Michael Pangrazio - Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - 1979 - Hoth Hangar - Matte Painting Study

Super rare concept study for the matte painting of the Hoth hangar, from the beginning of „Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back“, done in 1979 by Michael Pangrazio. The concept study has two layers, below is a production photo of the three rebel soldiers (to the right), and over it a painted cel with the background (on the left). Please have a look at the additional pictures with close-ups of the piece as well as a picture of the storyboard (which I don’t own) and a shot from the final movie…


Michael Pangrazio (or Mike Pangrazio as he is often credited) was hired by ILM in 1978, thanks to Joe Johnston. Conceptual artist and matte painter Ralph McQuarrie taught him the craft of matte painting, and Pangrazio was subsequently responsible for many matte paintings in the Star Wars & Indiana Jones movies (and many other Lucasfilm productions until 1987). His most famous matte painting is the final shot of the government warehouse from „Raiders of the Lost Ark“ (1981), which was painted on glass by Pangrazio and combined with live-action footage of a government worker pushing the crate up the center aisle. The integration of the live action lighting and painted lighting effects is said to be the best matte painting achievement in filmmaking history.