Jesse Hayes is the co-founder of a video game company, S2 Games, and owner of Puzzlebox Entertainment, but he’s also an artist and maker when it comes to movie props.

The premiere of a new Star Wars movie (and perhaps a new generation of fans) will be here in just a few months. While the intergalactic story has always held a special place with me, I was one of the many fans that felt let down by George Lucas’ butchering of the first three episodes of the saga. Since my childhood (when the CGI-ridden prequels were in full swing), I have hoped for the return of animatronics and puppeteers to Star Wars, and add a sense of gritty realism back into the story.