Barry
Eldridge, Events Co-ordinator, Celebration
Europe
Barry - "Whilst promoting Celebration Europe we did some photography at
London City Airport of Vader and Stormtroopers with a little help from
the Gallant 501st. We used the stills in the advertising
campaign to promote the ‘arrival’ of the Empire in
London."
Vader
disembarks from his private jet and asks the air stewardess
where Moff Jejerrod was.
"It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life, as we had to
follow the strict security protocols of an airport particularly when we
were airside and Swiss Air kindly lent us a jet for a few minutes. We
had a permanent armed police escort and the troopers were only allowed
to carry blasters for still photography. For the rest of the time the
police kept them locked in a box. And if you could have seen Vader, and
R2 and a half dozen troopers going through security and X-Ray
checkpoints it was amazing, but they would not let us film that." J
The
cameraman realised he was pointing his camera at the wrong
people.
"Whilst we were shooting stills we had some fun filming some silly
videos, which we have posted on youtube here … silly but amusing. It
would have been wonderful to have had a professional crew to capture
some of the stuff as we could have filmed some great footage and the
Film Director in me was coming out all over the place, which is not a
pretty sight. But sadly things were strictly amateur and here are our
little efforts for your viewing pleasure."
The best bit was coming out if one of the private security corridors
behind two little old ladies who were very senior, at least 75 years of
age. They were stereotypical British little old ladies in the true
Monty Python sense. Tweed suits,
hairnets and a traveling blanket over the knees the works. Vader came
out of a door not 2 feet behind them as they sat waiting for a flight.
One looked like she was about to have a seizure and clutched her hand to
her chest in terror. Her traveling companion eyed Vader up and down,
then turned to her friend and calmly said ‘Ohh it’s alright Gladys, it’s
only Darth Vader’ and them dismissively went back to her knitting, like
she encountered a Sith Lord every day of the week. Priceless….! Shame
we did not catch it on video."
