CreComm grad turns Star Wars fandom into career as content developer for Lucasfilm
Pablo Hidalgo doesn’t remember the first time he saw Star Wars.
The Lucasfilm writer and Creative Communications grad (1996) wasn’t old enough to catch the film when it first came out in 1977. Instead his childhood was soaked in the references, merchandise and culture of a galaxy far, far away.
“I had the storybook and the trading cards and a few toys before I ever saw it,” Hidalgo says. “Definitely the kids in the neighbourhood and schoolyard kept you immersed in it because it was all they talked about.”
The tale of lightsabre-wielding Jedi Knights, galactic rebels and planet-destroying spaceships stayed with Hidalgo through his adolescence as a hobby interest, setting a standard for storytelling and emotional investment. When it came time to turning those skills into a career, Hidalgo chose Red River College.
“It seemed a very practical alternative to university. The track record of people finding work after completing a course like Ad Art (now Graphic Design) or CreComm was very positive… A friend of mine had recently completed Ad Art, and I was impressed with the skills he had picked up. It was really a toss-up between CreComm and Ad Art for me, and CreComm won out.”
The coursework challenged Hidalgo’s time management skills, while building his talents in writing, technical production and, to his deep surprise, public speaking. He came out of the program and hit the ground running, landing a job at McKim, Manitoba’s largest advertising firm – officially as a copywriter, but also using his diverse skill set to assist with design and production work. At the same time he was freelancing online for Pennsylvania-based West End Games – the company that developed the first Star Wars roleplaying games – networking with others in the Star Wars universe.
Networking also helped him land his next job, the springboard for his move to California. Frantic Films was an up-and-coming visual effects studio at the time, attracting the interest of Hollywood studios as well as local client McKim. Hidalgo made the switch when an opening presented itself, landing a diverse portfolio that stretched from 3D animation and storyboarding to press releases.
Then one day he saw an invitation to an epic adventure. Read More →