Behind the curtain

An exclusive PwC interview

Walls covered in movie posters, halls filled with movie props and even a Yoda statue—it may sound like a workplace designed by a sci-fi fanatic, and to an extent it is. But it’s also the very real Lucasfilm headquarters at the Letterman Digital Arts Center.

Besides churning out some of the biggest blockbusters in cinema history, such as the Star Wars™ and Indiana Jones™ series, Lucasfilm has also drawn rave reviews as a great place for people to work, attracting a handful of PwC alumni.

A company built on characters such as a 7-foot Wookiee space pilot and a fedora-wearing, whip-cracking archaeologist may seem an unlikely place for auditors and accountants to thrive. Yet, four former PwC employees are fitting right in at a company that is writing the script for mixing work and play.

Were you always a fan of Lucasfilm and its properties?

Daniel Tsang , internal audit manager at Lucasfilm and former PwC senior auditor: I watched all the movies growing up. They were a part of my childhood. To me, the company seemed to be a bit mysterious; it seemed like a magical place.

Kevin Cronin , Lucasfilm’s corporate accounting manager and former PwC senior auditor: I respected how Lucasfilm marketed Star Wars. My parents have never seen the films, but they still know the characters. You have to admire the brand and the company behind that.
Aaron Feibus, financial analyst at Lucasfilm’s special effects arm Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and former PwC associate: As a kid, I was a pretty big Star Wars fan. I had the clothes and toys. In fact, I asked my mom to dig them out so I could decorate my office.

Deborah Pfann , director of finance at Lucasfilm and former PwC manager: I wouldn’t have called myself a fanatic, but Lucasfilm was a client while I was with PwC. I started an audit right when Star Wars: Episode I came out. The more I learned about Lucasfilm, how the video games and special effects are made, the more of a fan I became.

What made you decide to pursue a job at Lucasfilm?

Kevin: I worked in PwC’s audit practice for five years and for the last two I had all media clients, including Lucasfilm. I was impressed with the variety of people and their creativity.

Deborah: I was with PwC for nine years, and Lucasfilm was a client for seven. They had some of the smartest and most casual accounting people I ever worked with.

Aaron: The people are wonderful. When I interviewed here, I thought the people who were going to be my bosses were just cool. And they were brilliant, too. Plus there seemed to be a great deal of social responsibility at Lucasfilm.

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