iconic. Q: The model used for the in-universe Tantive IV was different in Star Wars: A New Hope, Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith. Does the brick format LEGO vehicle take more inspiration from one than the other? A: The external shape of the model, including measurements and proportions, along with all the features like cannons and mechanical details are all based on the version seen in Star Wars: A New Hope, the very first one we get to see. Unfortunately, the interior on this version doesn’t get much screen time, so I used the interior shots we see in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith as reference for some of the details. Q: A LEGO brick version of the Tantive IV was released in 2001 under the title, Rebel Blockade Runner, and again in 2009 with a minifigure set. How does this edition stand out as unique? A: The brief for this set was to make a model that would have a lot of playability, with play functions and interior rooms for kids to enjoy, but also it should be a model that looks good on a shelf. By using new elements such as the big cockpit pieces, and new features like the spring-loaded shooters and the handle that allows you to transport the model more easily – I think that we managed to achieve both goals. Q: When you begin the design process, do you start with a number of bricks in mind? Or is the brick count informed by other factors? A: Usually we don’t consider the number of pieces when we are designing a model. The goal is to be able to build something of a suitable size that matches the required price point, but also reflects the type and amount of play features suitable for that particular model. The number of pieces that come out of it is therefore usually incidental. César Carvalhosa Soares 75244_V39_Intro Page.indd 6 22/11/2018 11:51 PM Q: The Tantive IV™ has a huge engine block. This must have been difficult to put into LEGO® form, especially when you consider the elongated nature of the ship. What techniques did you use to ensure the model would be robust enough to cope with such a big engine block? A: Very much yes. Ensuring that the engine block was robust enough was a big challenge. I created a very sturdy LEGO Technic frame that runs from the front of the ship to the end. Here the frame extends to the sides, creating a flat surface in the shape of a T. Then all 11 engines are individually connected to this frame using LEGO Technic pins. Q: From a designer’s point of view, are there any features that you are particularly proud of? And what challenges did they present? A: One of the features that I’m very proud of is the inclusion of the handle. Being such a long ship with an odd shape, it is not easy for someone to pick it up and transport it. So, the inclusion of a handle was decided very early in the process. Of course, this was a big challenge because the handle had to be mounted very securely. But also because it would have to be in a precise location on the model, in order to make it feel balanced when you pick it up. In the end, the perfect spot for it ended up being in the same place as the ship’s radar dish, so I was able to integrate the handle with the dish. Q: A true collector might keep this edition of the Tantive IV in ‘new and unopened’ condition. Be honest, if you weren’t the designer would you be able to resist opening the box? A: No, I wouldn’t, although I understand the collectibility appeal of some of the LEGO Star Wars models. For me, LEGO sets are ultimately toys. And toys are made to be played with. In this case I would say even more, as this is mainly a play set with lots of cool features and minifigures that will allow everybody to recreate iconic scenes from the movies. 75244_V39_Intro Page.indd 7 22/11/2018 11:51 PM76 Q: The Tantive IV™ has a huge engine block. This must have been difficult to put into LEGO® form, especially when you consider the elongated nature of the ship. What techniques did you use to ensure the model would be robust enough to cope with such a big engine block? A: Very much yes. Ensuring that the engine block was robust enough was a big challenge. I created a very sturdy LEGO Technic frame that runs from the front of the ship to the end. Here the frame extends to the sides, creating a flat surface in the shape of a T. Then all 11 engines are individually connected to this frame using LEGO Technic pins. Q: From a designer’s point of view, are there any features that you are particularly proud of? And what challenges did they present? A: One of the features that I’m very proud of is the inclusion of the handle. Being such a long ship with an odd shape, it is not easy for someone to pick it up and transport it. So, the inclusion of a handle was decided very early in the process. Of course, this was a big challenge because the handle had to be mounted very securely. But also because it would have to be in a precise location on the model, in order to make it feel balanced when you pick it up. In the end, the perfect spot for it ended up being in the same place as the ship’s radar dish, so I was able to integrate the handle with the dish. Q: A true collector might keep this edition of the Tantive IV in ‘new and unopened’ condition. Be honest, if you weren’t the designer would you be able to resist opening the box? A: No, I wouldn’t, although I understand the collectibility appeal of some of the LEGO Star Wars models. For me, LEGO sets are ultimately toys. And toys are made to be played with. In this case I would say even more, as this is mainly a play set with lots of cool features and minifigures that will allow everybody to recreate iconic scenes from the movies. 75244_V39_Intro Page.indd 7 22/11/2018 11:51 PM98 MEET THE GRAPHIC DESIGNER Madison O’Neil Q: Designing LEGO® minifigures for a special edition is a great opportunity, but it’s also a big challenge. Where do you start? A: For a graphic designer, the first step in the design process is usually gathering reference images. In this case it was very simple, in fact I will usually just watch the films and take screenshots. Many of the characters have also appeared in previous LEGO sets, specifically the Tantive IV

that was released 10 years ago in 2009. I looked at how characters like Captain Antilles were made previously, and then gave them a style update. Q: With so many minifigures included in the set, do you design them as a group or work on them one by one? A: Once we determine which characters we think are important to include in the model, I focus on one at a time. Certain graphic elements do carry over from character to character on occasion. For example, the Rebel Fleet Trooper and Captain Antilles wear the same style of helmet, so it was important that they have the same straps across their chins. Q: From start to finish, how long did it take to complete the design process? And what was the most time consuming part? A: There are multiple stages in creating a fully realized design. Take for example the minifigure of Bail Organa. The first step in his creation was designing him digitally. He then went through a coaching process in which several other LEGO graphic designers would review him for style and production requirements. After that he was submitted to Lucasfilm for approval, along with all the other minifigures in the model. Originally we had submitted the version of Bail from Revenge of the Sith, but in the end we decided together with Lucasfilm that it would make more sense in the story timeline if he were wearing his costume from Rogue One. So we had to repeat the process to create his current design. Once he was finally approved by Lucasfilm, we generated test samples of each new printed element in the minifigure, and he was complete! It’s different for every model, but it can take months for characters to go from inception to final execution. Q: Star Wars characters are highly developed, how do you convey a sense of their personality in something as small as a minifigure? A: I find that the facial expressions are the key to showing a minifigure’s personality. On the front side of a minifigure’s head we will usually design a character with a slightly neutral expression, a gentle smile or light frown depending on who it is. It’s on the back of the head where we push the expression further to capture another aspect of the character’s personality or story. For example, the horrified face of Captain Antilles as he’s about to be strangled by Darth Vader™. 75244_V39_Intro Page.indd 8 22/11/2018 11:51 PM Q: When you are exploring reference images for the minifi gures, do you ever discover something you didn’t know about the characters? A: I am constantly fi nding small new details I had never noticed before in the fi lms. In this model I discovered that Bail Organa’s belt buckle is engraved with a unique symbol, and I also got a close look at the code cylinders he wears across his chest. Q: Why do you think this edition is so special? A: This year marks the 20th anniversary of LEGO Star Wars. The last time the Tantive IV

was created as a LEGO model was 10 years ago. The characters in this model are meant to be a refl ection of the characters included in 2009, with the addition of Bail Organa, who has never before been made into a minifi gure. All the other characters have been updated and Princess Leia™ also appears with a skirt element! Q: How would you describe the feeling of seeing your designs come to life? A: Before working for LEGO Star Wars I was an avid fan, so now being on the opposite end of the process is rather surreal. The most rewarding moments are when friends or family reach out to me to say they or their children are enjoying a model that I played a part in designing. 75244_V39_Intro Page.indd 9 22/11/2018 11:51 PM98 Q: When you are exploring reference images for the minifi gures, do you ever discover something you didn’t know about the characters? A: I am constantly fi nding small new details I had never noticed before in the fi lms. In this model I discovered that Bail Organa’s belt buckle is engraved with a unique symbol, and I also got a close look at the code cylinders he wears across his chest. Q: Why do you think this edition is so special? A: This year marks the 20th anniversary of LEGO

Star Wars. The last time the Tantive IV