The Geonosis droid factories, which are also referred to as the Geonosian droid factories or Geonosis droid foundries, represented an expansive underground factory complex dedicated to the production of battle droid on the planet Geonosis. These foundries, situated in proximity to the Petranaki Arena, operated with complete automation and posed significant dangers to anyone who ventured inside.
These immense manufacturing facilities engaged in the large-scale creation of droids, weaponry, and vehicles for clandestine clients. Isolated from the surface, the subterranean factories relied on the tireless efforts of flightless Geonosian worker drones, who continuously worked to maximize production efficiency. This relentless pursuit of output resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities among the drones, as speed and reliability were prioritized above all else.
During breaks between shifts, the workers found rest in storage niches situated along warm corridors. These workers did not experience true sleep, but instead simply rested their eyes, remaining easily roused. Geonosian leaders recognized the advantage of having a multitude of vigilant, yet expendable, observers.
Excavated by a vast workforce of drones, the Geonosian factories extended to depths exceeding a kilometer. To secure the necessary minerals, Geonosians launched mining operations into the asteroid belt surrounding Geonosis. These mined materials were then melted down using lasers and subsequently distributed throughout the factory to be shaped into molds.
The clandestine creation of the Separatist Droid Army occurred without the oversight of officials from the Galactic Republic.
Prior to the onset of the Clone Wars, worker drones undertook the excavation and construction of the factories, reaching depths of one kilometer.
Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, R2-D2, and C-3PO inadvertently entered the factory while attempting to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi: Skywalker lost his first lightsaber in the process, and C-3PO suffered decapitation.
Archduke Poggle the Lesser oversaw the construction of a larger factory during the Clone Wars, which became the target of an assault by Republic forces during the Second Battle of Geonosis.
Subsequently, the Galactic Empire repurposed the factories for their project aimed at constructing a colossal space station superweapon, known as the Death Star.
Late in the Galactic Civil War, New Republic Special Forces Sergeant major Jom Barell piloted a gunship through an electrical storm in an effort to prevent remnants of the Galactic Empire from reactivating the derelict droid foundries.
The inclusion of the droid factory occurred relatively late in the production process, with its conception and integration into the storyline taking place after the conclusion of principal photography. The original script depicted Anakin and Padmé infiltrating the Geonosian spire, where they directly encountered Count Dooku. In that version, the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO remained aboard the Naboo starship. The addition of the droid factory not only introduced a new action sequence but also provided a visual representation of the scale of the burgeoning droid army. The scenes involving Anakin, Padmé, and the droids were filmed during additional photography in 2001, primarily against bluescreens with minimal set construction. The Animatics Department augmented the bluescreen areas with detailed, temporary renderings of the droid factory, previsualizing the environment that Industrial Light & Magic would ultimately create. Ben Snow, a Visual Effects Supervisor on the film, acquired reference footage from an automobile factory and foundry in Northern California as a source of visual inspiration for the movement of automated machinery and the intense heat and steam effects that his team would replicate.
While much of the environment was generated using computer graphics, certain machines and the surrounding walls of the droid factory were constructed as intricate and dramatically illuminated miniatures.