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"Either sleeping or awake, dreams are meant to come true!"
I have been an R2D2 lover since first saw the movies. To me, he is the hero, saving everyone more than once. Lucas was wise to shoot him down on ROTJ or else, R2 would have been a god indeed! Here is me on my town mall, controlling an R2D2 built back on 1979. All these years I thought it really looked like the one on the movies, but when I found the photo I was surprised of how much different it was. It is impressive how a children eyes perceive things...
Most people wonder why an R2 unit? "Why waste your time with such a ridicule project?" Those are the words of those who have no idea of how to build one and do not believe themselves to be able of doing it! These were the words I most heard on September 1995 when I told everyone I was going to build an R2D2. For three years and a half I kept hearing different version of the same! "It will not work!", "Should we tie it to the bumper of my car to pull it?" "Why don't you throw it down a slope? It will certainly move that way!" And BLA, BLA, BLAAAAA!!!! But" you failed your highness, I am a JEDI like my father before me!"
I did not quit because I had a dream! And that was to create a walking R2D2 with some of the most interesting characteristics that defined R2D2 on the Classical SAGA of Star Wars! And to find me a job working as a prop developer. A dream for which I plan to fight even until the last breath has been consumed!
Still the question appeared so many times by those who did believe it was a good idea: "Why building an R2D2?". But the answer was quite obvious! Actually there are three main reasons why to build an R2D2 or any other droid that may come to mind.
- First of all I was bored! I had nothing to do! I was recently graduated from Electrical Engineering and all my friends were gone to different parts of the United States. I wanted to do something related to Engineering, but what? I had my own lab and electronic circuit generation facilities. So all I needed was something to "electronize"! Since I have always had a passion for robots (this is not the first) I decided a robot would be the best idea ! R2D2 was chosen because he is so lovable and because I really thought of building one when I was a kid!
- Second was the need to work on habilities that would have never been teached at my University. And it is not that my University sucks. On contraire! It is one of the best Universities on the world! Unfortunately this type of technology is not taught at most institutions. So by involving me in a project where I needed to work with plastic and metals I would be able to create anything! Something I have wanted since I was a little kid. Being an inventor has sounded like fun since I can remember.
- And third and most importantly, because I needed to update my resume! I am a good Electrical Engineer and I could work and develop anything I put my mind onto. What I most like is working creating stuff such as props and settings for movies. I could send the most impressive resume and credit transcription but that would never prove me useful for movie making material. Special Effects specialists look for people with experience. Experience I could never get at Motorola, Hewlett Packard, Sensormatic or any other company.
- R2D2 is a good example that I can develop props and electronic related material. And by doing it on my own there is no doubt that I indeed did the work. I have sent a couple of resumes to Lucasfilm, Disney World and Universal Studios since I find fascinating working at an environement of creation. I have been turned down before and maybe a couple of times more. But each time I grow stronger with knowledge. Eventually I will get the job I want as a design Engineer! Until then keep alert at my pages for there will be more droids to come!
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