Audio Video News

It seems that Star Wars fans can never get enough. In March 1999, more than six million of them downloaded the QuickTime trailer for Lucasfilm's Episode I: The Phantom Menace in the first three weeks it was available. QuickTime is Apple Computer's streaming-media technology, and it has been selected to deliver behind-the-scenes views of Episode II as it develops on location in Australia.

By visiting the Apple or Star Wars websites, fans can check in for updates on the making of the film at Fox Studios. Both sites will feature trailers for the new film and documentaries about it as it progresses. The project is a continuation of last year's successful collaboration between Apple and Lucasfilm. "We're pleased to be working with Apple again to make our on-location footage available exclusively in QuickTime, which offers the best quality for streaming video over the Internet,'' said director George Lucas.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs was equally enthusiastic. "We love Star Wars, and we're pleased to be working again with George and his team to bring Episode II to the Internet,'' he said. "We had incredible success streaming the Episode I movie trailer exclusively in QuickTime, and the new Episode II content is sure to create another Internet milestone.''

Beginning with the "on location" series, all Star Wars: Episode II video content on the Star Wars website will be streamed exclusively in QuickTime, part of a multi-year agreement between the two companies. Actor Ahmed Best (the voice of Jar Jar Binks) will host some segments "unrehearsed, unscripted, and unedited," according to an Apple press release. QuickTime for Macs and Windows PCs can be downloaded for free from Apple's QuickTime site.