George Lucas, one of the most successful and brilliant minds of the 20th century, was born in the unremarkable town of Modesto, California on May 14, 1944. This geeky, but This charming kid would later be known for producing not one, but two of the most popular franchises in cinematic history. His passion and imagination would later be known for inspiring other now successful filmmakers such as John Faverau (Iron Man), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead), Eli Roth (Hostel), and even helping to revive and sponsor the film by Joe Johnston (Captain America). : The First Avenger) career. The cultural impact of Lucas' films on the human race is what will keep them alive forever. George Lucas had always wanted to become a race car driver, but after his near-fatal car accident, he quickly changed his mind. Lucas instead attended community college where he began devoting his time to cinematography and camera tricks. He really developed a passion for it. After listening to a friend's advice, he transferred to the University of Southern California's film school. While in college, he produced a futuristic sci-fi short film called THX-1138:4EB which was later made into a renamed feature film THX 1138. The film failed with critics, but it didn't break Lucas' morale. Shortly after his first film dropped, George Lucas began working on his next film inspired by his love for cars called American Graffiti. The film American Graffiti was released in 1973 and tells the story of a few high school graduates trying to spend time together before heading off to college. American Graffiti ended up being nominated in five categories at the Academy Awards: Best Screenplay, Best Picture, and finally Best Director. Even though Lucas reached the... middle of paper ......raphy.com/people/george-lucas-9388168>."George Lucas: Magic Movie Mogul." Entrepreneur . October 9, 2008: n. page. Internet. March 11, 2014. “George Lucas.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia, March 8, 2014. Web. March 11, 2014. “Star Wars.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia, March 11, 2014. Web. March 12, 2014. "Celebrity Net Worth: George Lucas of Star Wars Fame." Examiner.com. Np, February 17, 2014. Web. March 12, 2014. “Industrial Light and Magic.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia, March 1, 2014. Web. March 12, 2014. “George Lucas Quotes.” Smart quote. BookRags Media Network. Internet. March 12 2014. .