Quedaba pendiente una cosilla en relación a la entrevista realizada a Steve Sansweet y es la versión original de la misma, es decir, la realizada en inglés. Así que procedo a publicarla en el mismo formato que la anterior para que de esa manera quede en ambos idiomas en la sección correspondiente a las entrevistas dentro de la web. Y así de paso os brindamos la oportunidad de practicar un poco el idioma…

It´s been some time since we last offered an interview to our readers, so we have thought this would be the right time to re-take this initiative that you find so interesting. On this occasion it has been a pleasure for us to contact a person who does not need to be introduced and who has kindly accepted to answer our questions. If I told you this person is regarded as the most important collector of Star Wars memorabilia in the world, has also worked with Lucasfilm and is the owner of a “galactic” Rancho, I am sure you all know whom I´m talking about.

You are right, this time we want to share with all of you an interview with Steve Sansweet.

Before we get started, I want to say that we want you to participate in our interview to make it more dynamic and interesting. How can we do this? It is very simple. We have opened a thread in the forum where you can write about those things you have always wanted to know but you have never been able to ask Steve. Once we have received all your questions, we will send them to him so that he can answer them. You just have to click here, and you will be redirected to the correct post.

Having said this, it´s time to begin our interview, don´t you think so?

* SWSS: Hi Steve. First, we want to thank you for being so kind to answer our questions now, when we know you´re pretty busy with your project of bringing The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience to Europe, an adventure which involves a lot of work. We´re sure you are short of time. Let´s begin, then.

At the beginning of our interviews, we usually ask our interviewees to introduce themselves briefly so that those readers who are not familiar with them can know a bit about them and about what they do. So we would like to ask you to tell us a little about you:

* Steve:I was born and raised in Philadelphia, the home of American Independence. I graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism, and within a few years began a 26-year-career at The Wall Street Journal as a reporter, and later as chief of the news bureau in Los Angeles. I grew up loving science fiction and fantasy—books, movies, television shows, comics, toys—and that has always been part of who I am. I started collecting space toys a few months before Star Wars came out. As a journalist, I was invited to see the movie at a theater on the backlot of 20th Century Fox two weeks before it opened—before all of the hype—and I was hooked! I joined Lucasfilm in early 1996 as sort of a Star Wars fan ambassador, and I stayed for 15 years before retiring to turn Rancho Obi-Wan into a real museum open to the public.

* SWSS: We´re aware that you know about our web, so you know it is a reference site for people who are interested in the Spanish collecting of Star Wars. From the perspective of a person from another country, what is your opinion about Spanish collecting? Do you think Spanish products are an interesting goal for collectors in other countries?

* Steve: U.S. collectors love to see items they never knew existed, and many seek international items. I find in countries where there was not nearly as much Star Wars merchandise available, collectors tend to focus more on vintage items from their own countries. Some of my favorite collectibles are from Spain—especially from the era of the Ewoks and Droids animated cartoon series from Nelvana. I also treasure two early pieces form Ediciones Manantial, a cardboard, jointed C-3PO mobile and an R2-D2 perpetual calendar.

* SWSS: Last year in Orlando, there were some Spanish products among the ones chosen to participate in The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience. One of them was the famous Colgate box that has been so popular in our forums. What is the story about this precious treasure?

* Steve: I wish I knew the entire story and why this seems so rare! Do any of your readers own one? Lucasfilm over the years has had occasional “purges” of its Licensing archives because too many product samples had piled up; once employees could fill a large bag with their selections. Another time, it was more limited, with certain departments able to choose items for giveaways. And then finally, they decided to close down a rented 10,000 square-foot warehouse and give most of the items inside to charities after making sure they had at least one of everything. It was sometime during one of those purges that I picked up the Colgate box with the Return of the Jedi promotion. I always have fun pointing out that the figure in this particular box is the character with the worst teeth in the movie: Bib Fortuna!

* SWSS: In line with the previous questions, which promotions among the ones produced in our country have you found most interesting? How do you manage to get them? Is there any that you have not been able to find yet?

* Steve: I already partly answered the question above. I’ve got some vintage Ewoks and Droids cartoon costumes and large plush figures of Wicket and Kneesaa. And I love the children’s storybooks that are inserted onto a card that extends the art of the book covers. I’ve been collecting and traveling since the beginning, so I find things at shows, trade with other collectors, and make purchases on eBay. Plus I have some very good friends in Spain who are collectors who are always on the lookout for me too, such as when I hear about particularly strange items such as a Stormtrooper caganer!

* SWSS: Now coming to your own collection. Anne Newman has been working with you for some time now, classifying your pieces. When and why did you consider that you needed someone to carry out such a huge task? How did you manage to introduce someone who was not familiar with Star Wars to this adventure? To what extent has she managed to classify your collection? And more importantly, how have you managed to keep her doing it without giving up???

* Steve: Anne is the vice president of Rancho Obi-Wan and General Manager of the museum. I have had people working for and with me for more than 20 years, so Anne is really the third full-timer. Anne is a database expert and she knows Star Wars and its collectibles very well, so I didn’t need to introduce her to anything. She moved to Petaluma and thought it would take about six months to inventory the collection. That was seven and a half years ago! She met someone, got married, and they live at Rancho Obi-Wan.

* Steve: The inventory has been done in spurts because Anne has done so much else here. She has taken photographs for several of my latest books, developed great databases so that I would be able to write them, and was also in charge of the remodeling and expansion of Rancho Obi-Wan (a two-year project) and its becoming a nonprofit, charitable organization.

* Steve: The inventory itself currently contains 91,000 items—but we legitimately estimate that we have more than 300,000 items in the collection, so there’s a long way to go! Want to help?

* SWSS: We´re sure there has been some time since that moment, but can you remember what was the first Star Wars object that you purchased? Do you still keep it?

* Steve: I didn’t purchase my first Star Wars collectible. It was sent to the office of The Wall Street Journal in early 1977—but it went to another reporter. It was a full-color brochure that Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox developed to try to convince movie theaters to play Star Wars; they also sent copies to some journalists. The other reporter looked through it, and then threw it into his wastebasket. After he left for the day I walked over to the basket and pulled it out. Lucky for me he didn’t have a messy lunch!

* SWSS: Is there any piece that you haven´t been able to find yet? If not, which is the one that you have had most trouble finding?

* Steve: Oh sure. No one can have everything—not even Lucasfilm. There are many things that I’ve seen over the years that I’d love to add to the collection. To name just one, from Spain, there was a political campaign poster many years ago where a politician was made to look like he was really Darth Vader. I love items that mash-up Star Wars and popular culture.

* SWSS: This is a classic question, and we understand it is also difficult to answer, especially for someone like you, given the size of your collection, but is there any piece that has a special meaning for you?

* Steve: There is one piece that is very special to me because of my role as head of fan relations at Lucasfilm for 15 years. Lucasfilm was the first movie company to reach out to fans directly and let them know about the movie. In 1976, a year before the film opened in the U.S., the company attended four or five fan conventions and did presentations, showed slides, and even brought costumes and props. The two major ones were San Diego Comic-Con, then only six years old, and WorldCon, which that year was in the middle of the U.S.A. in Kansas City.

* Steve: At both of those conventions Lucasfilm used a hand-painted banner with an unusual version of the Star Wars logo; in the middle was a silkscreened portrait by Ralph McQuarrie of Starkiller, an early composite character that turned into mostly Han Solo with a little of Luke Skywalker. McQuarrie visited Rancho Obi-Wan a few years ago and told me that he had painted the entire banner himself. “That’s the logo that I came up with,” Ralph said. “And I still like it better than the one they finally used!”.

* SWSS: Once your Rancho Obi-Wan has been remodeled and bearing in mind the space left for your pieces, have you stopped buying Star Wars objects? I can guess your answer is “no”, so my next question is: Have you ever thought about stopping collecting memorabilia and contenting yourself with what you already have?

* Steve: I am beginning to confront that now. We really are out of space; I don’t know how we can cram in much more. Also, I’m not bringing in as much income as I used to. So I’m definitely slowing down. Is there room for merchandise for five more Star Wars movies? Not unless someone gives us $1 million to add new buildings—and I’m not counting on that!

* SWSS: In your collection there are all kinds of objects related to the saga, but is there anything that you prefer collecting in a special way? In other words, do you have any preference for books, trading cards, action figures, busts or any other type of collectible?

* Steve: There are certain kinds of items that are at the top of my list: posters, trading cards, and books. I also love the busts and sculptures from Sideshow. My problem, however, is that I really do like it all!

* SWSS: Now let´s turn to something different. You have concluded your working relationship with Lucasfilm, but fortunately, you are still positioned as a major reference in the Star Wars world. Anyway, last year was the first time you participated in a celebration as Steve Sansweet, a fan and a collector, and no longer as a representative of Lucasfilm. How was this experience? We´re sure it must have been pretty different from that side. Did you miss the presence of any of your previous “friends”?

* Steve: I still do have a working relationship with Lucasfilm. Ever since I retired, I have been Fan Relations Adviser. I am available when they need me, mainly working on publicity and some long-term projects. Things haven’t changed much; fans still write me with problems and I try to resolve them or give them the correct contact at Lucasfilm. I still did a couple of presentations at Celebration VI last year—but they were as Steve Sansweet author or collector and head of Rancho Obi-Wan. Since there is no longer an official Star Wars fan club anywhere in the world except Germany, we have tried to fill some of that role with the museum. We have an annual membership kit and a members-only store where we sell exclusive merchandise. Being on The Celebration VI exhibit floor in the Rancho Obi-Wan Experience area let me meet even more fans than I would have if I had been running Celebration as in years past.

* SWSS: During the years you were with Lucasfilm, your role as a connecting figure among the different groups and associations all over the world was very important. Now that you are no longer there, do you think Lucasfilm has somehow neglected fans? Do you know if anybody else has been appointed to do such an important task?

* Steve: I still consider myself a connecting force among fans and groups worldwide. I’m not difficult to reach; I’m still attached to Lucasfilm, and still involved in fan-group approvals. I’m always happy to give advice and direction as long as fans know that I tend to be very busy and I often can’t get back to them right away. Lucasfilm did not replace me directly, but two people I brought to the company are still very much involved with fans: Mary Franklin, who is in charge of events worldwide, and Pablo Hidalgo, who has taken on a role as a host at fan events.

* SWSS: As we said before, the end of your work relation with Lucasfilm didn´t bring your disappearance from the scene, quite on the contrary, you embarked on another huge project, Rancho Obi-Wan. Could you explain what this project is about and why you started it?

* Steve: I actually started Rancho Obi-Wan in 1998 when I moved to Northern California to work fulltime for Lucasfilm. In addition to a very nice house, the property has several large barns that used to house 20,000 egg-laying chickens up until the early 1970s. I turned the largest into a nice “warehouse” for my collection, and friends and fans that I knew could stop by on occasion. The collection just kept growing and growing, and as I saw retirement from Lucasfilm approaching, it was time to make a really big decision: What did I want to do next—because there is no such thing as retiring from life!

* Steve: So Anne and I and another friend, Consetta Parker, who is Rancho’s head of marketing and publicity, formulated a plan to expand and remodel Rancho Obi-Wan, form a corporation, and apply to the government for nonprofit or “charitable” status. It was clear from the start that part of the value of a visit was for me to lead tours and tell stories about the making of the saga and the merchandise, and to arrange the selected items in a way that you organize the flow of a story. The reworking took 18 months and a lot of my assets, but we reopened as a nonprofit and have been giving guided tours since November 2011.

* SWSS: In a few weeks, the doors of the Star Wars Celebration Europe II will be opened and the curtain of the amazing The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience will also rise then. For those who weren´t lucky enough to enjoy it last year in Orlando, could you explain what it is? By the way, can your reveal anything about what´s awaiting us this year in Germany? We promise not to tell anyone…

* Steve: The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience was a carefully curated 800-square-foot exhibit at Celebration VI. We brought many different kinds of items—from rare vintage toys, to fan-made items, to art. We had one of the busiest booths on the convention floor and we always had a lineup of fans waiting to get in. We also had our Rancho merchandise for sale.

For Celebration Europe II, we’ve given the exhibit more of an international flavor—especially European—and have made sure to bring items related to things that were more popular outside the U.S., like from the Ewoks and Droids vintage animated series. And we’re launching three exclusive pieces of merchandise that will first be available at CE II—and maybe only available at CE II if they sell out—including our first very limited edition poster, which turned out great!

* SWSS: Lately you have been involved in several projects related to Rancho Obi-Wan and you have participated in the blog of the Official Star Wars webpage on a regular basis. Is there any other project in your mind for the near future?

* Steve: Well, I’ve only written 16 Star Wars books, so I think I have several more in me—but I’m taking a bit of a breather. And we have some really amazing and wonderful news to share later this year, but I’m afraid I can’t say anything about it right now. Keep following the Rancho Obi-Wan Facebook page and web site.

* SWSS: We haven´t mentioned the hot topic yet. I am obviously talking about the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney. Many lines have been written about it and people have talked about this issue in different spaces, but we are interested in your opinion. Did you expect it? Do you think that the purchase could mean the disappearance of some of the Star Wars spirit? Can you imagine a film where the emblematic logo of Lucasfilm has been replaced by the Disney haunted castle?

* Steve: I’ve been saying for years that the perfect endgame for Lucasfilm when George Lucas decided to retire would be the company’s purchase by Disney. Even back when the first Star Wars movie came out, many were saying this was the kind of movie Disney should have been making. The two companies have been partners for more than two decades and I expect great things in the future. Disney has handled the acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel brilliantly and I’m confident fans will be very happy about what the future brings.

* SWSS: This is a required question and it´s about Episode VII, one that has brought about all kinds of rumors. Rumor has it that the actors who participated in the first films may come back, a fact that has arisen a lot of debate. Would you like to see those actors in their galactic clothes or would you prefer to resume the story from a different point? If so, what type of story would you like to be told?

* Steve: I don’t deal in rumors, and I’m just happy to wait and see what a great team in front of and behind the camera comes up with!

We are finished with the interview and we want to thank you for the interest you have shown in answering our questions. We also want to tell you it has been a great pleasure for us to be able to talk to you. It goes without saying that we hope the success of Rancho Obi-Wan continues growing and we wish you luck with all the projects you undertake. This webpage will of course continue informing our readers about what you do because you will always be a reference for all Star Wars fans.

* YOU: First of all, I wanted to congratulate you for your last book Star Wars: The Ultimate Action Figure Collection, and as these figure are the main focus on my own collection I wanted to ask you a recurrent doubt: How do you prefer to have your action figures, into their blisters or loose with some kind of pose with their complements? Always into a display cabinet, of course…

* STEVE: Both ways! I have always tried to collect my primary set in great condition on cards, and a second set to remove from the cards and display in large acrylic cases with their accessories. After all these years, we are finally starting to display the loose figures at Rancho Ob-Wan!

* YOU: Mr. Sansweet, I collect props and production material from the original trilogy. It is known the great number of items you have in this area and I would like to ask you which is for you the most important piece and which one has the most fascinating story.

* STEVE: I have always loved “behind-the-scenes” pieces that have showed how movie magic is made. So in that regard, two of my favorite pieces are a stunt lightsaber and blade from The Empire Strikes Back, and the prototype Boba Fett rifle from the original all-white Fett costume designed by Joe Johnston.

* YOU: Mr. Sansweet, you have stated your interest in popular culture objects which include any Star Wars reference and in fact you have some of them in your collection. Which of those pieces is the strangest one?

* STEVE: Well, there are a number of XXX ones…but we don’t talk about those in public. ? So I guess the Star Wars caganers fit the bill!

* YOU: Mr. Sansweet: if you had to sell your entire collection, which item would be the last one leaving Rancho Obi-Wan?

* STEVE: The hand-painted Ralph McQuarrie Star Wars banner used at fan conventions a year before the movie opened in the U.S. in 1977.

* YOU: I have attended different events and have had the pleasure of meeting you: San Diego Comic-Con, Celebrations, Jedicon, Reunion, Barnacon… Since the first time I met you and seeing all the people always around you, I asked myself one thing: How can you greet everybody with a smile on your face and how can you be always willing to help everyone?

* STEVE: I am blushing now! The truth is I really love Star Wars and I find nearly every fan I meet to be interesting, friendly, and personable. I truly like to help others, whether it is to answer questions or to point them to people who can help them find whatever it is that they seek. If I can make a fellow fan happy, then I’m happy.

* YOU: With the multitude of products that exists about Star Wars, just from the movies or related with many aspects of daily life, and considering what we can expect with the new films, don’t you think Star Wars collectors can become bored?

* STEVE: I’ve been collecting Star Wars for more than 35 years, and I’m not bored yet. Out of money and out of space, yes. Bored? No!

* YOU: Mr. Sansweet, I would like to ask you why Star Wars. What makes Star Wars different from other science fiction movies and how did you turn into the greatest Star Wars collector in the world?

* STEVE: I think the story, characters, and situations make Star Wars so special—but there is no real way of pinning down why it became—and has remained—so popular all over the world. Maybe because so many of the Star Wars movies keep the child inside us alive and excited. I was in the right place and at the right time to fall in love with Star Wars and start collecting by buying new items from the store shelves. As collecting changed—first finding out about international items, then the Internet—I changed how I collected, but not what I collected.

* YOU: Mr. Sansweet, have you follow the merchandising made by our web? And if so, which one has been your favorite item?

* STEVE: WHAT? What merchandise? You’ve all been holding out on me! Boo Hoo! Well, I love patches a lot, and coins, and…what else have you made? ?

* YOU: Do you remember Star Wars Conference? You know, the Spanish convention that took place at Sitges some years ago…

* STEVE: Oh yes! An interesting event indeed. A bit cold that time of year, but a charming town. I think the highlights were the panels, the nearly full-size X-Wing fighter (which the workmen broke!) and accepting an award for George Lucas—presented in Catalan and accepted in Spanish!

* YOU: Rancho Obi-Wan has its own merchandising and in fact new exclusives have just been announced for SWCE2. What kind of products would you like to offer in the future?

* STEVE: We have made mainly logo merchandise, so it was very exciting to get Lucasfilm’s permission to make a limited edition print of a wonderful piece of art in my collection by the very talented Benjamin Carré. If this is successful, we would like to do more items like this.

* YOU: Which one do you think is the indispensable item in any Star Wars Collection? If there is one, of course…

* STEVE: Oh yes: Money! Lots of money! ? And an incredible amount of patience is important too!