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| Daniels checks the shooting script on the first day's filming. |
For a singular day at least treated with care and respect by the behind the scenes crew and Tunisian extras within this physically limiting and painful costume, a youthful Anthony Daniels catches up with some of the script changes in a brief filming break on location for the original Star Wars, on the first principal photography day at the Nefta wastelands of Tunisia in March 1976. Having early trouble with the finished shooting script, Daniels additional lack of film experience at that time worries him- on the first shooting day it takes him three times before he can his dialogue about Vaporators correctly, though George Lucas isn't ultimately worried because he knows the actor's voice will need redubbing in post production.
With all the discomforts to come over the next five months of filming, Daniels would soon consider his weekly fee of £250 a paltry sum.
From that first unique day, who can forget the original first posed publicity images of Daniels as Threepio alongside Artoo Detoo on location in Tunisia. at the Lars Homestead? Think Artoo looks a bit different in the shots than he ultimately does in the film? Well, that's because the Artoo seen below would be the lightweight mock-up spare. moved about on piano wire, originally built for emergency use by Roger Christian (under instruction from Production Designer John Barry), just in case the remote controlled one, conceived and operated by UK Practical Effects Supervisor John Stears, broke down, which it ultimately and often did during the early days on location filming!
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| Daniels as Threepio alongside the piano wire-operated 'dummy' version of Artoo, on location in Tunisia for the film's early, now iconic, publicity images. |
