Editing The Empire Strikes Back (section)

=== Post-production ===
The schedule overrun resulted in filming and post-production taking place simultaneously; filmed footage was shipped immediately to ILM to begin effects work.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|pp=151,155}} A [[workprint|rough cut]] resembling the finished film (minus special effects) was put together by mid-October 1979.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|pp=248, 258}} Lucas provided 31 pages of notes about changes he wanted, mainly alterations in dialogue and scene lengths.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|pp=258–259}} Jones recorded Vader's dialogue in late 1979 and early 1980.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=305}} In early 1980, Lucas changed the long-planned opening of Luke riding his tauntaun to a shot of the Star Destroyer launching probes. He continued tweaking elements to improve the special effects, but even with ILM staff working up to 24 hours a day, six days a week, there was not enough time to do everything they wanted.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|pp=302–303}} A Dagobah [[pick-up (filmmaking)|pick-up]] scene, in which R2-D2 is spat out by a monster, was filmed in Lucas's swimming pool;{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|pp=298–299}} the Emperor's scenes were filmed in February 1980.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=308}}

Fox executives did not see a cut of the film until March.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|pp=315,321}} That month, Lucas decided he wanted an additional Hoth scene and auditioned 50 ILM crew to appear as Rebels.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=308}} The final 124-minute cut was completed on April 16, which triggered a $10{{nbsp}}million payment from Fox to Bank of Boston.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|pp=315,321}}{{sfn|The New York Times, June|1980}}<ref name="BBFC" /> Lucasfilm also launched an employee bonus scheme to share ''Empire''{{'}}s profits with its staff.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=321}} Test screenings were held in San Francisco on April 19. While the tauntaun special effect was criticized, audiences liked Han's reply of "I know" to Leia's confession of love. Lucas was unimpressed by the scene, believing it was not how Han would act.<ref name="EmpireMakingOf" />{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|pp=321–322}} Because the magnetic soundtrack could flake from the film reels, Kurtz hired people to watch the film reels 24 hours a day to identify defects; 22% were defective.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=323}}

Shortly after the film's theatrical release, Lucas decided the ending was unclear about where Luke and Leia were in relation to Lando and Chewbacca. In the three-week window between its limited and wider release, Lucas, Johnston, and visual effects artist [[Ken Ralston]] filmed enhancement scenes at ILM, using existing footage, a new score, modified dialogue, and new miniatures to create establishing shots of the Rebel fleet and their relative positions.<ref name="PostReleaseImmedChanges" /> By the project's conclusion, around 700 people had worked on ''Empire''.{{sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=124}}