To celebrate Force Friday II, Apple is hosting Star Wars-themed Today at Apple events at its retail stores internationally, including special computer graphics (CG) tutorials featuring Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) artists.
The sessions include workshops on iPad video creation, drone programming for children and CG art.
There are two feature classes, the first being “How To: Build Your Own Star Wars Trailer” which teaches signature techniques in an exclusive video from The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson. Footage and music from various Star Wars movies will be available for cutting together trailers in iMovie on iPad.
The second feature session, “Kids Hour: Coding the Droids from Star Wars,” offers children a chance to program a Sphero robot and guide it through a self-designed maze. Apple was one of the first retailers to sell Sphero’s BB-8, a rolling iOS-connected drone modelled after the droid from Disney’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
As with other Today at Apple classes, customers can take in their own iPad, iPhone and Sphero drone, or use hardware provided in store.
Apple is also hosting two special events featuring ILM artists at its Union Square flagship outlet in San Francisco.
On Friday, three ILM artists will explain how the Star Wars galaxy is created through animation, 3D modelling, stop motion and CG. Users can apply the techniques to create their own droids using iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.
Saturday’s session features ILM visual effects art director Christian Altmann, the man behind BB-8.
He will talk about his creative process and explain how colour, shaping and composition give BB-8 personality and emotion. Users can create their own BB-8 using iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.
As well as the US, the sessions are in territories including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Singapore, Australia and Taiwan.