Clayton Sandell
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claytonsandell.com
Clayton Sandell
@claytonsandell.com
Star Wars, tiki bar, Disney, VFX & sound design nerd. Celebration stage host. ILM/SkySound feature writer. Co-author “ROTJ: A Visual Archive”. Pro-Oxford Comma. (he/him) 501st Legion & Rebel Legion honorary member. https://linktr.ee/claytonsandell
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Hello new followers! About me: I've worked in TV news for a long time, and I'm a huge #StarWars nerd. Past work: claytonsandell.com/star-wars-st...

Sometimes I write SW books with brilliant authors I'm lucky to call friends, and I once made a video of my dog and kid in a lightsaber duel. Cheers!
January 16, 2026 at 2:12 AM
Even Darth Vader has joined hundreds of other people this morning at a protest against ICE in Centennial, Colorado.
January 11, 2026 at 6:05 PM
New year means new Star Wars book projects (and lots and lots and lots of RESEARCH). Coming your way in 2027!

(And this is a fraction of the sources… dozens more live in PDF form…)

#starwars
January 5, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Such is the life of the Star Wars obsessed that you will spot a 1984 copy of the original film ON BETA at a vintage store and buy it immediately, despite having NO WAY TO ACTUALLY PLAY IT. 😂
December 31, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Fun “Skeleton Crew” Easter egg for ya…
December 30, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Loving the Industrial Light & Magic 50 holiday art by ILM London’s Emily Bland!
December 22, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Filmmaking legend Ben Burtt screened his director’s cut of “Attack of the Hawkmen”, a 1995 TV movie crafted from “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” series. He added cut scenes, created a new epilogue and more. Fun to watch Ben showcase the film 30 years later on a big screen for the first time!
December 11, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Traffic-stopping standoff on the road into Skywalker Ranch this morning. Possibly a heated dispute over a female. Alerted security.
December 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Missing “Skeleton Crew”? Here’s some fun stuff about how ILM is pioneering real-time visual effects used on the show. Writer @stobiesgalaxy.bsky.social has more here. ⬇️ www.ilm.com/star-wars-sk...
Real-Time Visual Effects: Behind-the-Scenes of ILM’s Cutting-Edge Contributions to ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’
Members of ILM’s visual effects team discuss their cutting-edge approach to crafting a scene from the Emmy-nominated Skeleton Crew through their real-time rendering pipeline.
www.ilm.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s hoping your day is as stress and sith-free as possible! 🦃🍁
November 27, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Today I join more than 150 former ABC News staffers calling on ABC and Disney to protect their journalists (like Mary Bruce) from attacks on press freedom. Read the letter here: attackonpressfreedom.tiiny.site
November 21, 2025 at 11:25 PM
I never wrote for Star Wars Insider, but today I want to thank everyone who contributed such meaningful work to 237 wonderful issues. “End of an era” is overused but this truly, truly is. For this fan, seeing my name and mug in print alongside great friends from time to time was an absolute honor.
November 10, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Just a few more days until this @adamchristopher.me beauty is released into the wild. (You can preorder now!)
November 7, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by Clayton Sandell
Cats, Dogs, and Oven Mitts: Summoning the Sounds of Dinosaurs for ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’. My latest for Skywalker Sound. Read here: medium.com/@SkywalkerSo...
November 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Cats, Dogs, and Oven Mitts: Summoning the Sounds of Dinosaurs for ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’. My latest for Skywalker Sound. Read here: medium.com/@SkywalkerSo...
November 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Clayton Sandell
How many Sith does it take to change a lightbulb? None. They like it on the dark side.

A #StarWars Dad Jokes sequel?! Never tell me the odds! STAR WARS DAD JOKES STRIKE BACK, coming April 28, 2026 and now available to preorder ✨
November 1, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Clayton Sandell
This is the Way! Just announced at the Lucasfilm Publishing panel at New York Comic Con! “The Art of The Mandalorian and Grogu also includes a look back at artwork from season 3 of The Mandalorian as well as moments from The Book of Boba Fett. (April 28, 2026)”
www.starwars.com/news/nycc-20...
October 11, 2025 at 6:03 PM
A master class in visual effects! This is so cool!
Vanity Fair asked me to talk about visual effects, and it was my great honor to show off some of ILM’s terrific work over the years.

Todd Vaziri on Vanity Fair VFX
youtu.be/ERKEsIzTFas?...
ILM's VFX Secrets Behind Star Wars, Transformers & More | Vanity Fair
YouTube video by Vanity Fair
youtu.be
October 7, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Thanks Random House Worlds! We talked a lot about this gorgeous Matthew Stover Revenge of the Sith 20th anniversary deluxe edition at SDCC with @darthinternous.bsky.social and Gabby Munoz. It’s wonderful and almost out in the world!
October 1, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Salt Lake City! Come hear stories about writing non-fiction books about a galaxy far, far away with my amazing Star Wars author pals @kelly-knox.com and @infinata.bsky.social. We’ll see you at 7 p.m. in Room 250A! #FanXSaltLake
September 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
What? New stories and a few never-before-seen images from the @ilmvfx.bsky.social archives during the making of “The Goonies”? YES PLEASE. My latest for ILM.com. www.ilm.com/goonies-40-a... #ILM50
“Never Say Die!”: Revisiting ILM’s Visual Effects Contributions as 'The Goonies' Turns 40
Former Industrial Light & Magic artists join ILM.com to reflect on bringing the pre-digital cinema classic to life.
www.ilm.com
September 16, 2025 at 5:46 PM
The fine folks at Regal Robot are giving away a copy of Return of the Jedi: A Visual Archive! Click here for more info: www.facebook.com/groups/regal...
September 2, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Reposted by Clayton Sandell
I'm so excited to share my latest ILM.com article, as it highlights Industrial Light & Magic's contributions to The Fantastic Four: First Steps! I spoke with ILM's Daniele Bigi, who offered some phenomenal insights into the film's visual effects. www.ilm.com/fantastic-fo...
September 2, 2025 at 3:42 PM
The Rebel Hideout is finally revealed! Such a cool story! www.ilm.com/rebel-hideou...
Welcome to the Rebel Hideout: ILM’s Employee-made ‘Star Wars’ Gathering Place
Learn the inspiring story of a group of dedicated ILM and Lucasfilm employees who turned their dreams into a reality....
www.ilm.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:59 PM