Michael Lynch, previously with ILM, is a model creator who has contributed his skills to the production teams of many motion pictures. Notably, he held the position of lead model maker for each of the three installments of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
Lynch's involvement in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace also extended to puppeteering the character C-3PO. Dressed in a brightly colored outfit, he operated the puppet he had constructed, sometimes alongside the other cast members on the set, and other times in front of a green screen. Anthony Daniels provided the character's voice from off-screen and directed Lynch's actions, enabling him to animate the puppet. Furthermore, Lynch was the creator of the Mos Espa Grand Arena for the same movie, which was among the largest of the miniature sets. To populate the arena's seating, hundreds of thousands of cotton swabs were painted and used. A fan provided airflow, causing them to move gently, thus replicating the appearance of a large crowd of onlookers.