Anthony Dyson

"STAR WARS" R2-D2 CREATOR | ROBOTIC SFX ENGINEER - Anthony Dyson is the robotic designer behind the beloved, iconic character "R2-D2" in "Star Wars." The versatile Emmy nominated film SFX supervisor is also the creative genius at the helm of many of the biggest SCI-FI movies to date such as: Superman 2, Moon Raker, Dragon Slayer, and of course, The Empire Strikes Back. When it comes to robot technicians, Tony is quite unique. Not only is he responsible for building one of the most famous robots ever, R2-D2, he has also designed and built robots for some of the largest electronic companies in the world, including: Sony, Philips and Toshiba. You can find examples of Tony's creations on permanent display in one of the most prestigious museums in the world, the Smithsonian Institution. R2-D2 was one of the very first robots to be honored in the Carnegie Mellon University Robot Hall of Fame. Anthony Dyson was also nominated for an Emmy for a Sony television commercial. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS INCLUDE: JJ Abrams is using physical models, sets and props for Episode VII, and model shots have seen something of a revival in recent years with films like "Moon" and the recent tenth season of "Red Dwarf" -- where do you stand on the CG versus model debate? What were some of your R2-D2 design decisions that you're most proud of and which, if any, do you feel could have been better? WEBSITE: TonyDyson.com