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Staff post about: George Lucas Become an Author

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The Beginning of an Epic: George Walton Lucas, Jr. is Born

“I am simply trying to struggle through life; trying to do God’s bidding,” says Lucas.

Lights, Camera, Action! Lucas Takes the Film Industry by Storm

In 1967, realizing that they had stumbled upon what could be a very successful business relationship, Lucas and Coppola joined forces to create their own production company, American Zeotrope. Their first venture was turning Lucas’ student film THX 1138 into a full-length feature film. After being received successfully, Lucas formed his own company, Lucasfilm Ltd., and began writing a film based on his experiences growing up in quiet Modesto. Completed in 1973, American Graffiti went on to win a Golden Globe and was nominated for five Academy Awards. Lucas had now become a recognized name throughout Hollywood.

Lesson #1: Don’t Deny Your Passion

“My first six years in the business were hopeless,” said Lucas. “There are a lot of times when you sit and you say ‘Why am I doing this? I’ll never make it. It’s just not going to happen. I should go out and get a real job and try to survive’.”

Lesson #2: Know Yourself

In order to succeed, you need to know what you are good at. A talent, according to Lucas is “a combination of something you love a great deal, something you can lose yourself in – something that you can start at 9 in the morning, look up from your work and it’s 10 o’clock at night – and something that you have a natural ability to do very well.”

Lesson #3: Grow a Thick Skin

“You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going,” says Lucas about encountering pessimism. “Put blinders on and plow right ahead.”

Lesson #4: Be Innovative

“It’s not a business,” says Lucas. “It’s trying to create something interesting that you’re proud of, and try out creative ideas that may seem really off the wall, may work or may not work.” From his films to his technology to his business strategies, Lucas has made a career out of taking risks and being innovative.

Lesson #5: Help Others to Help Yourself

“Any society begins by realizing that together, by helping each other, you can survive better than if you fight each other and compete with each other,” says Lucas. “We have the tendency to lose it when we forget that, as a group, we are stronger than we are as individuals.”

Using ‘The Force’: How Lucas Achieved Success

From quiet, humble beginnings in Modesto, California to a multi-million dollar ranch and hub of activity in Nicasio, Lucas has taken the film industry by storm. From his technological innovations to his business strategies to his beloved science fiction androids, Lucas has become a household name and an immortal part of American cinematic history. “Good luck has its storms,” Lucas once said. But, his success has had little to do with luck. How did he do it?

George Lucas Quotes

George Lucas Quotes

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