In celebration of Force Friday II, Apple this week will host a number of Star Wars-themed Today at Apple events at retail stores across the world, including special computer graphics tutorials featuring Industrial Light and Magic artists.
Announced through the Today at Apple website, Apple's Force Friday II sessions include workshops on iPad video creation, drone programming for kids, CG art and more.
A number of locations are advertising space for two main classes. The first, "How To: Build Your Own Star Wars Trailer," teaches customers "signature Star Wars trailer-making techniques" in an exclusive video from "The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson. Students will use authentic footage and music from various Star Wars films to cut together a custom trailer in iMovie on iPad.
In a second session, called "Kids Hour: Coding the Droids from Star Wars," children get a chance to program a Sphero robot and guide it through a self-designed maze. In 2015, Apple was one of the first retailers to sell Sphero's BB-8, a rolling iOS-connected drone modeled after the eponymous droid from Disney's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." A "battle-worn" version of the toy with a motion-sensing remote control band is exclusively sold through the Apple store.
As with other Today at Apple classes, customers can bring in their own iPad, iPhone and Sphero drone, or use hardware provided in store by Apple.
Along with worldwide sessions, Apple is hosting two special events featuring ILM artists at its Union Square flagship outlet in San Francisco.
On Friday, Sept. 1, ILM's Hal Hickel, Landis Fields, and Colie Wertz will offer a short presentation explaining how the Star Wars galaxy is created through animation, 3D modeling, stop motion and CG. Users can apply ILM techniques described to create their own Star Wars droids using iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.
A session on Saturday, Sept. 2, features Christian Altmann, ILM's Visual Effects Art Director behind BB-8. Altmann is scheduled to talk about his creative process and explain how color, shaping, and composition give BB-8 personality and emotion. Users will again apply what they've learned to creating their own BB-8 using iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.
Along with U.S. locations, Apple stores in Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the UK are participating in the Force Friday II series. Out of the many countries that offer Today at Apple sessions, Brazil is the only locale not taking part in the Star Wars-themed festivities.
Apple's Force Friday II events kick off on Friday, Sept. 1, and run through Saturday, Sept. 9. Those interested in signing up for a session can check class availability via the Today at Apple website.