THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: A TIME OF CHANGE!

A posed publicity image of Yoda and Obi-Wan.

In an empty area of the palace, Yoda confers with Obi-Wan on the uncertain future of young Anakin Skywalker, but Obi-Wan, now qualified from his Jedi trials against Darth Maul, is resolute. He will train Anakin, without the approval of the council if he must. Yoda has no choice but to agree, despite the potential warning he gives to the former Padawan of "The Chosen One" prophecy believed in by the late Qui-Gon Jinn.

A line early in the conversation from Obi-Wan was filmed but never made the final cut:"Qui-Gon believed in him. I believe in Qui-Gon."

Frank Oz, properly returned as Yoda.

The opening wide angle scene featuring Yoda walking was achieved as a digital shot (from a created CGI version of Yoda that wasn't used - deemed not up to scratch technology-wise - apart from this one moment). The rest of the sequence was shot at a time period after the main batch of principal photography had been completed, with Frank Oz returning to primary puppeteering/voice duties alongside Ewan McGregor (wearing a hair piece) on a raised set built at Leavesden Studios.

One of only two shots in EPISODE I filmed with a test digital camera.

"The actors were so taken by Yoda it was extraordinary. I was very flattered. I think people respond to the character because he is very much like a Zen master- and I think everyone would love to have someone like him to talk to. Yoda is universally appealing."

Frank Oz - 1999

Obi-Wan confers with Yoda on Anakin's future.

"We could see what Yoda was doing on TV monitors beneath the set. If George was satisfied with a take, we'd move on. Other times, we'd play back the performance and decide to make some adjustments."

"From a physical standpoint, Yoda is very demanding, but I'm always happy to revisit the character and to work with George."

Frank Oz - 1999

"Frank is the character. We (his puppeteer team assistants) just tried to give him freedom, and to work with his performance, to flow with it. No matter what we rehearsed, Frank would always do something a little more, a little different for the real take."

Kathy Smee (Yoda Puppeteer) - The Making of EPISODE I book - 1999