Fans who have dreamt of designing their own Star Wars droid will finally get their chance through the “Build My Droid” contest, an initiative launched today by Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Force for Change and the global robotics community FIRST®. The contest aims to inspire the next generation of heroes and innovators in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and creative arts. Fans and artists ages 16 and up have the chance to design a droid that will be featured in a future story set in the Star Wars galaxy. The competition is part of the lead-up to the highly anticipated final chapter in the Skywalker saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, opening in U.S. theaters on December 20. The winning designer will be invited to the world premiere in December to see the public unveiling of his or her droid design on the red carpet.
“The ingenuity and creativity of Star Wars fans has always amazed me,” said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “When FIRST teamed up with Force for Change, we saw a great opportunity to both highlight their incredible talent and reaffirm the importance of STEM programs. I can’t wait to see what designs they come up with.”
The panel of judges for the contest includes Star Wars creature and special makeup effects supervisor Neal Scanlan; Lucasfilm vice president, creative producer John Swartz; Lucasfilm senior creative executive Pablo Hidalgo; celebrity Star Wars fan and STEM advocate Mayim Bialik; and FIRST founder Dean Kamen, inventor of the LUKE Arm—a revolutionary prosthesis.
The “Build My Droid” contest is now accepting submissions, and applicants must turn in their droid design in the form of a sketch, drawing or painting by November 13, 2019. Eligible countries include the United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales only), France, Spain, Belgium, Japan and Mexico. Official rules and additional information may be found at StarWars.com/BuildMyDroidContest.
Star Wars: Force for Change aims to transform the lives of children by helping to bridge the STEM skills gap, utilizing the fun and intrigue of Star Wars storytelling to inspire innovation, help build confidence and ignite curiosity. In doing so, Star Wars: Force for Change hopes to embolden and motivate the next generation of innovators and heroes, while also empowering the Star Wars fan community to use their fandom for good. Likewise, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 to spark an appreciation of science and technology in youths. FIRST develops accessible, innovative programs that build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills, which encourage students in grades K–12 to pursue opportunities in science, technology and engineering. The support of FIRST is part of The Walt Disney Company’s commitment to provide inspiration and opportunity to the next generation of innovators. The 2020 FIRST RISE season is powered by Star Wars: Force for Change.