Journalists often get jaded by the overwhelming opportunities to meet celebrities and experience exciting entertainment venues first hand. But that was not my reaction when invited to visit George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch in conjunction with the DVD release of Star Wars Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith. Jumping out of my seat, I said to myself, “The place where Star Wars was created -- I’m definitely in!” After all, someone has to tell my readers what it’s like.

Upon landing at the Oakland airport, a handful of journalists were bused on the hour journey north through the California rolling hills. Skywalker Ranch, covering more than 4,000 acres, is where part of Lucas’ Star Wars series was filmed. The ranch includes the technical building and Lucas’ house, which journalists were allowed to tour a portion of and to view its magnificent library. Skywalker Ranch even has its own security force and fire department.

Once through the gates to the technical building, we were escorted inside the massive two level red-brick building and divided into two different groups. The building houses many things, including Lucasfilm offices, games rooms, production and design studios, the art and animatics departments, former ILM studios (now moved to his new facility), stages, theaters and a large dining room. An entry hall was filled with Battlefront II demo game stations, which turned normal Clark Kent reporters into teenage gamers quicker than Superman could change clothes.

One of my favorite forays was into a production room where some of us were actually made into holograms. I stepped into a scene from Sith and into Darth Sidious’s robe in holographic form and gave a command to General Grievous. It was exciting to have him reply, “yes, my lord.”

After a nice lunch it was time to get down to the business of the day. We were escorted into a large theater where Jim Ward, Sr. Vice President of Lucasfilm and President of LucasArts, explained some of the details of the new DVD and showed us several scenes. They were impressive but went by so fast it was just too much candy to fully digest. The movie’s opening space battle and final saber duel on Mustafar were all the enticement we needed to watch the entire DVD at home.

Next up were conversations and interviews with producer Rick McCallum, animation director Rob Coleman, Frank Oz -- the voice of Yoda, Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious), and the one everyone waited for, Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker.)

Following several hours of grueling the celebs, we were back on the bus and off to The Letterman Digital Arts Center, a 23-acre site that formerly housed the Army’s Letterman Hospital in Presidio Park in San Francisco. It now includes three divisions of Lucasfilm, LTD, including ILM (Industrial Light & Magic), LucasArts and his parent company Lucasfilm. Together for the first time, the $350 million, 850,000-square-foot conglomerate accommodates 1,500 employees will move into the future with their games, movies, animation, television and visual effects.

With impressive views of the Goldren Gate Bridge and Japanese gardens conceived by world-renown architect Lawrence Halprin, top-notch working facilities that include a full nursery and a dinning room to die for, the employees and artists who work here can truly stay inspired. The force (Lucas) is definitely with them.

(Photo of George Lucas’ Ranch House by Diana Saenger. Click here to read Diana’s Skywalker Ranch interviews.)