A young girl commands the stage as Imperial tough guy Gen. Tarkin

Ellie dazzled audiences and her fellow cast and crew members with her stunning portrayal of Imperial bad guy Grand Moff Tarkin.

She really would have preferred another more amiable role -- perhaps that of Princess Leia, but her performance as Tarkin was so on-the-money that now it is difficult to imagine her in any other role.

Tarkin is a pivotal character in our short film, and Ellie brought the appropriate air of seriousness to the part. Because there were a lot of scenes that didn't include her character, Ellie was able to step into other roles as well, including a Jawa and a rebel pilot. It is her performance as Tarkin, however, that stays with us after we see the film.